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Context

• With ongoing political turmoil in Myanmar and international pressure over Myanmar military junta regime, India may not invite Myanmar Foreign Minister to the India-ASEAN Foreign Ministres’ meeting hosted by the External Affairs Minister.
• As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India has decided to follow the consensus of ASEAN countries.

About ASEAN

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
• The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
• 8th August is observed as ASEAN Day. ASEAN Secretariat – Indonesia, Jakarta.
• Its objectives are:
  • To promote regional stability, economic growth, social progress, cultural development, active collaboration in greater utilisation of resources, also promote Southeast Asian studies and cooperation in regional as well as international issues.

India-ASEAN Relations

• India began formal engagement with ASEAN in 1992 as a “Sectoral Dialogue Partner” (and subsequently as a “Dialogue Partner” in 1996.
• At the 20^th Commemorative Summit Meeting in New Delhi (December 2012) India’s Dialogue Partnership was further elevated to a Strategic Partnership.
• During the 25^th Commemorative Summit in New Delhi (January 2018), India and ASEAN have further agreed that our Strategic Partnership will be focused on building cooperation in the maritime domain.
• The year 2022 marks 30 years of ASEAN-India relations and it has been designated as ASEAN-India Friendship Year by the leaders in October 2021.
• Engagement with ASEAN is a multi-level interaction process. At the apex is the annual summits (“ASEAN-India Summit”) supported by meetings at the Foreign Minister level (“ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers Meeting”-AIFMM.
• To support cooperation activities between ASEAN and India, Govt of India has created three funds:
  • ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund (AIF),
  • ASEAN-India Green Fund (AIGF) and
  • ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund (AISTDF).
• The ‘Delhi Dialogue’ (DD) mechanism hosted by India annually allows participation of think tanks, academics and prominent civil society persons from both India and the ASEAN region, in addition to government representatives, to contribute ideas and perspectives to furthering the India-ASEAN strategic partnership.
• The three main formal institutional mechanisms being used to promote the India-ASEAN economic ‘connect’:
  • ASEAN Economic Ministers-India Consultations (AEM + India):
  • The ASEAN India Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (2003):
  • ASEAN-India Business Council (AIBC):

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