- Also called Act East by Modi
- Look east coined by Narasimha Rao
- 10 Asean republic day
- Look east now really act east
- Shows Asean unstated unease with China and Indian alternative
ASEAN
- Has 10 members
- Economic
- FTA signed in 2009
- But Indian exports meager
- Less than half the imports from Malaysia
- FTA extended to investments and services
- Economic Survey 2015-16
- 50% increase in trade
- Tilted BoP negative though ( Imports rise 70%. Export 30%)
- Sector wise- Apparel sector export boost
- Economic Survey 2015-16
- India ASEAN trade stands at 100 billion $, one of the highest
- RCEP
- – Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
- Deal between ASEAN & the 6 countries it has FTA with
- i.e India, China, Japan, S Korea Australia, New Zealand
- Hoped will be finalised this year
- Will be a mega trade pact
- Elaboration required
- Elaboration required
- Political
- India ASEAN summits
- East Asia summit to which India is a part
- Strategic
- ASEAN strategic partner of India
- Vietnam, uncomfort with China
- Terrorism – bombing in Bali in 2003
- Other
- Oil, natural gas in Vietnam
- NE connectivity
- SARS, H1N1 recently gripped the region. Hence, cooperation important
- Growing connectivity over Terrorism , Cyber, Piracy in Malacca, trafficking
CMLV
- Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam
- Indian gov’t looking to form a SPV ( Special purpose vehicle) to invest in the region
- Reason
- General expansion to new market
- TPP – trans pacific partnership
- Investment in CMLV would allow India to access the free trade area , and would give cheaper route to major markets like US
- Also, CMLV is rival
- It has similar comparative advantage like cheap labour
- In 2014, Nokia moved out from Chennai to Vietnam
- India to set up a 500 crore investment fund for investment in CMLV
SINGAPORE
- History
- Since Cholas
- Colonial connection
- Large Indian settlement
- Political
- Strategic Partnership Agreement recently inked
- WTF is it ?
- Focusses mainly on defence, but also considers other avenues like trade, investment, cyber, health, education
- Has no of strategic partners inculding US, UK, China, Russia, Iran, Japan, etc
- National Security Research in New Delhi published India’s Strategic Partners: A Comparative Assessment and ranked India’s top strategic partners with a score out of 90 points : Russia comes out on top with 62, followed by the United States (58), France (51), UK (41), Germany (37), and Japan (34)
- WTF is it ?
- Strategic Partnership Agreement recently inked
- Economic
- 2 way FDI
- 2nd largest source of FDI
- Indian FDI in Singapore stands at 40 billion $, 1 of the top destinations
- Trade at 10 billion $
- Currently CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement
- To be replaced by RCEP
- 2 way FDI
- Investment
- 3 billion dollars power plant in Andhra
- Terminal at JNPT making it largest terminal in India
- Development of Amravati Smart City
- Cultural
- Ethnic Indians make 10%
- See history section
Malaysia
- Muslim majority– Generally favours Pak
- Many Chinese businessmen- pro China
- Yet more than 2 million citizens of Indian origin
- Descendants of workers taken by British to work in plantations
- Are economically weakest in the country
VIETNAM
- Defence
- India to build satellite tracking center
- Will also receive images from Indian observatory satellites
- India too can use the tracking centre to monitor satellite launches
- Both will be able to monitor Chinese space activities
- To provide Patrol Ships
- Also to Philippines and Mauritius
- 500 million$ concessional credit.
- Vietnam interested in Brahmos
- India to build satellite tracking center
- South China sea confusion and Freedom of Navigation
- Oil
- 3rd largest crude oil reserve of Asia
- ONGC exploration earlier
- Buddhism rising – Tourism
- Civil Nuclear Agreement signed
- 1 billion $ of investment – TATA
Thailand
- 2nd largest economy in ASEAN
- Maritime neighbour of India
- Historical
- Hinduism – Ramayana famous
- Buddhism – Theravada
- Political – BIMSTEC, MGC, ASEAN FTA
- Economic
- Trade of 10 billion dollars
- Trilateral Highway
- India, Myanmar, Thailand
- 3k km highway
- Strategic
- Participation in Cobra gold military exercise and operation Maitri of India ( against Bodo militants )
- Extradition treaty signed
Philippines
- Terrorism
- ISiS took over a town
- India thus pledges a support of 0.5 million $
- PCA – China
- Drugs – New President
- Cultural an dcolonial linkage
Brunei
- Mainly Energy Diplomacy
- Muara – One of the most important ports for India for trade with the region
- Deal for uninterrupted energy lanes and maritime security cooperation
- Brunei is 4th largest producer of LNG in the world
- Strategically important location in South China sea.
- Half of worlds cargo pass through the region