📌 Why in News? -ASEAN and QUAD
- Recent ASEAN Summit (2025): The latest ASEAN Summit was held in Vientiane, Laos, where maritime security and economic cooperation were major themes.
- QUAD Leaders’ Meeting (2025): QUAD countries (India, US, Japan, Australia) reaffirmed their commitment to a Free, Open and Inclusive Indo-Pacific.
- South China Sea Tensions: Increasing Chinese assertiveness has raised concerns, prompting both ASEAN and QUAD discussions on freedom of navigation.
- India’s Act East Policy 2.0: India announced deeper integration with Southeast Asia through digital, green, and strategic partnerships, aligning with both ASEAN and QUAD goals.
- New Delhi Dialogue & East Asia Summit Engagements: India reiterated ASEAN centrality in its Indo-Pacific vision.
🌏 What is ASEAN?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| Established | August 8, 1967 (Bangkok Declaration) |
| Members | 10: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia |
| HQ | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Objectives | Economic growth, cultural development, regional peace and stability |
| India-ASEAN Dialogue Partnership | Since 1992 (Strategic partnership in 2012) |
✒️ Important Agreements & Frameworks:
- ASEAN Charter (2008): Legal identity
- ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
- Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – India opted out in 2019
- ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) – Aligns with India’s Indo-Pacific vision
🔍 What is QUAD?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Quadrilateral Security Dialogue |
| Members | India, USA, Japan, Australia |
| Initiated | 2007 (Reinvigorated in 2017) |
| Nature | Strategic and security dialogue |
| Objective | Promote rules-based order in Indo-Pacific |
🧩 Key Areas of Cooperation:
- Security & Maritime Cooperation
- Counterterrorism
- Supply Chain Resilience
- 5G & Emerging Tech
- Climate Change
- Vaccine Diplomacy (QUAD Vaccine Partnership)
🔗 India’s Role in ASEAN and QUAD
| ASEAN | QUAD |
|---|---|
| India is part of East Asia Summit | India is one of the founding members |
| Act East Policy aligns with ASEAN goals | Indo-Pacific strategy aligns with QUAD |
| India hosts Delhi Dialogue | Participates in Malabar naval exercise |
| India supports ASEAN centrality | Supports Free and Open Indo-Pacific |
⚖️ Key Issues & Challenges
🌊 In ASEAN:
- Internal differences (Myanmar issue, South China Sea)
- Consensus-based approach delays decisions
- China’s influence on Cambodia, Laos
🛡️ In QUAD:
- Criticism of being an “Asian NATO”
- Lacks formal military structure
- Balancing China without direct confrontation
📚 UPSC Relevance
✅ Prelims Pointers:
- ASEAN Members, Year, HQ
- RCEP and India’s stance
- QUAD – Members, purpose, first meeting
- ASEAN-India Commemorative Summits
- Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)
🧠 Mains Perspective:
- GS Paper II – International Relations:
- “Discuss the strategic significance of QUAD for India amidst changing Indo-Pacific dynamics.”
- “Evaluate ASEAN’s role in regional integration and India’s engagement with ASEAN under Act East Policy.”
- “How does India’s Indo-Pacific vision balance its QUAD and ASEAN partnerships?”
🗺️ Way Forward
- Strengthen ASEAN-India Digital Trade Corridors
- Enhance QUAD+ mechanism (QUAD with other like-minded nations)
- Promote supply chain diversification away from China
- Support capacity-building in Southeast Asia via India’s development partnerships
- Maintain balance: ASEAN centrality with QUAD assertiveness
🔖 Conclusion
- ASEAN and QUAD represent two different but complementary pillars of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy. While ASEAN ensures regional multilateralism, QUAD provides strategic balancing. For India, aligning both is crucial for a stable, multipolar Asia.
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