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