Prime Minister’s visit to Jakarta - 20th ASEAN-India Summit

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• ASEAN
• What is ASEAN?
• What is India’s link with ASEAN?
• News Summary: Prime Minister’s visit to Jakarta
• Key Outcome of the 20th ASEAN-India Summit
• Key highlights of the speech delivered by PM Modi at 20th ASEAN-India Summit

Why in news?

• Prime Minister Modi visited Jakarta, Indonesia at the invitation of Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia.
• During his visit, PM attended the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and 18th East Asia Summit being hosted by Indonesia as current Chair of ASEAN.
  • The current ASEAN-India Summit was the first Summit since the elevation of India-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.

ASEAN

• About
  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional grouping that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members:
    • Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
      • Timor-Leste joined the ASEAN in 2022 as an Observer. ASEAN has agreed in principle to accept Timor-Leste as its 11th member.
      • The decision was made in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where the 40th and 41st ASEAN summits were held.
  • ASEAN countries have a total population of 662 million people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.2 trillion as of 2022.
  • ASEAN has an anthem, a flag and biannual summits (twice a year) with a rotating chairmanship.
• Establishment:
  • It was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Aim
  • The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
• Secretariat
  • ASEAN Secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.

What is India’s link with ASEAN?

• ASEAN and Act East Policy
  • ASEAN is central to India’s Act East policy, which focuses on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region.
• India among the dialogue partners
  • India is part of the ASEAN Plus Six grouping, which includes China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia as well.
• Trade and Investment
  • In 2010, India-ASEAN FTA in goods were signed. FTA in services were signed in 2014.
  • ASEAN is India’s 4th largest trading partner. Total trade stood at $110.4 billion in 2021-22.
• Institutional cooperation
  • India – ASEAN summit-level partnership in 2002;
    • The year 2022 marked 30 years of ASEAN-India relations and it was designated as ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
  • Ties were elevated to a strategic partnership in 2012 and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.
  • India and ASEAN have strengthened defence cooperation by the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

News Summary: Prime Minister’s visit to Jakarta

Key Outcome of the 20^th ASEAN-India Summit

• Decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Timor Leste
  • At the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta, PM Modi announced a decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste.
• Two Joint Statements were adopted
  • Maritime Cooperation, and
  • Food Security and Nutrition
• Joint Statement on strengthening food security and nutrition in response to crises
  • It recognised the inter-connectedness and vulnerabilities of the Indo-Pacific region in the face of the regional and global challenges.
  • In this context, it recognised the importance of joint efforts and mutual support in the region and beyond to strengthen food security and nutrition.
  • Millets found a prominent place in the document.
    • It acknowledged nutritional richness, climate resilience, health benefits and ecological sustainability of millets, considering that millets are good for the consumer, cultivator and climate.
  • It supported ASEAN-India preparedness for long-term resilience and sustainability of agrifood system.
• Joint statement on maritime cooperation
  • In maritime cooperation, areas such as safety and security of maritime areas, maritime domain awareness, disaster management etc. have been covered.

Key highlights of the speech delivered by PM Modi at 20th ASEAN-India Summit

• Highlighted the importance of ASEAN
  • PM reaffirmed ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific.
    • ASEAN is the central pillar of India’s Act East Policy.
  • He highlighted the synergies between India's Indo-Pacific Ocean's Initiative (IPOI) and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
  • The theme of this year’s ASEAN Summit is ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.’
• Presented a12-point proposal for strengthening India – ASEAN cooperation.
  • The proposal covered connectivity, digital transformation, trade and economic engagement, addressing contemporary challenges, people-to-people contacts and deepening strategic engagement, as follows:
    • Establishing multi-modal connectivity and economic corridor that links South-East Asia-India-West Asia-Europe
    • Offered to share India’s Digital Public Infrastructure Stack with ASEAN partners
    • Announced ASEAN-India fund for Digital Future focusing on cooperation in digital transformation and financial connectivity
    • Announced renewal of support to Economic and Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) to act as knowledge partner for enhancing our engagement.
    • Called for collectively raising issues being faced by Global South in multilateral fora
    • Invited ASEAN countries to join Global Centre for Traditional Medicine being established by WHO in India
    • Called for working together on Mission LiFE
    • Offered to share India’s experience in providing affordable and quality medicines to people through Jan-Aushadhi Kendras
    • Called for collective fight against terrorism, terror financing and cyber-disinformation
    • Invited ASEAN countries to join Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
    • Called for cooperation in disaster management
    • Called for enhanced cooperation on maritime safety, security and domain awareness

Q1) What is India's Indo-Pacific Ocean's Initiative (IPOI)?

The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) is a non-treaty-based initiative that aims to promote a free, open, and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific region. The initiative was launched by India in 2019.

Q2) What is food security?

Food security is the idea that everyone has access to enough safe, nutritious, and affordable food to live a healthy life. This includes having physical, social, and economic access to food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences. 

Source: ASEAN is ‘central pillar’ of India’s Act East Policy, says Modi: The group and its history | MEA | ASEAN | Indian Express | The Hindu