ASEAN-India Interactions: Meeting geopolitical and strategic objectives

The region of Southeast Asia has always gained attention from colonial powers because it sits astride major sea lines of communications (SLOCs), and also has abundant natural resources which has fulfilled the economic ambitions of the colonial powers. Following the independence of many of the Southeast Asian countries in 1940s and early 1950s, the colonial powers tried to manage the ideological fault lines given the fact that this region lies very close to China and Russia. The formation of ASEAN was primarily to counter their ideological influence, particularly communism, after riots were seen in a few Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. India and ASEAN began to develop relations after the end of the Cold War. Their relationship, which was based on cultural and religious interactions, also fulfilled political objectives of stimulating the newly developing states to join the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). ASEAN and India have completed nearly three decades of interaction as dialogue partners and within the frame of ASEAN plus one dialogue process, developing strategic ties and defence relations with a number of countries in Southeast Asia. In 2012 India and ASEAN also signed the strategic partnership agreement. Their economic complementarity developed with the growth of the Indian economy, as many Southeast Asian countries needed a large market like India. This paper analyzes different facets of relationships between the two sides and also proposes how the relationship can be enhanced, looking into future challenges primarily in areas of regional security and economics.