INDIA
Asean move to counter China role
India is committed to enhancing maritime cooperation with the Asean bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, in comments that assume significance given China's aggression in the South China Sea and New Delhi's keenness for a more influential role in the Indo-Pacific region.
"India shares the Asean vision for rule-based societies and values of peace," Modi said in his opening remarks at the plenary session here of the Commemorative Summit to mark 25 years of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Dialogue Partnership.
India's Act East policy got a major boost, with 10 Asean leaders accepting Modi's proposal to enhance maritime security cooperation, boost trade and focus on freedom of navigation in the sea lanes. The 10 visiting leaders will also attend India's Republic Day parade on Friday. In order to further strengthen the country's "historical bonds with Asean states," the PM proposed to declare "2019 as the year to promote tourism"
Asean comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and their leaders are participating in the summit themed "Shared Destiny, Common Values".
Modi also called for respect for international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), while stating that the Asean is at the centre of New Delhi's Act East Policy.
The Prime Minister said that the nature of Asean-India partnership has evolved significantly. "Our trade has grown 25 times in 25 years. Investments are robust and growing," he said.
"We will further enhance trade ties and work towards greater interaction among our business communities."
After the speech, the leaders went into deliberations behind closed doors, with the PM himself requesting the media to leave the venue. Among the issue flagged were the need to enhance trade. The India-Asean trade is currently only US$ 71 billion and has been declining since reaching a peak of US$80 billion in 2011-12.
Indian industry has been of the view that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Asean has not been advantageous to it. Particularly the Steal Ministry has been up in arms and is pleading the PM to ask the countries to incorporate an urgent reciprocity clause in the FTA. China and Japan are the major exporter to Asean with a share of 19 per cent each and India's share is quite miniscule at 3 per cent because of various barriers.
The PM said that Asean stands right at the "centre" of India's Act East Policy. He also talked about shared cultural linkages between the countries. "The Ramayana, the ancient India epic, continues to be a valuable shared legacy in Asean and Indian subcontinent. Buddhism also binds us closely. Islam in many parts of South East Asia has a distinctive Indian connection going back several centuries," he said.
Before inaugurating the summit, the PM held bilateral talks with seven leaders in both delegation-level and restricted format.
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