What is ASEAN?
- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organisation aimed at political, economic, and security cooperation.
- It was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
- Motto: "One Vision, One Identity, One Community."
- Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Member States (10 Nations):
- Founding Members (1967): Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
- Later Additions: Brunei (1984), Vietnam (1995), Laos & Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999).
- Economic & Demographic Strength:
- Total Population: 662 million (2022).
- Combined GDP: $3.2 trillion (2022).
Institutional Mechanism of ASEAN:
- ASEAN Summit: Meets annually to discuss regional issues and set policy directions. Chaired by a rotating presidency.
- ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC): Oversees implementation of ASEAN agreements and decisions.
- ASEAN Secretariat: Supports and facilitates ASEAN’s activities and initiatives.
- ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): Platform for dialogue on political and security issues among ASEAN members and their dialogue partners. India joined in 1996.
- Decision-Making Process: Based on consultation and consensus.
ASEAN-India Relations:
- India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992 and a Full Dialogue Partner in 1996.
- India joined the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1996.
- India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed in 2009 (Goods) and 2014 (Services & Investments).
- ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership was established in 2012.
- India actively participates in ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus).
ASEAN Future Forum:
- Proposed by Vietnam in 2023 (43rd ASEAN Summit).
- It is a common platform for ASEAN member states and partners to share ideas and policy recommendations.
- India is a founding member.
About the Meeting:
- Table-top counter-terrorism exercise is to be held in Malaysia (2026) and a field training exercise in India (2027) under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism (EWG on CT).
- India and Malaysia have assumed co-chairmanship of EWG on CT (2024-2027).
