From Vision to Action: Reassessing India–ASEAN Engagement in the Indo-Pacific Era

Image Source: Prime Minister of India

Dr Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy* and Dr Imran Khurshid**

India’s engagement with ASEAN has moved from aspiration to action—anchoring its Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision in tangible cooperation. The challenge now lies in translating this strategic partnership into sustained, results-driven regional engagement.

Recently, the 47th ASEAN Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” bringing together leaders from all 11 ASEAN member states, along with representatives from key dialogue partners including India, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, and Canada. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who did not travel to Kuala Lumpur, addressed the summit virtually, declaring that “the 21st century is our century—the century of India and ASEAN,” and reaffirming India’s enduring commitment to ASEAN as a vital partner in the Indo-Pacific. Extending greetings to Malaysia for hosting the summit and congratulating Timor-Leste on becoming ASEAN’s 11th member, Modi emphasised that India and ASEAN are “not only trade partners but also cultural partners.” Declaring 2026 as the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation, the Prime Minister underlined the maritime dimension as a strategic priority for India’s Act East Policy in the coming years.

The summit took place at a time of heightened global uncertainty—marked by intensified U.S.–China competition, ongoing strategic recalibrations, and renewed discussions around a potential G2 framework between Washington and Beijing. These developments hold significant implications for the evolving geopolitical order in the Indo-Pacific, making ASEAN–India engagement more consequential than ever.

ASEAN centrality at the Core of India’s Vision

Reiterating that ASEAN lies at the core of India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Vision, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s strong support for “ASEAN Centrality, ASEAN Unity, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).” He commended ASEAN for adopting the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and extended India’s full support for implementing the ASEAN–India Plan of Action (2026–2030), which will operationalise the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two sides.

Prime Minister Modi also announced the establishment of a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University, aimed at building regional expertise and strengthening academic linkages. He highlighted the importance of deepening cooperation in education, energy, science and technology, fintech, and cultural preservation, while calling for enhanced collaboration in infrastructure, semiconductors, emerging technologies, rare earths, and critical minerals. Modi further described India and ASEAN as “fellow travellers of the Global South”, emphasising that their partnership extends beyond regional concerns to promote equitable growth, sustainable development, and an inclusive global order.

While these commitments underscore India’s intent to deepen cooperation, their success will depend on consistent implementation and sustained follow-through across trade, connectivity, and maritime domains.

From Look East to Act East

India’s engagement with Southeast Asia has evolved significantly since the end of the Cold War. During the Cold War era, India’s policy of non-alignment, though leaning more towards the Soviet Union, coupled with a command economy system, limited its global engagement and, consequently, its outreach to Southeast Asia. There was little focus on trade or economic integration, while Southeast Asia itself was deeply embedded in the U.S.-led geopolitical and security order. Thus, on both sides, there were limited opportunities for meaningful engagement.

However, in 1991, India launched the Look East Policy under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, marking a major shift in its foreign policy orientation towards economic integration with East and Southeast Asia.

The transformation of this Look East Policy into the Act East Policy in 2014 under the Modi government reflected a renewed dynamism and sense of urgency. Although the Look East Policy initially emphasised economic linkages and regional integration with Southeast Asia, over time, it gradually incorporated political, strategic, and cultural dimensions. The Act East Policy further broadened this framework by adding stronger security and connectivity components, with a sharper focus on the Indo-Pacific and regional stability. This shift signalled India’s determination to emerge as a proactive and dependable regional stakeholder. The renaming was not merely semantic; it represented a realisation in New Delhi that engagement with ASEAN must go beyond rhetoric and translate into tangible outcomes.

Frameworks of Engagement

India today participates in a wide array of ASEAN-led mechanisms—such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), and various bilateral and trilateral frameworks. It has also launched initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) in 2019 and promotes platforms like BIMSTEC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to enhance connectivity and cooperation.

Moreover, building on its earlier SAGAR vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region), New Delhi has now articulated a broader MAHASAGAR vision—Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions—unveiled in 2025, which expands its maritime outlook beyond the Indian Ocean to encompass the wider Indo-Pacific and the Global South.

Moreover, in 2018, the ASEAN–India Commemorative Summit, held in New Delhi under the theme “Shared Values, Common Destiny,” marked the 25th anniversary of ASEAN–India dialogue relations and underscored the government’s deep commitment to the partnership. The event was historic, with the leaders of all ten ASEAN member states attending India’s Republic Day celebrations as joint chief guests—a first in India’s diplomatic history, reflecting the priority New Delhi places on its engagement with Southeast Asia. Around the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi authored a multilingual op-ed titled “ASEAN–India: Shared Values, Common Destiny,” published in 27 newspapers across 10 ASEAN countries in 10 different languages, highlighting the importance he attaches to this relationship. In the article, Modi affirmed that India–ASEAN ties remain “free from contests and claims,” a principle that continues to guide and define India’s approach toward the region.

At the 19th East Asia Summit held in October 2024 in Vientiane, Laos, leaders reaffirmed their support for ASEAN centrality, the rules-based regional order, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. Indian prime minister, in his intervention, emphasized the importance of dialogue, connectivity, and respect for international law in ensuring stability across the Indo-Pacific. The summit also addressed key regional concerns such as maritime security and the South China Sea, though a consensus declaration could not be adopted due to differences among major powers, reflecting the complex strategic undercurrents shaping the region.

Together, these engagements highlight India’s deepening maritime and strategic outreach as central to its Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision—one aimed at promoting sustainable development, inclusive connectivity, and collective security across regions. However, despite these robust institutional frameworks, implementation gaps persist. Connectivity initiatives such as the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, and India’s US$1 billion Line of Credit for ASEAN connectivity continue to face delays due to Myanmar’s political instability and logistical challenges. Accelerating these projects is essential if India is to consolidate its role as a credible economic and strategic partner for ASEAN and transform its “Act East” policy into tangible outcomes that reinforce its Indo-Pacific aspirations.

Strategic and Developmental Significance

For India, engaging ASEAN is not just foreign policy—it is a domestic development strategy. ASEAN offers India access to dynamic markets, technological partnerships, and cooperative platforms that align with its developmental priorities. The Northeast region of India, geographically contiguous with Southeast Asia, can be transformed into a hub of trans-border trade and connectivity if physical and digital infrastructure projects are expedited.

Moreover, ASEAN’s inclusive and consensus-driven approach aligns with India’s vision of a free, open, and rule-based Indo-Pacific. India’s constructive engagement with the region also strengthens the normative dimension of regional and international order by promoting principles of inclusivity, transparency, respect for sovereignty, and adherence to international law. These shared values form the basis of a cooperative Indo-Pacific architecture where dialogue and consensus prevail over coercion and dominance. Initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and their alignment with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) reflect this shared commitment to a rules-based order and collective security. Strengthening India–ASEAN cooperation also contributes to India’s strategic autonomy by ensuring a multipolar regional order that prevents the Indo-Pacific from becoming polarised by U.S.–China rivalry.

China’s deep engagement with Southeast Asia offers both competition and lessons. Beijing’s approach has combined infrastructure development with soft power tools such as cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, media outreach, civil society engagement, and strategic communication. By integrating these instruments effectively, China has succeeded in building robust economic and societal linkages with ASEAN states.

While New Delhi cannot and should not replicate China’s approach, it can learn from Beijing’s effective use of cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, civil society engagement, and communication strategies. India has begun offering scholarships and initiating people-to-people programs, but these efforts must be expanded to build deeper societal linkages.

Civilizational and Cultural Linkages

Unlike China, India is viewed by ASEAN countries as non-threatening and non-hegemonic, a perception that gives it a distinct diplomatic advantage. ASEAN leaders often acknowledge India’s civilizational and cultural proximity to the region, describing the relationship as one rooted in shared heritage rather than power politics. As Singapore’s former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted, India “makes a major contribution to regional affairs, helping to keep the regional architecture open, balanced and inclusive.” Joint ASEAN–India statements have repeatedly emphasised the “millennia-old civilizational and cultural linkages” and “deep maritime connectivity” that bind Southeast Asia and India—linkages that underscore India’s image as a benign and trustworthy partner. Many ASEAN states seek diversified partnerships amid growing great power competition, and India’s democratic credentials, cultural proximity, and emphasis on inclusivity position it as a natural and trustworthy partner.

Shared Buddhist heritage, the Ramayana traditions, and ancient maritime trade routes symbolise the deep cultural and spiritual connections that bind India and ASEAN. Modern initiatives such as the Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC), launched in 2000 to revive these age-old linkages, reflect the enduring civilizational bonds between the Ganga and Mekong regions. During his visit to New Delhi as Chief Guest for India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2025, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto underscored these ties, noting that “India and Indonesia have civilisational links—many of our names are derived from Sanskrit,” and even remarked humorously that he has “Indian DNA.” Such statements reflect how deeply India’s cultural and spiritual influence continues to resonate across Southeast Asia. Leveraging these connections through cultural centres, heritage projects, and academic exchanges can further enhance India’s soft power and strengthen its people-to-people engagement in the region.

India’s engagement with ASEAN has progressed remarkably—from becoming a Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 1992 to a Full Dialogue Partner in 1996, and advancing to a Summit-level partnership in 2002. The relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2012 and further deepened into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022. Yet, the real challenge lies in execution. For India, the task now is to transform its declaratory diplomacy into concrete cooperation through faster connectivity projects, enhanced trade facilitation, and stronger people-to-people exchanges. In today’s increasingly uncertain, turbulent, and fragmented world, India’s sustained and proactive engagement with ASEAN has become even more critical.

A sustained and focused engagement with ASEAN will not only serve India’s economic and strategic interests but also reinforce its role as a civilizational and maritime power shaping a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific order.

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*Dr Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy is an Associate Professor, SHS/IS Coordinator, Deputy Dean (CBBS Student Welfare & SIPS), at Nalanda University. **Dr Imran Khurshid is an Associate Research Fellow, ICPS, Adjunct Fellow, Peninsula Foundation, Visiting Faculty, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Bihar, India. The views expressed here are personal.