- Prelims: Current events of international importance(ASEAN, RCEP, ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), ASEAN charter etc)
- Mains GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional and global grouping involving India, Significance of Indo-Pacific for India etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- 56th Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the post-ministerial conferences and other related regional meetings were held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN):
- It is a regional organization which was established to promote political and social stability amid rising tensions among the Asia-Pacific’s post-colonial states.
- The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
- August 8th is observed as ASEAN Day.
- ASEAN Secretariat – Indonesia, Jakarta.
Recent Developments between ASEAN and India:
- The 24th ASEAN-India Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) was hosted in Delhi.
- India and ASEAN celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Dialogue Relations.
- In the 2nd ASEAN Digital Ministers’ (ADGMIN) Meeting with India, the two sides finalized India-ASEAN Digital work plan 2022 for future collaboration in the field.
What are the Fundamental Principles of ASEAN?
- The ASEAN fundamental principles, as contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976
- Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations.
- The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion or coercion.
- Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another.
- Settlement of differences or disputes in a peaceful manner.
- Renunciation of the threat or use of force.
- Effective cooperation among themselves.
Vision:
- The joint communiqué of the FMM: It is indicative of ASEAN’s brave attempts to navigate through transformative changes in the present decade
- As the current chair, Indonesia has portrayed ASEAN as “the Epicentrum of Growth”.
- It is a well-chiseled vision with three interrelated dimensions:
- Creating a political community that ensures regional peace and just democratic and harmonious environment
- An economic community focused on achieving a well-integrated and connected regional economy within the global economic system
- A socio-cultural community to enhance the quality of life of ASEAN’s citizens as well as sustainable development of the region.
ASEAN’s ability to manage regional and global dynamics depended on two critical ingredients(Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and chair):
- It should maintain its credibility by adhering to the ASEAN Charter
- It should stay in the driver’s seat while navigating regional dynamics.
Challenges:
- ASEAN’s internal differences on issues such as Myanmar keep surfacing in public.
- Its desire to lead the region and shape its agenda stands jeopardized by the strained relationship between the U.S. and China.
- China enjoys close political and economic relations with the ASEAN states, and at least three of them, i.e Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, are its virtual dependencies.
- Philippines has become more assertive in its claims in the South China Sea
- The central players, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, are all favorably disposed towards China.
- Most of the ASEAN countries do not raise their voice against China’s delaying tactics in negotiating an enforceable code of conduct concerning the South China Sea.
- ASEAN and China have called for “an early conclusion of an effective and substantive” code of conduct
- No indication of a timeline is given.
- ASEAN also watches helplessly the acrimonious debate between the U.S. and Chinese governments, despite USA’s recent attempts to revive constructive discussions through high-level visits.
- Despite ASEAN partners reaffirming support for the AOIP, its actual implementation remains a worry.
- It appears vulnerable when the grouping is unable to forge unity on a most sensitive issue, the Myanmar situation, which has led ASEAN to bar a member-state (Myanmar) from all its political-level discussions.
- In the run-up to the FMM, Thailand, defying ASEAN’s official policy, ran its own dialogue with the military government of Myanmar.
ASEAN prefers to promote the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP):
- Its four identified areas:
- maritime cooperation
- connectivity
- UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030
- economic cooperation
Way Forward
- Institutional architecture created by ASEAN has become an inclusive platform.
- It draws nations from near and far, as also all major players (the United States, China, India, Japan and Russia) engaged in shaping the strategic contestation in a vast region stretching from east Africa to the South Pacific.
- The disunity could not be concealed by a routine reaffirmation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) forged in April 2021.
- Without unity, ASEAN centrality loses much of its credibility.
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar: He referred to the importance of a “strong and unified” ASEAN in the emerging dynamic of the Indo-Pacific.
- He highlighted the convergence between the AOIP and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
- To build on the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and ASEAN, the two sides work in “newer areas such as cyber, financial and maritime security domains.
- Though it appeared that ASEAN did not make much progress, and no new ground was broken, its persistence with dialogue, internally and externally, prevented geopolitical temperatures from rising.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
Indian Diaspora has an important role to play in South East Asian countries economy and society.Appraise the role of Indian Diaspora in South-East Asia in this context.(UPSC 2017) (200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
