A chink in India's diplomacy?

A chink in India's diplomacy?

India's geopolitical reach does not seem to have sufficiently
impressed the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN). Their latest decision not to invite India to the
annual summit-level talks involving the ASEAN and its East Asian
dialogue partners is not good news for an aspiring global player.
However, it is a setback that New Delhi must be able to take in
its stride. The ASEAN has reckoned that India is not an automatic
choice for the membership of an informal economic club that
consists of 10 Southeast Asian states as also China and Japan
besides South Korea.

ASEAN's reasoning about the difficulty of widening the scope
of a quintessential East Asian summitry does not ring hollow.
History and the cross-currents of Asia-Pacific politics account
for ASEAN's special relationship with the China-Japan-South Korea
triangle. In ASEAN's own perspective, a pan-East Asian dialogue
translates into a systematic engagement with an economic
superpower besides a political-military force as well. India is
not obviously seen by ASEAN as either a regional economic power
or a major political force of direct consequence to Southeast
Asia at this juncture. It is in this context that New Delhi needs
to demonstrate the truth in its stated view of itself as a
stabilizing force in Southeast Asia.

Now, the proposal for an East Asia Security Forum, which the
Philippines floated at the time of last year's informal meeting
of the ASEAN+3, is still an idea with little or no endorsement by
key Southeast Asian countries. Its strategic scope remains
undefined in a region that plays host to U.S. military personnel.

However, given the potential of the ASEAN+3 to evolve into a
multi-dimensional outfit, India may have lost a desirable
opportunity in regional diplomacy. Yet, New Delhi's existing
connections with the ASEAN are not to be underestimated.
Regrettable, therefore, is that ASEAN thinks it is too early now
to consider holding separate annual summits with India. In this
context, New Delhi may do well to inject a dose of dynamism to
its ties with ASEAN as also its sub-regions. A new beginning has
been made in recent weeks. What India must do now is to add
substance to the agreement in principle on the Mekong-Ganga
Cooperation Initiative. New Delhi will certainly profit by
dispelling an impression of wanting to compete with China for the
affections of the ASEAN sub-region linked to the Mekong. Overall,
India must signal that it regards ASEAN as a prime and not
collateral area of interest.

-- The Hindu, New Delhi