Presentation at India-ASEAN Partnership@25
Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House gave a presentation on ‘Regional and Bilateral Co-operation’ at the Conference on India-ASEAN Partnership@25, New Delhi
Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House gave a presentation on ‘Regional and Bilateral Co-operation’ at the Conference on India-ASEAN Partnership@25, New Delhi
China has expanded its presence in the Indian Ocean Region. President Xi Jinping has abandoned Deng Xiaoping’s conciliatory posture for an aggressive, money-fuelled search for super power status
Vice President Ansari’s recent visits to Brunei and Thailand provided further clarity to the Act East Policy while advancing its implementation. He effectively showcased that the rationale for a strong India-ASEAN strategic partnership is sharper than before.
New Delhi has actively worked with Beijing to address its massive bilateral trade deficit. However, it has another option. India can seek greater economic integration with ASEAN and substitute its imports from China with that of ASEAN. The India-ASEAN Summit on December 20 would be a good place to start.
What have economic blockades in India's North East achieved? For one, they choked off the supply chain of an already isolated region. With Myanmar showing signs of warming towards India, New Delhi must establish ties with its eastern neighbour, but first, it needs to fix Manipur’s broken socio-political landscape.