Table of Contents
Introduction
The article published in the editorial section of The Hindu Newspaper talks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visits to Brunei and Singapore are part of India’s “Act East” policy, aiming to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia. In Brunei, his trip marked the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM, focusing on defence, space cooperation, and trade. In Singapore, discussions centred on semiconductors, highlighting potential collaboration in technology and investment. Despite growing trade with ASEAN, challenges like India’s exit from the RCEP trade deal persist. The visits signal India’s intent to reconnect with the region and address geopolitical issues, reinforcing its strategic and economic presence in Southeast Asia.
Background Information
What is ASEAN?
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization founded on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok, Thailand, by five original member countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Over time, the organization expanded to include five more nations, bringing the total number of member countries to 10. ASEAN’s main objectives include economic growth, political and security stability, cultural cooperation, social development, and environmental sustainability.
The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) promotes free flow of goods, services, capital, and labour across the region. It also works to resolve conflicts peacefully and ensure regional stability, combating terrorism, piracy, and cross-border crime. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) facilitates dialogue on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
ASEAN operates through three key pillars: the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), which promotes political stability, democracy, and human rights in the region; the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which enhances the region’s competitiveness in the global economy by integrating member countries’ economies; and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), which focuses on promoting a caring and sharing society by addressing social development, environmental sustainability, and the well-being of its people.
ASEAN is known for its policy of non-interference, respecting the sovereignty of its members and avoiding interference in their internal affairs. It also plays a key role in global diplomacy, fostering partnerships with major powers like the United States, China, Japan, and the European Union. ASEAN holds summits with these countries and regions, such as ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit.
Despite its successes, ASEAN faces challenges such as economic disparities and political differences. In summary, ASEAN serves as a vital platform for Southeast Asian nations to collaborate and enhance their collective growth, stability, and well-being while navigating the complexities of the modern world.
RCEP and India’s Exit
India chose not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a trade agreement negotiated between 16 countries, including 10 ASEAN nations and six other countries with free trade agreements. The agreement covers almost half of the world’s population, over a quarter of global exports, and around 30% of the world’s GDP. India’s withdrawal was due to trade imbalance, concerns about Chinese goods, a lack of an auto-trigger mechanism, protection of domestic industries, and rules of origin.
India’s exit from RCEP could protect its domestic industries from cheap imports and prevent an influx of Chinese products. However, this decision could strengthen China’s economic influence in the region, as China continues to dominate global trade. India’s absence from RCEP could limit its ability to integrate into global supply chains, making it harder for the country to achieve its goal of becoming a manufacturing hub. The decision could also impact India’s “Act East” policy, which focuses on strengthening relations with Southeast Asian countries.
In conclusion, India needs to focus on reforms to make its economy more competitive globally, such as simplifying land acquisition, reforming labour laws, and improving infrastructure. India’s decision to withdraw from RCEP could have significant implications for its economic growth and its ability to integrate into global supply chains.
Article Explanation
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Brunei and Singapore as part of its “Act East” policy, which aims to build stronger relationships with countries in East and Southeast Asia. This visit is significant as it marks the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Brunei since 2018, and it is the first time that India has made such a big move towards its relationship with Southeast Asian countries since 2018. India is also expected to visit more Southeast Asian countries soon, such as Laos for the ASEAN-India summit and the Philippines and Indonesia, to deepen its connections with these countries.
In Brunei, India is trying to fix a gap in its relationship with this small but important country. Brunei has strong relationships with big powers like the United States and China, and it is located in the middle of the ASEAN region, making it an important partner for India in Southeast Asia. Over the past decade, trade between India and ASEAN countries has doubled, but India’s trade with Brunei has gone down due to increased oil purchases from Russia since 2022.
During the visit, Modi and Brunei’s leaders discussed defence and strategic issues, which are important in today’s geopolitical landscape. The two countries also renewed their cooperation in the space sector, with Brunei hosting an important station for India’s space agency ISRO.
In Singapore, discussions focused on technology and semiconductors, particularly semiconductors. India needs more technical expertise in this area and investment in making semiconductor chips, while Singapore is dealing with rising costs in terms of land and labour.
The semiconductor industry is caught in the middle of global tensions, so if India and Singapore work together, they could reduce the risks that come from being too dependent on these countries. Cooperation in semiconductors could also help boost foreign direct investment (FDI) from Singapore into India, which has decreased recently.
However, India faces challenges ahead, such as leaving the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019, which hurts India’s ability to be part of a large regional trade network. ASEAN countries have asked India to reconsider its decision to leave RCEP, but India has stood firm. India will need to update older trade agreements with both ASEAN and Singapore to keep things moving forward.
India is also focusing on broader strategic issues in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ASEAN countries appreciate India’s support for keeping the region stable and peaceful. To be more effective, India needs to work more closely with ASEAN on specific issues: Myanmar, the South China Sea, and quad cooperation.
In conclusion, India’s recent actions show that it is serious about reconnecting with Southeast Asia, and these efforts will help build stronger economic, strategic, and political partnerships in the years to come.
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