India renamed its Look East Policy as Act East Policy (AEP) in 2014, enabling New Delhi to enhance its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region
In 2022, India's partnership with ASEAN was elevated to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership level, signalling India's deepened relationship with the ASEAN member states at the multilateral level.
 
This is the most substantial highlight of India's AEP in the present decade so far. The Joint Statement on ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, released in November 2022, mentioned that ASEAN Centrality will be maintained even as the geostrategy in the Indo-Pacific is constantly evolving.
 
Centrality of ASEAN in India’s foreign policy 
The importance of ASEAN Centrality was noted in intensified dialogues and coordination through various ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the ASEAN-India Summit, East Asia Summit (EAS), Post-Ministerial Conference with India (PMC+1), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) and Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF).
 
Other areas that were identified in the Joint Statement on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership included maritime safety and security, coordination between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and Indo-Pacific  Oceans' Initiative (IPOI), accelerate the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), cooperation in the digital economy, stronger partnership in connectivity including the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMT) Highway, environmental cooperation, SMART Cities Networks, Science & Technology, India's role in the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), cooperation through the sub-regional initiatives, cooperation in tourism, university network, culture and heritage preservation and conservation.
 
In other words, the Joint Statement on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership incorporated every possible area of cooperation between ASEAN and India that has the potential to strengthen the partnership between the two sides and contribute towards more significant regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
 
Given the central position of ASEAN in India's Act East Policy, multiple high-level visits have been conducted in the last few years between India and ASEAN states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Brunei, the first of its kind, reinforced India's commitment to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.
 
The September visit coincided with the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Brunei and India. Prime Minister Modi also visited Singapore in September 2024.
 
In 2025, India and Singapore will celebrate 60 years of their diplomatic relations, and currently, both countries are preparing for the line of activities to observe the same.
 
The President of India paid state visits to countries like Timor Leste, Fiji and New Zealand to ensure AEP's broader outreach to the Pacific Island countries, as a demonstration of India's willingness to reach the Indo-Pacific region while maintaining the unique position of ASEAN at the core of its external relations towards the east.
 
Challenges 
However, the Act East Policy has recently faced challenges in India's immediate neighbourhood. Bangladesh and Myanmar, countries that share long international borders with India's eastern and northeastern parts, have been overwhelmed by internal political unrest and conflicts.
 
The anti-India sentiments are on the rise in Bangladesh. On the other hand, Myanmar's internal political turbulence has caused delays in the much-awaited IMT Highway. Beyond these immediate troubles, the instability in Bangladesh and Myanmar creates serious security threats for India, acting as potential risks to the security and stability in the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean regions.
 
The second challenge comes from the economic perspective. ASEAN-India trade has been increasing over the years and in 2023-24, it stood at US$ 122.67 billion. However, India faces a trade deficit of US$ 43 billion. India's exit from RCEP is yet to be received in a positive way by the ASEAN countries.
 
Multilateralism and ASEAN 
Multilateralism is one of the keys to the success of ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. While India was chairing the G20 grouping in 2023, Indonesia was the G20 Chair in 2022. It allowed both India and Indonesia to raise their voices together for the causes of the Global South.
 
The unique leadership roles strengthened both countries' presence and influence on the global stage. It is worth noting that both Indonesia and India have firmly supported each other in their respective leadership roles, particularly in the G20.
 
Indonesia's substantive support in India's negotiation process and the completion of the final G20 communiqué needs to be highlighted. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Modi's presence at the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta in September 2022 was praised as a significant political statement, underlining the importance of ASEAN in India's foreign policy, particularly under the Act East Policy. Despite India's ongoing G20 preparations at around the same time, PM Modi’s attendance ensured close cooperation between India and ASEAN.
 
The future of the ASEAN-India partnership will depend on multidimensional and interconnected elements way beyond trade and politics.
 
Shared religious and cultural heritage 
The first important element is preserving the shared religious and cultural heritage. India and ASEAN have a long history of shared spiritual and cultural heritage, with the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism visible on both sides.
 
Temples, pagodas, monuments, festivals, and traditions in India and ASEAN are testaments to this ancient connection. For example, the Sanjaya dynasty that ruled Mataram kingdom in Java in the first millennium CE promoted Hinduism. Indonesia is also home to Borobudur Temple Complex, world's largest Buddhist Temple and a UNESCO world heritage site.
 
The Maha Vishnu Temple, Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is the world's largest religious monument. A second important element is the linguistic connections between Southeast Asia and India.
 
Linguistic similarities between the two sides, particularly Northeastern India, Thailand and Myanmar, reflect deep historical connections. Certain words and expressions are shared between languages in both regions, cementing the bonds formed through centuries of trade and cultural exchange.
 
Regular cultural interactions in arts, music, dance, and literature strengthen ties between India and ASEAN. Third important element is cooperation at the global level and regional security.
 
Conclusion 
India and ASEAN actively address global issues, promoting peace, solidarity, and cooperation in various international forums.
 
Both sides share aspirations for regional security, economic integration, and collaboration in addressing the global common challenges such as climate change, illegal migrations, maritime safety, and security, etc.
 
India is involved in various Indo-Pacific initiatives, including the QUAD and IPEF, and has been at the forefront of other initiatives like Project Mausam, SAGAR, ISA, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), IORA, BIMSTEC, and MGC.
 
In view of these developments and continued networked collaborations involving India and ASEAN, the future is set to be strengthening cooperation, and mutual trust between the geostrategic and diplomatic partners.
 
***The writer is a Consultant at the Research and Information System for Developing countries (RIS); views expressed here are her own