NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set ambitious goals for India-ASEAN partnership, drawing the 10-nation grouping deeper into defining the global agenda. During his address at the India-ASEAN conclave in the Indonesian capital, PM Modi nailed five pillars that would anchor India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with the southeast Asian grouping.
First, the Prime Minister pointed out that India and ASEAN had to jointly write new rules for a post-Covid world order. The Prime Minister’s proposal spotlighted that the end of the pandemic marked the beginning of a new era where the divide between the Global North and Global South was no longer relevant. Consequently, all stakeholders needed to write the rules of a new world order, unlike the post-war situation when the West dominated writing the rules of global governance. In the new post-Covid era, India and the ASEAN needed to take the initiative in defining the principles of global governance.
Second, the Prime Minister spotlighted that rise of the Asian century in the 21st century would not be possible without collective action by India and ASEAN to write the post-Covid rules.
Third, the Prime Minister pointed out that India and the ASEAN had to think independently about their future as the era of multipolar world had dawned. Consequently, no individual geography was anymore dominating the entire globe, implying that fresh thinking was required so that the representative voices of all stakeholders as well as the Global South could be heard in a democratised world order. During his address, the PM Modi referred to India’s doctrine of one earth, one family and one future, implying that active collaboration instead of working in North-South silos was the call of the day.
Fourth the Prime Minister pointed out that common principles, including a consensus-based approach, would drive a sustainable future between India and the ASEAN. PM Modi pointed to common values, commitment to regional unity and collective belief in principles of peace and prosperity would be templates that would guide the India-ASEAN partnership.
Finally, the Prime Minister drew ASEAN into strengthening the “voice of the Global South,” making the region aware that their responsibility did not end with the region but turn Asia into a locomotive for the progress of the entire Global South.
(This article appeared first on indianarrative.com)
