The Prime Minister of India attended the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) on 11 October 2024, held in Vientiane, Lao PDR. In his speech, he highlighted the pivotal role of ASEAN within the Indo-Pacific regional framework, as well as its significance in India's Indo-Pacific Vision and Quad collaboration. He pointed out that India's involvement in the East Asia Summit serves as a crucial component of its Act East Policy. Emphasizing the necessity of a free, open, inclusive, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific for fostering peace and development in the region, he noted the alignment and shared perspectives between India's Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative and the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific. He advocated for a development-oriented approach in the region, as opposed to one focused on expansionism.
The statement clearly indicates that the challenge for ASEAN is China, the expansionist, who believes in fabricating disputes even if there is not one. According to The Indian Express, after the 2023 summit, India’s Former Ambassador to ASEAN, Ambassador Gurjit Singh, wrote: “China remains the major challenge for ASEAN, in particular, with regard to big-power rivalry in the region. Its (ASEAN’s) call for peace and prosperity is a muted way of saying that the US and China will not exhibit their rivalry in the region.”
How ASEAN came in existence.
On 8 August 1967, the Foreign Ministers of five Southeast Asian nations, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand convened in Bangkok. Thailand played a mediating role in resolving disputes among Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, which ultimately culminated in the signing of a significant document.
The Foreign Ministers who affixed their signatures to this document, Adam Malik from Indonesia, Narciso R. Ramos from the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak from Malaysia, S. Rajaratnam from Singapore, and Thanat Khoman from Thailand are recognized as the Founding Fathers of what is regarded as one of the most successful inter-governmental organizations in the developing world today. This document is referred to as the ASEAN Declaration, as noted on the ASEAN website.
The ASEAN Declaration articulated a commitment to enhancing regional cooperation across various domains, including economic, social, cultural, technical, and educational fields. Additionally, it emphasized the importance of promoting regional peace and stability. The declaration specified that the Association would welcome participation from all states in the Southeast Asian region that align with its aims, principles, and objectives.
In the following decades, five more countries Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam joined the organization. This ten-member coalition boasts an anthem, a flag, and holds biannual summits with a rotating chairmanship. Reflecting its commitment to unity, the official motto is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community.” The organization is built upon three main pillars: the Political-Security Community (APSC), the Economic Community (AEC), and the Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
The East Asia Summit (EAS).(via: EAS)
The East Asia Summit (EAS) process commenced in 2005 with the inaugural East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Initially, the Summit included 16 member countries, which consisted of the ASEAN Member States, along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. The United States and the Russian Federation became participants during the 6th East Asia Summit, which took place in Bali, Indonesia, on 19 November 2011. The East Asia Summit is characterized by the annual gathering of Heads of States or Governments from the participating nations.
So, the EAS has 18 members - the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. ASEAN leads the forum, and the chair position rotates between ASEAN Member States annually. Lao PDR is the ASEAN Chair in 2024.
Prime Minister of India's emphasis at East Asia summit in Lao. (via: PIB)
Reiterating the importance of the EAS mechanism and reaffirming India’s support to further strengthen it, PM recalled support received from EAS Participating Countries on the revival of Nalanda University. PM took this opportunity to invite the EAS countries for a Heads of Higher Education Conclave to be held at Nalanda University.
The leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues affecting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Underlining the severe impact of conflicts on the Global South, PM highlighted that the path of dialogue and diplomacy based on a humanitarian approach must be adopted for peaceful resolution of conflicts in the world. He further reiterated that there was no solution for them to be found on the battlefield. Prime Minister stressed that terrorism along with cyber and maritime challenges posed a serious threat to global peace and security, for which countries must come together to combat them.
Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister of Laos for successfully hosting the East Asia Summit. He conveyed his good wishes to Malaysia as the new Chair of ASEAN and expressed India’s full support to it.
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