Study group focusing on ASEAN ties with India

Study group focusing on ASEAN ties with India

A new study group focusing on the growing relationship between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India has been formed by Singapore's premier think tank, organizers said on Saturday.

The initial focus will be on economic issues, with the scope expanding later to political matters and security cooperation, according to the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Besides bringing together regional experts on relations between the ASEAN and India, the group hopes to draw on expatriate Indian brain power available in Singapore.

"We noticed the lack of focused studies on various aspects of India-ASEAN relations and therefore felt that the formation of a study group would lead to a better understanding of the issues," K. Kesavapany, the institute's director, told The Straits Times.

India's growing security ties with the United States and greater presence in the Indian Ocean also merit closer study, Kesavapany said.

The study group includes scholars, industry representatives analysts and officials from government ministries.

A two-day forum on ASEAN-India Economic Relations has been scheduled for Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 in Singapore.

"Serious and in-depth research on relations between ASEAN and India has been rather limited," said Rahul Sen, coordinator of the group.

ASEAN groups Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma). -- DPA