Missed opportunity: On India and ASEAN summit in Malaysia

India recently participated in the India–ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, which serves as a key platform for strategic, economic, and cultural engagement with Southeast Asia.
A commentary in The Hindu highlighted that India’s engagement fell short of leveraging the summit fully for its interests, particularly in trade, connectivity, and Indo-Pacific geopolitics.

What Happened

• India’s participation reaffirmed Act East Policy commitments and ASEAN centrality.
• However, the summit reportedly lacked high-impact economic initiatives, joint statements on security, or a comprehensive roadmap for supply chain integration.
• Regional observers noted that India’s diplomatic signalling and economic incentives could have been stronger, especially as ASEAN partners balance relations with China and the US.

Why It Matters

1. Strategic Significance of ASEAN:
   • ASEAN countries are central to India’s Indo-Pacific vision, providing maritime access, strategic partnerships, and a counterbalance to hegemonic influence in the region.
2. Economic & Trade Opportunities:
   • ASEAN is India’s 4th largest trading partner; better engagement could boost trade, attract investments, and strengthen supply chain diversification.
3. Connectivity & Infrastructure:
   • Initiatives like the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway and ASEAN-India maritime projects require continuous follow-up.
4. Geopolitical Timing:
   • With the US–China competition intensifying in Southeast Asia, India’s active diplomacy could solidify its role as a reliable partner and security balancer.

Policy Gaps / Challenges

1. Limited Economic Leverage: India’s bilateral trade with ASEAN (~USD 140 billion) lags behind China (~USD 700 billion), limiting influence.
2. Diplomatic Bandwidth: India has not capitalised on summit-level negotiations, sectoral cooperation, or multilateral dialogues effectively.
3. Connectivity Bottlenecks: Delays in highway, port, and logistics projects reduce India’s physical and symbolic connectivity to ASEAN.
4. Regional Perception: ASEAN partners perceive India as a strategic balancer but not an economic powerhouse, limiting bargaining power.
5. Follow-up Mechanisms: Lack of institutionalised mechanisms for action-oriented deliverables post-summit.

Way Forward

1. Economic Engagement: Negotiate free trade and investment agreements; enhance tech and manufacturing cooperation.
2. Connectivity Projects: Fast-track infrastructure projects (trilateral highway, Kaladan multi-modal project).
3. Security & Maritime Cooperation: Expand joint exercises, surveillance, and cyber-security partnerships.
4. Summit Diplomacy: Prepare actionable MoUs and deliverables ahead of summits, not just symbolic participation.
5. Soft Power & Cultural Ties: Strengthen educational, cultural, and people-to-people linkages.
6. Institutional Mechanisms: Create India–ASEAN Task Force for post-summit monitoring and follow-up.