Key Outcomes of 20th ASEAN India Summit

Why in news?

Recently, the 20^th ASEAN India summit was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, which provides opportunities for the leaders to engage in dialogue and interactions.

What is the significance of ASEAN for India?

2022 marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and is being celebrated as the ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’

• Delhi Dialogue- Delhi Dialogue is a premier annual Track 1.5 event between India and ASEAN since 2009.
  • Track 1.5 diplomacy involves both officials and non-officials such as business leaders, business organisations and all possible non diplomats of two states.
• Cooperation- Discusses politico-security, frameworks on economic and socio-cultural engagement.
• Delhi Declaration- India hosted the 10^th edition of the Delhi Dialogue (DD X) under the theme “Strengthening India-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation” in New Delhi in 2018.
• It urges countries to strengthen cooperation and collaboration in combating transnational crimes, including people smuggling, trafficking in persons, illicit drug trafficking, cybercrime.
• Strategic partnership- The Joint Statement on ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was adopted in the 19th ASEAN-India Summit held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
• ASEAN-India Summit - ASEAN and India hold annual summits since 2002 to elevate political, security, economic and socio-cultural ties.
• Observer- In 20^th ASEAN India summit Timor Leste participated as observer country.

What are the key outcomes of 20^th ASEAN Summit?

The Theme of 20^th ASEAN Summit is “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”

• Maritime domain- Both agreed to enhance information-sharing and capacity-building in the maritime domain while strengthening cooperation through specialised agencies in the region.
• Both agreed to enhance cooperation through confidence-building measures, sharing best practices on emergency response.

• Blue economy- Both agreed to promote cooperation in areas of sustainable development of marine resources, marine biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, combating climate change and marine pollution, promoting green and efficient maritime transport and developing new and renewable energy.
• Connectivity- Ensuring seamless connectivity in the Indo-Pacific by collaborating for quality, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, fostering greater engagement of private sector, tourism industry, MSMEs, coastal communities, financial institutions etc.,
• Encourage innovation- Through activities such as hackathons, start-up festivals and joint research and encouraging sustainable and eco-tourism while promoting cruise and sea-based tourism.
• AITIGA- ASEAN India Trade in Goods Agreement, both set 2025 as target for concluding the review aimed at addressing the asymmetry in bilateral trade.
• Peace - Both committed to ASEAN-India Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity (2021-2025).
• AOIP- ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific is ASEAN’s own initiative to enhance ASEAN Community building process, as well as strengthen and complement cooperation with all partners, as reflected in the East Asia Summit Plan of Action (2024-2028).
• It is adopted in Ha Noi Declaration 2020.
• Economic partnership- Both highlighted economic priorities of ASEAN to be advanced further, including
  • Strengthening ASEAN market integration
  • Sustainability and decarbonization
  • Digital transformation; and
  • Inclusivity- Including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Public-Private sector engagement, women empowerment in particular decision making and entrepreneurship, and people-to-people contacts

What are the 12 point proposal adopted by India during the summit?

• Economic corridor- India reaffirms its commitment to establishing multi-modal connectivity and economic corridor that links South-East Asia-India-West Asia-Europe.
• Digital infrastructure- India offered to share its Digital Public Infrastructure Stack with ASEAN partner.
• Digital innovation- India announced ASEAN-India fund for Digital Future focusing on cooperation in digital transformation and financial connectivity
• Knowledge partner- India announced renewal of support to Economic and Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) to act as knowledge partner for enhancing our engagement.
• Global South- India called ASEAN for  collectively raising issues being faced by Global South in multilateral fora
• Health- Invited ASEAN countries to join Global Centre for Traditional Medicine being established by WHO in India
• It offered to share experience in providing affordable and quality medicines to people through Jan-Aushadhi Kendras.
• Climate Change- It called ASEAN for working together on Mission LiFE
•  Peace- It called for collective fight against terrorism, terror financing and cyber-disinformation
• Disaster Management- It invited ASEAN countries to join Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
• Maritime cooperation- It called for enhanced cooperation on maritime safety, security and domain awareness

References

1. Indian Express- 20^th ASEAN India Summit in Indonesia
2. PIB- India participation in 20^th India ASEAN summit