Asean, India reaffirm 20-year ties

AP PhotoMinisters attending the Association of Southeast Asian nations or Asean's fourth dialogue session with India suggested measures to forge closer ties and strengthen the two sides' partnership for progress and development.

As part of the celebration of two decades of India-Asean relations, the dialogue sought ways to increase engagement and consolidate the relationship.

Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna hosted the dialogue with his colleagues from Asean, including Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, whose country currently holds Asean's rotating chair, and Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul.

Officials, academics and representatives of the private sector participated in the dialogue Monday and Tuesday at a New Delhi hotel. They discussed economic integration, non-traditional security challenges, the traditional security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region and ways of building a knowledge and science network.

Krishna told journalists from Asean that the regional grouping is an important part of India's Look East policy, and that relations with the 10-member bloc had gone well so far. India has participated in many Asean frameworks including the Asean Regional Forum and East Asia Summit, he said.

In the context of commemorating two decades of relations, India and Asean will participate in many activities this year including a car rally across the region in December, the minister said.

Krishna launched a book, "Two Decades of India's Look East Policy", after an inaugural session on Monday to reaffirm India's policy towards countries to its east, notably in Southeast Asia.

"Our Look East policy has been a function of the interconnectedness that India has experienced over the centuries with Asean countries, our common developmental and strategic interests, and the processes of transformation and integration in our region," he said.

Through the policy, India seeks to make eastern neighbors Burma and Thailand a major gateway to the rest of the region.

Surapong proposed setting up a joint working group to push forward regional connectivity efforts. Such a group would explore ways and means of supporting the Asean Connectivity master plan and come up with new initiative to further regional integration within the group and with India, he said.

Surapong said Asean and India were speeding up work on a Thailand-Burma-India road link, as well as exploring an extension eastwards to Laos and Cambodia.

The development of the Mekong-India Economic Corridor could further enhance regional connectivity as it would create a short-cut trade route connecting Southeast Asia to the east coast of India linking Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Dawei in Burma and India's Chennai, he said. Krishna agreed, telling Asean journalists that India was upgrading its road system to connect with Burma, while Thailand was also doing its part.

Hor Namhong proposed that leaders of Asean and India at their summit late this year should consider turning the Asean-India dialogue framework into a strategic partnership.

To promote trade, investment and tourism, and to support people-to-people exchanges, the sides should consider establishing an Asean-India Centre, similar to an existing body set up by China, Japan and South Korea, he said.

Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister Kohilan Pillay said Asean and India should consult on global developments, as there were a number of international issues affecting the region. Pointing to the way Malaysia proposed a reform of the world financial system after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, he said India and Asean should promote such an initiative now, as global economic difficulties confront economies in the region.

Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister Myo Myint said his country had received support from India and members of Asean on political and economic reform. He urged India to support the Asean Connectivity plan to materialize physical links between Asean and India via his country.