Indo ASEAN Relations : News, Updates & Discussions

[RISING SUN]

Indian Air Force Chief meets State Minister and Defence Secretary
The Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, met the State Minister of Defence and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence at two different occasions, today(11th December).

The Indian Air Force Chief met the State Minister, Hon. Ruwan Wijewardene at the Ministry this morning. During the meeting a cordial discussion was held where matters of bilateral importance and mutual relevance were discussed.

They also exchanged mementos to mark the occasion.

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Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa also met the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Mr. Kapila Waidyaratne PC during his visit to Ministry, today. A cordial discussion was held during the meeting where matters of bilateral importance and mutual relevance were taken up discussion. Mementos were also exchanged during the occasion.

Military Liaison Officer of the Ministry, Maj Gen DAR Ranawaka was also present at the occasion.

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname...te_Minister_and_Defence_Secretary_20171211_01

 

[RISING SUN]

ASEAN leaders praise PM Modi’s Davos speech; Duterte interested in Aadhaar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos was deeply appreciated by the leaders of ASEAN countries during their bilateral meetings with him, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.

There was also appreciation for the India growth story as well as for ‘Aadhaar’, steps to contain graft and the country’s efforts to move towards a cashless economy, secretary (east) in the ministry of external affairs Preeti Saran said.

Saran, while briefing reporters about bilateral meetings Modi had with leaders of six ASEAN countries since Wednesday, said Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte evinced interest in learning from India’s ‘Aadhaar’ project to which Modi expressed readiness to offer help.

Besides Duterte, Modi has held bilateral meetings with leaders of Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. Leaders of 10 ASEAN countries are here to attend the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit and to attend the Republic Day celebrations.

Saran said the common aspect in all the bilateral meetings was appreciation for Modi’s speech at Davos.

“They conveyed their deep appreciation for the Prime Minister’s speech at Davos. It was extremely well received by the leadership of ASEAN, in ASEAN countries, because it has special resonance with each one of them given the subject the PM spoke on,” said Saran.

In Davos, Modi had touched upon a wide range of issues and sent out a strong message against protectionism and inward-focused economic policies. He had said such tendencies can be as dangerous as terrorism.

Saran said during the retreat for the ASEAN leaders, Modi talked about ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power) and in this context referred to Indian Navy’s six-member women crew which is currently on a voyage to circumnavigate the globe.

Modi also proposed an all-women team from ASEAN and India for a similar expedition.
ASEAN leaders praise PM Modi’s Davos speech; Duterte interested in Aadhaar

 

[RISING SUN]

India's ASEAN overtures a calculated answer to China’s unrestrained expansionism in the Asia-Pacific region
The landmark presence of 10 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as Chief Guests on India’s Republic day is New Delhi’s calculated response to the shifting geo-political, geo-strategic and geo-economic landscape. The global turning points in recent years have been China’s unprecedented economic and military rise, the visible decline of America’s global pre-eminence, and a wider spectrum of conflict in the Middle East. All these are forcing emerging powers into a search for new partners, new markets and new alliances. In this fast-changing scenario, a role for Asia, with India and China at the forefront is inevitable. The ongoing tensions and strategic competition between New Delhi and Beijing make it amply clear that India’s foreign policy focus in the next few years will be in the eastward direction.

India’s links with ASEAN countries have strong historical, cultural and economic roots. Having celebrated 25 years of dialogue, 15 years of summit-level interaction and 5 years of strategic partnership, India and ASEAN have improved their relationship to the extent that ASEAN has now become the anchor of India’s much talked about ‘Act East policy’. India’s sectoral dialogue mechanisms and ministerial-level interactions with ASEAN now range from external affairs to defence, from connectivity to commerce, from energy to environment and much more.

Beginning in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited most of the ASEAN countries, providing greater substance to India-ASEAN summits. Aimed at enhancing India’s strategic profile in Southeast Asia, the upgrade from ‘Look East Policy’ (LEP) to ‘Act East Policy’ (AEP) with ASEAN at its core has been among the most significant initiatives of the Modi government.

Qualitatively speaking, there may not be much to differentiate LEP and AEP. However the latter's focus has unquestionably been more on fostering connectivity and strategic cooperation. With this, Modi’s desire for developing a regional convergence of India’s geo-politics with its geo-economic interests has clearly been in evidence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the ASEAN leaders at the ASEAN India Commemorative Summit. PTI

By inviting ASEAN leaders on Republic Day, India has reiterated its intent in making ASEAN the core of Asia’s drive towards peace and prosperity. China’s relentless march across land and sea via One Belt, One Road is generally believed to be an attempt to contain New Delhi’s abilities and influence. India’s sense of civilisational pride and self-confidence as an emerging power can never allow it to accept China’s supremacy in its own neighbourhood. Over the past few years, India has been making concerted attempts to beef up its infrastructure, and its border posture has also become stiffer by standing up to China’s incursions. New Delhi has already taken decisive steps to offset China’s power by getting closer to Washington and Tokyo, who have their own reasons to keep China’s power in check. The newly formed Quadrilateral comprising India, Japan, Australia and the US is a momentous step in that direction.

Nevertheless, the Modi government realises that these steps will not suffice. India will need to expand its reach not just to militarily counter China’s alarming projection of regional and global power, but also to present an alternative growth model (centred on soft power) to China’s centralised and authoritarian one in order to claim Asia’s natural leadership. Here comes the role of India’s robust outreach to ASEAN. New Delhi is anxious to assure ASEAN leadership that its participation in Quadrilateral is not tantamount to diverting its attention away from ASEAN.


India’s limited capacity to provide market access and security guarantees have often bred a palpable sense of disillusionment on both sides. This has to change, and vigorous efforts need to be made to align the interests and expectations of both sides. In November 2017, when India and Singapore signed an agreement to strengthen maritime security in the Straits of Malacca, Beijing quickly expressed its displeasure and issued a demarche to Singapore. Clearly, ASEAN countries are increasingly looking to India to help ensure smooth access to vital sea routes, while degrading the vulnerability quotient inherent in the face of China’s aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea. As Vietnam and Philippines are grappling to secure some disputed areas from China’s encroachment, ASEAN would like India to focus more on enhancing connectivity and development of sea lanes.

India cannot afford to remain ambiguous as far as Chinese expansionism in Asia-Pacific is concerned. China invariably views Asia-Pacific coinage as a direct threat to its hegemony in Southeast Asia. Thus, New Delhi needs to back its words with action on the ground, including tangible outcomes from defence and security cooperation with ASEAN. With growing American short-sightedness and unpredictability under the Donald Trump administration, ASEAN is keen to see India's emergence as a potential counterweight to China. However Beijing will most likely aggressively reach out to ASEAN countries once their leaders depart from New Delhi for trying to step out of the Middle Kingdom’s ambit. It is hoped that Modi has given them enough assurance of India’s support, putting to rest all fears of consequences.

During his address at the India-ASEAN summit in November 2017, Modi strongly pitched for establishing a rules-based regional security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region — now central to global politics — displaying convergence of strategic interests between India and other major powers. Identifying terrorism and extremism as major challenges facing the region, Modi appealed for developing a common approach for countering terrorism, an indirect reference to China’s uncritical support to Pakistan. His stress on freedom of navigation, an irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and a thorough probe into North Korea’s nuclear proliferation linkages were clearly aimed at exposing China.

The Delhi Declaration — issued after Thursday’s plenary session with ASEAN leaders — clearly underlines India’s concerns on the issue by mentioning “cross-border movement of terrorists and foreign terrorist fighters” and making a commitment to counter the challenge through “close cooperation”. The declaration will further embolden India in its bid to get Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist, and to put more pressure on Pakistan to take action against Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

ASEAN is India’s fourth-largest trading partner, accounting for more than 10 percent of India’s global trade. Despite growing trade linkages between India and ASEAN, poor physical connectivity remains a key challenge to meet greater ASEAN expectations of integration with India. Modi government’s shift in emphasis by moving India away from SAARC to BIMSTEC and BBIN can be seen as an integral component of AEP. Connecting India’s northeast with its closest eastern neighbours and further with Southeast Asia would open up more trade routes, ensuring greater economic opportunities for the region.

There is an urgent need for both India and ASEAN to leverage existing platforms to strengthen collaboration in cyber security strategies coupled with security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. There is huge potential for India-ASEAN collaboration in both ocean-centred security cooperation and economic development as well as in creating a collective vision for a rules-based order in the Asia-Pacific region, which cannot be allowed to remain hostage to China’s unrestrained expansionism and unilateralism.
India's ASEAN overtures a calculated answer to China’s unrestrained expansionism in the Asia-Pacific region - Firstpost

 

[RISING SUN]

India-ASEAN ties to focus on freedom of navigation: Modi
Security and freedom of navigation will be in the heart of India-ASEAN cooperation in the twenty-first century, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressing the leaders of the ASEAN countries at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit. The leaders also agreed on establishing a joint mechanism to ensure safety and freedom of navigation in the maritime domain.

“Humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, security cooperation and freedom of navigation will be key focus areas for our maritime cooperation,” said Mr. Modi addressing heads of the ASEAN member states. The Prime Minister’s comments on ensuring smooth passage in the oceans came hours after he and the visiting leaders agreed on setting up a special mechanism on maintaining freedom of navigation.

MEA officials said the discussion on this issue took place during the ‘Retreat’ segment of the summit, held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Details of this segment were not available to the media immediately. Secretary in charge of eastern affairs of the Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran said the mechanism that was discussed will be aimed at “Addressing both traditional and non-traditional challenges that all of us face collectively in the maritime domain sector...”

The statement on the maritime mechanism is significant as it is the first time that India has taken up forming of a special maritime mechanism with all the ASEAN heads of states at a single summit.

Maritime security and freedom of navigation featured prominently in the ‘Delhi Declaration,’ a joint statement that was issued after the plenary session of the Commemorative Summit.

The declaration indicated at common concern regarding the South China Sea and reaffirmed the “importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region, and other lawful uses of the seas and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce.”

Ms Saran also said that an agreement on maritime transport is under discussion as The Hindu had reported earlier. “A maritime transport MoU is being discussed and hope it will be finalised (in due course),” she said to the media.

The maritime domain has been in the centre of India’s Act East diplomacy which aims to firm up India’s position in the ASEAN and Asia Pacific region.

In recent public statements, the government of PM Narendra Modi has expressed support to ‘rule of law’ in the maritime sphere hinting at the growing military footprint of China in the South China Sea. Welcoming the heads of states at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Ram Nath Kovind also urged for upholding rule of law.
India-ASEAN ties to focus on freedom of navigation: Modi

 

[RISING SUN]

On Republic Day, PM Modi writes op-ed for 27 Asean newspapers
This morning, citizens of 10 Asean countries awoke to read Prime Minister Narendra Modi's op-ed on the "historic milestone" that the visit of their heads of state to India is.

Th PM's op-ed was published in a total of 27 newspapers and in 10 languages.

As it happened: Republic Day celebrations

In his piece, PM Modi talked about the India-Asean countries' partnership that will be of "great promise for their (nations') 1.9 billion people, (or) about one-fourth of humankind."

The PM tweeted a link to his piece published in Singapore's English daily The Straits Times, one of the 27 newspapers that carried the op-ed.

He talked of India's centuries-old ties with its eastern neighbours and said the future of these ties looks even more promising.

"Indians have always looked East to see the nurturing sunrise and the light of opportunities. Now, as before, the East, or the Indo-Pacific region, will be indispensable to India's future and our common destiny," wrote the PM.

"India and Asean nations have relations free from contests and claims. We have a common vision for the future, built on commitment to inclusion and integration, belief in sovereign equality of all nations irrespective of size, and support for free and open pathways of commerce and engagement," wrote PM Modi in his piece.
On Republic Day, PM Modi writes op-ed for 27 Asean newspapers - Times of India

 

[RISING SUN]

A lot of work to be done before RCEP can be concluded: PM Lee
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says there's a lot of work to be done before the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) can be concluded.

Negotiations on the RCEP - a trade pact between ASEAN and Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand - have met with some difficulties, with three deadlines for the conclusion of the agreement missed.

Speaking at the end of his five-day trip to India and Sri Lanka on Friday (Jan 26), Mr Lee said: "I cannot say for sure that it will happen but I heard the leaders speaking yesterday and all of them expressed the right sentiments. So I think the desire to make it happen is there."

"But we need to close the gaps, the gaps in perspectives and expectations," he added. "Even in the goal for this agreement, what is it about? Because just as when you make an economic trade agreement like this, it’s very seldom only about economics or trade."

Mr Lee said the pact involves other aspects - such as bilateral cooperation, friendship, strategic calculation and the type of framework that all the countries will be able to fit into. "And I think we made this argument at the meeting yesterday. I made this argument that it’s not just an economic deal," Mr Lee added.

Elaborating on the work involved before the RCEP is concluded, Mr Lee said: "We’ll have to work through domestic interest, you have to work through trade bureaucracies and your ministries and your other agencies, so I think there’s a lot of work."

Mr Lee added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India "will exert efforts" to come to a conclusion on the RCEP this year.

"As (ASEAN) Chairman, we are not the leader, we are sort of the coordinator," Mr Lee said. "And as an honest broker, coordinator, we will bring ASEAN together and try and work out an arrangement and agreements which will command consensus."
A lot of work to be done before RCEP can be concluded: PM Lee

 

[RISING SUN]

'I will protect you': Duterte courts Indian businessmen
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday urged Indian companies to invest or expand in the Philippines, promising to "protect" them, as he touted efforts to make doing business in the country easier.

"I will protect you. I will make the guarantees. Just don’t give in to corruption," Duterte told a business conference in New Delhi. "We invite, we protect."

Duterte and his delegation secured $1.25 billion in investment pledges in information technology and energy during his two-day official visit to the South Asian nation that ended on Friday.

The potential investments can generate at least 10,000 jobs, said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Renewable energy firm Adani Green Energy Ltd committed to invest $1.1 billion, which could create more than 3,000 jobs, Lopez said.

Duterte and other heads of state from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are in New Delhi for the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and India’s Republic Day celebrations.
'I will protect you': Duterte courts Indian businessmen

 

[RISING SUN]

China feels baffled as Narendra Modi government hosts ASEAN on Republic Day: Chinese media reaction
As India celebrates 69th Republic Republic day along with the leaders of 10 ASEAN countries, Chinese media is apparently not happy. Chinese state daily Global Times today headlined one of its editorial as “India’s geopolitical bluff baffles China”. While noting that “India and ASEAN have the right to hold the summit, which exerts no negative effect upon China”, the editorial accused “some Indians” of being “tenacious in exaggerating the meeting’s implications to China.”

The editorial was of the view that the ASEAN leaders’ visit to India will have no impact on China. “ASEAN’s trade volume with China is more than six times that of India, and China’s investment in the region is 10 times that of India,” Global Times argued while accusing “some members of the Indian elite enjoy engaging in geopolitical bluster.”

“But they cannot truly gauge the reality of India’s comprehensive strength and diplomatic experience. They are beginners playing at geopoliticsm” it said.

The editorial claimed that “Chinese people are not occupied by India.” It is surprising, however, that the Chinese daily never misses an opportunity to attack India, and mock it through its editorials. It goes on to clarify: “Honestly speaking, Chinese people are not occupied by India. New Delhi is not Beijing’s major trading partner, and, despite border disputes, is not an imminent security threat to us Chinese. China expects peaceful coexistence with India and is happy to witness its cultural and societal progress. China attaches more importance to its eastward development and the Belt and Road initiative.”

The editorial indirectly advised India not to compare itself with Beijing. “China never compares itself to the US, because its GDP is only two-thirds that of the US. However, New Delhi, with a GDP only one-fifth that of China, has been striving to prevail over Beijing in almost all aspects.”

“The Sino-ASEAN relationship is sound and solid. In spite of territorial disputes, Beijing-Hanoi trade volume exceeds that of Beijing and New Delhi. The China-ASEAN relationship is inclusive and surpasses traditional geopolitics,” it said.

Global Times, however, noted that both countries should work together for development. “China and India should work together for development.

On the Republic Day 20168, India will showcase military prowess, culture, and diversity in the presence of leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations, who are attending the Republic Day parade as chief guests. On Rajpath, there will be a march past by the Army personnel carrying the ASEAN flag. As many as 23 tableaux, including those representing various states, ministries, the All India Radio (AIR) among others, will also roll down the Rajpath. The ASEAN was founded in 1967, now comprising Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei.
China feels baffled as Narendra Modi government hosts ASEAN on Republic Day: Chinese media reaction

 

[RISING SUN]

Najib confident of stronger Malaysia-India ties
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak has expressed confidence that his two-day working visit to India to attend the Asean-India Commemorative Summit would raise Asean-India and Malaysia-India relations to greater heights.

He said many matters would be raised and discussed at the summit, among them investments, connectivity, security and geopolitical considerations.

“If my last visit resulted in long-term investment commitments of RM158 billion, I am confident the current visit will take Asean-India and Malaysia-India relations to greater heights,” he said in a video clip uploaded onto his Facebook account yesterday.

Najib said despite a tight schedule during his visit, he was confident that all the scheduled events would go on smoothly.

This is Najib’s fourth visit to India after taking over as the prime minister in 2009. The last one was less than a year ago, from March 30 to April 4 last year, and it took him to Chennai, Jaipur and New Delhi. The current visit is also at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

The Asean-India Commemorative Summit is being held in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the Asean-India Dialogue.

Besides Najib, the leaders of the nine other Asean countries — namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — are also attending the summit.

All of them will also attend India’s 69th Republic Day parade today as chief guests.

Separately, Bernama reported SME Corp Malaysia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with India’s National Small Industries Corp (NSIC) to help entrepreneurs benefit from business opportunities in the two countries.

SME Corp CEO Datuk Dr Hafsah Hashim said Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) had been urged to look at opportunities in India following the signing of the agreement.

“This is the beginning of the journey for Malaysian SMEs to penetrate the Indian market. For the Indian companies, Malaysia can be a regional hub for entering Asean markets,” she told Bernama.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed and Indian Minister of State for Micro, SMEs Giriraj Singh witnessed the signing ceremony.

Malaysian and Indian companies also signed three MoUs in the areas of green technology, artificial intelligence and herbal products.

Meanwhile, SME Corp, NSIC and the Asean-India Business Council (AIBC) plan to organise a seminar in Kuala Lumpur in August to promote cooperation among SMEs.

Datuk Ramesh Kodammal, co-chairman of AIBC, said the council was working to bring 100 firms from India, as well as a large number of people from Asean to promote cooperation among SMEs.

“This is going to be a major networking platform for SMEs from the two countries,” he said.
Najib confident of stronger Malaysia-India ties

 

[Ankit Kumar]

India proposes joint ASEAN-India women navy team for circumnavigation
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-25 23:22:38|

NEW DELHI, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday proposed to visiting ASEAN leaders to set up a joint women navy team for circumnavigation.

The unique proposal came at a meeting between Modi and the 10 ASEAN leaders who are in New Delhi to attend the "ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit."

Briefing media persons ahead of the Summit here Thursday evening, Preeti Saran, India's Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs, said that the proposal came in the backdrop of a similar endeavor being undertaken by a six-member women crew of the "Indian Navy" circumnavigating the globe.

"One nugget of discussion among Indian and the ASEAN leaders was that the Indian prime minister talked about 'naari shakti' (women power). There is a six-member Indian Navy team that is currently circumnavigating the southern hemisphere," she said. "Our prime minister offered to have a joint India-ASEAN women's Navy team for a similar circumnavigation," she added.

A six-member all-woman team of the "Indian Navy" is currently sailing to circumnavigate the globe on the vessel "INSV Tarini." This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-woman crew.

The voyage began from Goa (in south India) in the first week of September in 2017, and will culminate on their return in March. The distance will be covered in five legs, with stopovers at four ports -- Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands) and Cape Town (South Africa).

 

[RISING SUN]

India, Asean agree to establish mechanism for cooperation in maritime domain
India and ten Asean countries on Thursday agreed to establish a mechanism for greater cooperation in the maritime domain, a move which comes in the wake of growing concerns in the region over China's rising military posturing in the South China Sea.
The consensus on setting up of a mechanism for deeper maritime cooperation was reached during a retreat session hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ten Asean leaders.

"The leaders did agree to establish a mechanism for greater cooperation in the maritime domain sector," secretary (East) in the ministry of external affairs Preeti Saran said addressing the media.

Saran was asked about deliberations Modi and Asean leaders+ had during the retreat session.

She said the leaders discussed issues of greater maritime cooperation and addressed both traditional and non-traditional challenges that "all of us face collectively".

Leaders from 10 Asean countries later attended the India-Asean Commemorative Summit during which a host of issues including ways to further ramp up Asean's ties with India were discussed.
The move to set up a mechanism for greater cooperation in the maritime domain assumes significance as a number of Asean countries have territorial disputes with China in the resource-rich South China Sea.

It also comes months after India, the US, Australia and Japan set the ball rolling to give shape to the much talked about quadrilateral coalition, seen as an effort to contain China's expansionist behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region
India has been pressing for freedom of navigation and over flight in the critical sea lanes and seeking resolution of the dispute as per international law.
India, Asean agree to establish mechanism for cooperation in maritime domain - Times of India

 

[RISING SUN]

Centre Announces Padma Shri For 10 ASEAN Achievers to Mark 25 Years of Partnership
In a bid to promote India-ASEAN ties under New Delhi’s Act East Policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced Padma Shri to one achiever from each of the regional bloc’s 10 member states. The decision to confer the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, came as the National capital hosted a Commemorative Summit to mark 25 years of the India-Asean Dialogue Partnership.

Taking to Twitter, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that PM Modi “announced Padma Shri award for one individual from each Asean country”. (Republic Day: Rahul Gandhi Urges Citizens to Protect The Constitution)

Those achievers who have been named for the honour are:
Haji Abdullah Bin Malai Haji Othman of Brunei got the award in medicine category.
Hun Many of Cambodia, the son of former PM Hun Sen was felicitated for his role in public affairs
Nyoman Nuarta of Indonesia was awarded in art category. He is known for works like Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, devoted to Vishnu in Bali.
Bounlap Keokangna of Laos was also honoured for art.
Thant Myint-U of Myanmar for public affairs
Somdet Phra Ariya Wongsa Khottayan of Thailand who is the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand
Nguyen Tien Thien of Vietnam who is the Secretary General of the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
Jose Ma Joey Concepcion of the Philippines for trade and industry.
Tommy Koh of Singapore for public affairs.
Notably, all these leaders will collectively attend this year’s Republic Day celebrations as guests of honour at the Parade ground in Delhi. The ASEAN flag will be flown by choppers during the parade.
Modi Govt Announces Padma Shri Awards for 10 ASEAN Achievers To Mark 25 Years of Partnership; Here’s Full List of Recipients

 

[RISING SUN]

Shared values, common destiny
Today, 1.25 billion Indians have the honour to host ten esteemed guests – leaders of the ASEAN nations – at India’s Republic Day celebrations in our capital, New Delhi. On Thursday, I had the privilege to host ASEAN leaders at the commemorative summit to mark 25 years of ASEAN-India partnership. Their presence with us is an unprecedented gesture of goodwill by ASEAN nations. Responding to this, on a winter morning, India has come out to greet them in a warm embrace of friendship.

This is no ordinary event. It is a historic milestone in a remarkable journey that has brought India and ASEAN in a deepening partnership of great promise for their 1.9 billion people, about one-fourth of humankind.

The partnership may be just 25 years old, but India’s ties with Southeast Asia stretch back more than two millennia. Forged in peace and friendship, these enduring links of religion and culture, art and commerce, language and literature, are now present in every facet of our magnificent diversity, providing a unique envelope of comfort and familiarity between our people.

More than two decades ago, India opened itself to the world with tectonic changes. And, with instincts honed over centuries of interaction, it turned naturally to the East. Thus began a new journey of India’s reintegration with the East. For India, most of our major partners and markets – from ASEAN and East Asia to North America – lie to the east. Southeast Asia, our neighbours by land and sea, has been the springboard of our Look East policy and, for the past three years, the Act East policy.

Along the way, ASEAN and India have become strategic partners. We advance our broad-based partnership through 30 mechanisms. With each ASEAN member, we have a growing diplomatic, economic and security partnership. We work together to keep our seas safe and secure. Our trade and investment flows have multiplied several times. ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner; India is ASEAN’s seventh. Over 20 percent of India’s outbound investments go to ASEAN. Led by Singapore, ASEAN is India’s leading source of investments. India’s free trade agreements in the region are its oldest and among the most ambitious anywhere. Air links have expanded rapidly, and we are extending highways deep into continental Southeast Asia with new urgency and priority. Growing connectivity has reinforced proximity. It has also put India among the fastest growing sources of tourism in Southeast Asia. The Indian diaspora in the region, comprising over 6 million people, is rooted in diversity and steeped in dynamism, constituting an extraordinary human bond between us.

India and Myanmar share a land-border of over 1600 kilometres as well as a maritime boundary. Religious and cultural traditions flowing from our deep sense of kinship and our common Buddhist heritage bind us as closely as our shared historical past. Nothing illuminates it more gloriously than the gleaming tower of Shwedagon Pagoda. The cooperation to restore Ananda Temple in Bagan with the assistance of the Archaeological Survey of India also is emblematic of this shared heritage.

During the colonial period, political bonds were forged between our leaders, who displayed a great sense of hope and unity during our common struggle for independence. Mahatma Gandhi visited Yangon several times. Bal Gangadhar Tilak was deported to Yangon for many years. The clarion call of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose for India’s independence stirred the souls of many in Myanmar.

Our trade has more than doubled over the past decade. Our investment ties are also robust. Development cooperation has a significant role in India’s relations with Myanmar. This assistance portfolio is presently worth over US$1.73 billion (K2.3 trillion). India’s transparent development cooperation is in line with Myanmar’s national priorities and also builds synergy with the Master Plan of ASEAN Connectivity.



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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrive for a meeting in New Delhi, India, on Thursday. The leaders of ASEAN, chaired by Singapore this year, are in New Delhi to celebrate 25 years of the group’s ti


India and ASEAN are doing much more. Our partnership in ASEAN-led institutions like the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus and ASEAN Regional Forum are advancing peace and stability in the region. India is also an eager participant in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, seeking a comprehensive, balanced and fair deal for all 16 participants.

The strength and resilience of partnerships come not just from the arithmetic of numbers, but also from the underpinnings of the relationship. India and the ASEAN nations have relations free of contests and claims. We have a common vision for the future, built on a commitment to inclusion and integration, belief in the sovereign equality of all nations irrespective of size, and support for free and open pathways of commerce and engagement.

The ASEAN-India partnership will continue to grow. With the gift of demography, dynamism and demand – and with rapidly maturing economies - India and ASEAN will build a strong economic partnership. Connectivity will increase and trade will expand. In an era of cooperative and competitive federalism in India, our states are also building productive cooperation with Southeast Asian nations. India’s Northeast is on a resurgent path, and links with Southeast Asia will accelerate its progress. In turn, a connected Northeast will be a bridge to the ASEAN-India ties of our dreams.

As prime minister, I have attended four annual ASEAN-India and East Asia summits, which have reinforced my conviction in ASEAN unity, centrality and leadership in shaping the region.

This is a year of milestones. India turned 70 last year and ASEAN reached the golden milestone of 50 years. We can each look to our future with optimism and to our partnership with confidence.

At 70, India exudes the spirit, enterprise and energy of its young population. As the fastest growing major economy in the world, India has become the new frontier of global opportunities and an anchor of stability in the global economy. With every passing day, it is easier to do business in India. I hope that ASEAN nations, as our neighbours and friends, will be an integral part of India’s transformation.

We admire ASEAN’s own progress. Born when Southeast Asia was a theatre of a brutal war and a region of uncertain nations, ASEAN has united ten countries behind a common purpose and a shared future.

We have the potential to pursue higher ambitions and address the challenges of our times: from infrastructure and urbanisation to resilient agriculture and a healthy planet. We can also use the power of digital technology, innovation and connectivity to transform lives at an unprecedented speed and scale.

A future of hope needs the solid bedrock of peace. This is an age of change, disruptions and shifts that come only rarely in history. ASEAN and India have immense opportunities – indeed, enormous responsibility – to chart a steady course through the uncertainty and turbulence of our times to a stable and peaceful future for our region and the world.

Indians have always looked east to see the nurturing sunrise and the light of opportunities. Now, as before, the East, or the Indo-Pacific Region, will be indispensable to India’s future and our common destiny. The ASEAN-India partnership will play a defining role in both. Today in New Delhi, ASEAN and India renew their pledge for the journey ahead.
Shared values, common destiny

 

[RISING SUN]

Tommy Koh among 10 Asean recipients of India's Padma Shri Award
Ten individuals from Asean, including Singapore's Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh, have been chosen to receive India's Padma Shri Award.

The Padma Awards are among the highest civilian honours given by India, and the awardees are named annually on the eve of Republic Day. A total of 85 Padma awards were announced on Thursday (Jan 25).

Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, is given for "distinguished service" in various fields.

The move to pick awardees from all 10 Asean members is aimed at promoting India's ties with the bloc, reported Press Trust of India.

"In an unprecedented and symbolic gesture of India ASEAN bonding and on occasion of silver jubilee of India ASEAN partnership and our Republic Day, PM Modi announced Padma Shri award for one individual from each ASEAN country," Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Thursday.

The Padma Shri awardees are Professor Koh, Cambodia's youngest parliamentarian Hun Many and Myanmar historian Thant Myint-U for the field of public affairs.



Malai Haji Abdullah Malai Haji Othman, the founder of the Society for Management of Autism Related Issues in Training, Education and Resources of Brunei, was cited for his work in the field of medicine.

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Indonesian sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, Malaysian classical dancer Ramli Ibrahim and Bounlap Keokangna of Laos, the deputy director of Vat Phou World Heritage Site, were cited for their contribution to the arts.

Philippine businessman Jose Ma Joey Concepcion III was cited for his work in trade and industry.

Other awardees named are Somdet Phra Ariya Wongsa Khottayan, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, and Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Thien, the Secretary General of the National Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Prof Koh, 80, has served as Singapore's ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, and as president of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) in 1981 and 1982.

He is currently chairman of the board of governors of the Centre for International Law at National University of Singapore.

Prof Koh was chief negotiator for the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and was in the team that successfully argued the case for Singapore's claim to Pedra Branca at the International Court of Justice. He is also a key figure in Singapore's semi-official strategic dialogues with Asia's three most powerful nations - China, Japan and India.

Beyond diplomacy, Prof Koh has also been a champion of the arts, the environment and civil society, and an outspoken advocate of civic engagement.

Prof Koh told The Straits Times that he is "very honoured and grateful" to receive the award.

"I have always loved India and the Indian civilisation, and Indian food, music, dance and literature. For the past 10 years, I had the pleasure and privilege of co-chairing the India-Singapore strategic dialogue. I hope I have made a small contribution to strengthening the bridge of friendship between our two countries and peoples."
Tommy Koh among 10 Asean recipients of India's Padma Shri Award

 

[RISING SUN]

Asean flavour in Padma awards: 16 foreigners conferred India’s highest civilian honours
Besides the Asean, one person each from Russia,US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Tajikistan and Nepal were also given Padma Shri awards.

North and South Blocks are lit up on the eve of Republic Day in New Delhi on Thursday.(Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

Prominent citizens from each of the 10 Asean members are among the 16 foreigners who will be awarded the prestigious Padma Shri awards this year on January 26.

Heads of states and governments of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members are currently visiting India for the Indo-Asean summit and will attend the Republic Day functions.

The awards, considered one of the highest civilian recognitions in the country, are conferred in three categories — the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The ministry of home affairs said this year, President Ram Nath Kovind had approved conferment of 85 Padma awards that included three Padma Vibhushan, nine Padma Bhushan and 73 Padma Shri.

While music maestro Illaiyaraja from Tamil Nadu and Hindustani classical singer Ghulam Mustafa Khan from Maharashtra were awarded the Padma Vibhushan for their contribution to art, writer Parameswaran Parameswaran was conferred the award for his work in the field of literature and education.

Billiards player Pankaj Advani and former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni were among those awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Others given the recognition were Philipose Mar Chrysostom for his work in spiritualism, late Russian diplomat Alexander Kadakin, Ramachandran Nagaswamy for archaeology, US citizen Ved Prakash Nanda for his work in literature and education, Laxman Pai for art and both Arvind Parikh and Sharda Sinha for music. Among the 73 personalities awarded the Padmi Shri, 16 were from abroad, including 10 from Asean members.

Besides the Asean, one person each from Russia,United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Tajikistan and Nepal were also given the Padma Shri awards.

A senior home ministry official said after the government officially invited nominations and recommendations for the awards on its online portal padmaawards.gov.in, they received a total of 35,000 applications.

Maharashtra topped the list of Padma awards with 11 of its citizens being awarded this year, followed by Karnatka with nine and Tamil Nadu with six.

Five personalities from West Bengal received the Padma Shri as well. Fourteen of the awardees are women and three posthumous awards were also given, MHA said.

The awards this year also recognised the unsung heroes who worked for the socially and economically challenged communities. Individuals working in the tribal areas of India too have been given the honour.
Asean flavour in Padma awards: 16 foreigners conferred India’s highest civilian honours

 

[RISING SUN]

India's push back in Nepal as outreach to KP Sharma Oli bears fruit
India has worked quietly over the past two months ever since re-election of KP Sharma Oli as the next probable PM of Nepal to regain its special position in the Himalayan State.

India has made push back of sorts amid China's expanding presence in Nepal. Following PM Narendra Modi's telephonic conversation with Oli immediately after his re-election, several high-level contacts were established between Delhi and Kathmandu culminating in Sushma Swaraj's visit to Nepal later this week (Feb 1-2) ahead of government formation.

The Minister will reinforce India's special ties with Nepal and extend support for development & infrastructure projects in the Himalayan State. Swaraj's visit ahead of government formation will enable to create connect with the Nepalese political leadership.

The Modi government's outreach to Oli seemed to have borne fruits. On the occasion of Republic Day Oli wrote to Modi saying that he was eager to work with the Indian government. "As one of the recently elected people's representatives and leader of the largest party in the federal parliament, I'm eager to work together with Excellency and your government for the betterment of our two countries. On this happy occasion, I take an opportunity to extend my best wishes for every success and I expect closer cooperation between our two countries and people," Oli wrote in his letter to Modi. Further Oli signaled thaw when he attended a cultural event organised by Indian Embassy's Army Officer's Club on Jan 27.

Oli won the recent elections on the plank of 'nationalism' with a promise to maintain "balanced" relations between immediate neighbours India and China.

However, the Modi government considers strategy of wide ranging engagement with the new dispensation in Kathmandu as a viable way to secure its interests amid Chinese inroads in the Himalayan State, according to persons familiar with the Indo-Nepal affairs. Simultaneously it is hoped that deep rooted socio-cultural-religious links between the neighbours would help to maintain special bonds between Delhi and Kathmandu.

Last week Modi and Oli invited each other for a visit.
India's push back in Nepal as outreach to KP Sharma Oli bears fruit

 

[RISING SUN]

India plans to set up LNG terminal in Myanmar
India is planning to set up a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Myanmar as it looks to expand energy diplomacy in its neighbourhood, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

The terminal to import super-cooled natural gas will be in addition to the similar facilities planned by Indian firms in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as part of larger plan of energy connectivity in the South Asian neighbourhood, he said.

Speaking at a seminar on 'Assessing India's Connectivity with Its Neighbourhood', Pradhan said Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) in Assam is exploring supply of diesel to Myanmar and is looking at options to build fuel storage and distribution sector in that country.

"Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is also working with Myanmar companies in setting up LPG storage facilities and Petronet LNG is working on setting up an LNG terminal there," he said.

He, however, did not give details.

"India is working with Bangladesh in interconnecting gas grids and supplying diesel through pipelines," he said.

Currently, Indian firms supply diesel through rail rake from Siliguri in Assam to Parbatipur in Bangladesh and are in the process of constructing a 130-km long product pipeline for uninterrupted supply.

"Also, Indian companies are working on connecting India's gas grid with that of Bangladesh and supply gas for power generation at Khulna Power Plant," he said. "This will be an exemplary display of regional cooperation."

Bangladesh is setting up an 800-megawatt (MW) power plant in the country's Khulna region, for which it has signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a USD 500 million funding.

Pradhan said Petronet is also looking at building a 7.5 million tonne a year LNG import terminal in Bangladesh to feed that country's energy needs using imported gas.

"In view of providing energy access to the north-eastern part of India, there are plans to import LPG in Bangladesh and transport through road/pipeline to the region while catering to the demand of Bangladesh," he said.

In Sri Lanka, India is jointly developing Trincomalee oil storage tank farm and is also working on setting up an LNG terminal and a 500 MW LNG-fired power plant near Colombo.

Also, there is a proposal to develop city gas distribution (CGD) and CNG market and infrastructure in Sri Lanka, he said.

IOC Lanka, which is a subsidiary of IOC, has 43.5 per cent of the total fuel market share.

"India is working with Sri Lanka on a proposal to set up a solar power plant at Sampur, which would be of 50 MW to begin with," he said.

To Nepal, India presently supplies all of its petroleum product requirements through trucks. A pipeline for supply of petroleum products is under construction, which will ensure uninterrupted supply.

"There are also discussions with Nepal on an LPG and Natural gas pipeline," he said adding Nepal has expressed interest in implementing free cooking gas (LPG) connection scheme for poor women on lines of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna (PMUY) to expand the coverage of LPG.

"The Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for North East India envisages a natural gas pipeline from Numaligarh towards Sittwe (in Myanmar) in different phases. The gas pipeline will open future possibilities of gas exchange and grid connectivity," he said.

India supplies all of petroleum product needs of Bhutan, which too is planning to extend LPG coverage to 100 per cent of the population by sourcing supplies from the refineries in Assam, he said.

To Mauritius, India supplies all its energy products. "Our (neighbouring) countries are considering the construction of a bunkering facility along with a jetty," he said adding Indian firms are working with Vietnam, the UAE and Oman for presence in upstream sector to produce oil and gas.

"Regional integration through connectivity across all modes - physical, utilities-based and digital - among our countries in the immediate neighbourhood is one of the top priorities of our government. It is imperative that we, together as a group, address the weak links and overcome challenges," he said.

The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) region is abundant in energy resources such as hydropower, hydrocarbons, and renewables. "Since the region enjoys high insolation, it is appropriate that we consider the development of a common Solar Grid here," he said.

Also, Bangladesh and Myanmar have large gas reserves which can be explored as alternate sources of gas supply. Similarly, Nepal and Bhutan have immense potential of hydropower, which is untapped due to the absence of a market that can create demand of this magnitude.

On the other hand, India and Sri Lanka are net importers of energy like many other developing countries, he said.

"The energy demand-supply sectors in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, SriLanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan offer a potential for regional resource cooperation, which could go beyond export-import trade relations and link the region in a Bay of Bengal Energy Community and thus contribute to the process of regional integration.

"The key to developing such a community lies in identifying complementary conditions and the combination of inter related production characteristics among energy supply and demand sectors of these countries," he said.

Pradhan called for reform and restructuring of the energy sector in each of these nations in such a way that the bloc becomes more competitive and efficient.

The national energy systems -- gas and electricity networks -- in the South Asian countries are largely isolated from each other. Currently only India, Bhutan and Nepal trade electricity. In addition, India supplies some amount of power to Bangladesh.

Demand for electricity in South Asia and particularly in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal is growing rapidly which call for cooperation and trade that should eventually create one of the world's largest integrated energy market, he added.
India plans to set up LNG terminal in Myanmar

 

[RISING SUN]

Int'l entry-exit checkpoints on India Myanmar border opened: Vikram Misri
The international entry-exit checkpoints between India and Myanmar border were formally opened, said Vikram Misri, Ambassador of India to Myanmar on Wednesday. The checkpoints were opened simultaneously on Tamu-Moreh border between Manipur and Sagaing division and on the Zokhawthar-Rikhawdar border between Mizoram and Chin state.
Int'l entry-exit checkpoints on India Myanmar border opened: Vikram Misri | The Economic Times Video

 

[RISING SUN]

India to send relief material to Indonesia
India to send relief material to Indonesia

 

[RISING SUN]

Indian Navy diverts three ships to tsunami-hit Indonesia for humanitarian assistance
The Navy said on Monday it had diverted three ships that were deployed in Southeast Asia to tsunami-hit Indonesia for humanitarian assistance. A high-intensity earthquake in Indonesia last week led to a tsunami that has claimed at least 844 lives so far, displaced some 59,000 people and caused widespread destruction.

Following the disaster, the Navy decided to deploy INS Tir, Sujata and Shardul to Indonesia. These ships, on deployment to Singapore, are being diverted to Palu, Indonesia, the Navy spokesperson tweeted. “Ships being sailed out first light tomorrow,” it added.
Indian Navy diverts three ships to tsunami-hit Indonesia for humanitarian assistance