The 22nd ASEAN–India Summit held in October signified a new milestone in one of India’s most dynamic regional relationships. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attending his 12th ASEAN–India Summit, (this time virtually) joined leaders of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Timor Leste, the bloc’s newest member, to review progress under the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and set directions for future cooperation.
India’s engagement with ASEAN, anchored in ancient civilizational, cultural, and commercial linkages, has evolved into a comprehensive and strategic partnership that can shape the Indo-Pacific order. What began as a modest dialogue in 1992 has, over three decades, matured into a relationship that places ASEAN’s centrality in India’s Act East Policy and its vision of a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
From dialogue to comprehensive strategic partnership
India’s formal engagement with ASEAN began in 1992 as a Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, signalling the country’s renewed outreach to Southeast Asia after years of limited contact during the Cold War. Three years later, in 1995, the partnership was elevated to a full Dialogue Partnership, paving the way for regular ministerial-level exchanges.
A decisive turning point came in 2002, when the first ASEAN–India Summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, institutionalising annual leader-level meetings. In 2012, the relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership, marking two decades of sustained engagement. Six years later, in 2018, the focus expanded to maritime cooperation, aligning India’s Act East Policy with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). The partnership reached its highest level in 2022, with the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). India also consolidated its institutional engagement by opening a dedicated mission to ASEAN in Jakarta in 2015.
Political and security cooperation: Anchoring stability in the Indo-Pacific
Political and security ties between India and ASEAN have grown steadily, driven by shared interests in peace, maritime security, and counterterrorism. India’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in 2003 reaffirmed its commitment to ASEAN’s foundational principles of non-interference, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect.
India has since emerged as an active participant in ASEAN-led platforms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). It currently co-chairs the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counterterrorism (2024–2027) with Malaysia. At this year’s summit, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s continuing support for ASEAN centrality and unity, stressing the importance of collective action on issues such as maritime domain awareness, disaster relief, and the freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific.
India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) complements the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), with both frameworks converging on themes like maritime ecology, connectivity, and sustainable resource management. Countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand are already key partners in these efforts, reinforcing a shared vision of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
Economic engagement
Economic relations form the backbone of ASEAN–India cooperation. The ASEAN–India Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, signed in 2003, laid the foundation for deeper integration through the ASEAN–India Free Trade Area (AIFTA). This was followed by the Trade in Goods Agreement (2009) and the Trade in Services and Investment Agreements (2014), collectively aimed at liberalising trade and facilitating investment flows.
By 2024, ASEAN–India merchandise trade had climbed to US$106.9 billion, making India ASEAN’s sixth-largest trading partner. However, the trade balance continues to favour ASEAN, largely due to goods re-routed from third countries, particularly China, under lenient “rules of origin”.
Recognising these distortions, both sides have begun a comprehensive review of the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods
Agreement (AITIGA). India’s objectives are to tighten rules of origin to prevent third-country dumping, dismantle non-tariff barriers, and create more balanced tariff structures.
Connectivity
Connectivity remains a critical but challenging pillar of ASEAN–India relations. It lies at the heart of India’s Act East Policy, which envisions transforming the Northeast into a gateway to Southeast Asia. Yet, political instability in Myanmar and logistical hurdles continue to delay flagship infrastructure projects.
Two landmark initiatives showcase both the ambition and the difficulty of the connectivity agenda. The India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMT Highway), connecting Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar, aims to create a seamless overland corridor linking South and Southeast Asia. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, linking Kolkata Port to Mizoram via Sittwe Port in Myanmar, combines sea, river, and road transport to facilitate trade access. Once operational, these projects will dramatically reduce transit times, open new economic corridors, and integrate India’s northeast into ASEAN’s regional value chains. Plans to extend these routes to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam under the proposed Mekong–India Economic Corridor further underscore their strategic significance. In parallel, digital and maritime connectivity are gaining momentum. The ASEAN–India Fund for Digital Future, launched in 2024, is supporting cooperation in Digital Public Infrastructure, cybersecurity, and ICT capacity-building essential for connecting the region’s fast-growing digital economies.
Maritime cooperation
The maritime domain is the natural bridge linking India and ASEAN. Recognising its strategic and economic importance, 2026 has been designated the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
At the 2025 Summit, India announced several initiatives to advance this agenda, including the Second ASEAN–India Defence Ministers’ Meeting, the Second ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise, and the creation of a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University. India will also host the East Asia Summit Maritime Heritage Festival at Lothal, Gujarat, celebrating the shared seafaring traditions of the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine aligns closely with ASEAN’s maritime priorities under the AOIP. Both sides emphasise freedom of navigation, sustainable resource use, and disaster preparedness. India’s track record as a “First Responder” in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)--whether in natural disasters or health crises--has enhanced its reputation as a reliable regional partner.
From energy to education
Beyond trade and security, ASEAN–India collaboration extends to energy, innovation, education, and culture. India supports ASEAN’s Power Grid Initiative and has pledged to train 400 renewable energy professionals. Mechanisms such as the ASEAN–India Green Fund (AIGF) and Science and Technology Development Fund (AISTDF) finance joint R&D, technology transfer, and sustainability initiatives. A 2024 MoU between India’s Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership and the ASEAN Centre for Energy opened new channels for collaboration in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Educational and cultural cooperation has also gained prominence. The ASEAN–India Network of Universities (AINU), Nalanda University fellowships, and scholarships for students from CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) foster academic mobility and skill development. Cultural diplomacy thrives through initiatives like the ASEAN–India Music Festival, Youth Summit, Artists’ Camp, and Delhi Dialogue, which celebrate shared traditions of art, religion, and architecture.
Building soft power bridges
Tourism has become a powerful connector between India and ASEAN. Visitor arrivals from India to ASEAN surged to 5.88 million in 2024, up from 4.29 million in 2023.
Building on this growth, 2025 has been designated the ASEAN–India Year of Tourism, supported by a US$5 million fund for joint marketing campaigns, cruise dialogues, and professional exchanges.
At the 2025 Summit, leaders adopted the ASEAN–India Joint Statement on Sustainable Tourism, aligning with Malaysia’s chairmanship theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” This focus on responsible and sustainable travel underscores both regions’ commitment to balancing economic growth with ecological preservation.
Challenges ahead
Despite significant progress, the ASEAN–India partnership faces persistent challenges. Connectivity projects are hampered by delays and security concerns in Myanmar. Trade imbalances continue to test economic trust, while geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea strain ASEAN unity at times.
Yet, the overall trajectory remains positive. The alignment between India’s Act East Policy and ASEAN’s Community Vision 2045 is reinforced by India’s Vision 2047, which envisions a $30-trillion economy deeply integrated with regional supply chains. The newly adopted Plan of Action for the ASEAN–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2026–2030) provides a roadmap centred on digital transformation, sustainable development, maritime security, innovation, and people-centered growth.
A shared Indo-Pacific destiny
Three decades of sustained engagement have transformed an ancient civilizational connection into a modern strategic partnership. From the diplomatic corridors of Jakarta to the cultural legacy of Nalanda, ASEAN–India relations have evolved into a model of South–Southeast Asian cooperation. The declaration of 2026 as the Year of Maritime Cooperation and the adoption of the Plan of Action (2026–2030) affirm a shared conviction: that India and ASEAN’s destinies are intertwined by geography, by history, and by a common Indo-Pacific future built on inclusivity, prosperity, and peace.
