India’s Role in the ASEAN Summit

The ASEAN Summit being held in Kuala Lumpur can be termed as a historic event in more ways than one. Everyone will perhaps agree with me that the Summit will help in bringing together countries with increasing inter-linkages and growing interdependence in a region that has emerged as -- and is likely to remain -- an increasingly important area of growth and influence globally.

The summit is also an occasion for the leaders of participating countries to articulate a strategic and responsible vision for the future of the region in the world.

From India’s point of view, the idea of an East Asian Summit is in consonance with the country’s own long-term perspective of development of the Asian region. If we remember well, Mr Manmohan Singh had already proposed in the 3rd India-ASEAN Summit that the coming together of the East Asian countries would be an anchor of stability and prosperity for the region and beyond.

Certainly without doubt it can constitute an arc of advantage across which there would be large scale movement of people, capital, ideas and creativity.

If India has to make the summit a success its foreign policy will have to aim at a comprehensive, productive, meaningful and mutually beneficial relationship with all countries in the world.

A look at the past decade will reveal that India has been rapidly developing multifaceted relations and cooperation with ASEAN as well as with Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, in what is now being termed as the country’s ‘extended neighbourhood’.

I am optimistic and equally confident that the Summit will pave the way for further productive and constructive long-term partnerships in the region.