India’s economic diplomacy bounced back to center stage this week after a prolonged absence of more than three years, when it made a robust appearance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meet in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday and New Delhi hosted a special ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the flag carrier on both occasions, which signals seriousness of purpose and augurs a shift toward “demilitarizing” India’s foreign policy and giving ballast to economic diplomacy toward the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which New Delhi regards as the fulcrum of its “Act East” policy.
The salience of Modi’s keynote address at Davos was twofold – one, the world must fight against the rising challenge of protectionism, and, two, mitigating the menace of climate change must be the collective responsibility of all nations.
Modi’s remarks hinted at certain disenchantment with the Donald Trump administration’s “America First” policies. The latest Gallup poll listed India alongside Germany and other countries in their waning faith in the United States’ leadership role.
Modi’s remarks echoed portions of the speech made by Chinese President Xi Jinping last year at Davos. Interestingly, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Beijing promptly took note of Modi’s speech and remarked that the Indian prime minister “stated his opposition to protectionism … which demonstrates that economic globalization is the trend of the times and serves the interests of all countries, especially the developing countries.
“China is ready to work with all parties to actively adapt to and steer economic globalization so that it will continue to be a positive force in promoting world economic growth and enhancing the well-being of all peoples,” spokeswoman Hua Chunying continued.
The main thrust of Modi’s speech was in showcasing that India’s economy has multiplied more than six times in the two decades since an Indian prime minister last attended the WEF at Davos. It aimed at promoting India as an attractive investment destination by highlighting that another phase of economic reform and market liberalization is afoot.
Delhi Declaration
Broadly, the same approach of putting economic diplomacy in the front seat is evident also in the Delhi Declaration issued after the summit meeting with the ASEAN leaders on Thursday.
New Delhi has not proposed even a single political initiative in terms of galvanizing India’s “Act East” policy in a strategic direction with an eye on China. The Declaration not only avoids any mention of the idea of the “Quad” (quadrilateral alliance of the US, Japan, Australia and India) but altogether ignores the hyperbolic concept of the “Indo-Pacific.” It repeatedly mentions the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as, well, two oceans, and not as conjoined at the hips.
On the other hand, India reiterates its “support for ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional security architecture.” In this spirit, India and ASEAN have affirmed that they “support the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea … and look forward to an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.”
ASEAN is pressing for a “swift conclusion” of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his closing speech at the summit, in his capacity as the ASEAN chairman: “ASEAN and India should work together to ensure the conclusion of the negotiations in 2018 so that the benefits can be realized earlier.”
Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said: “I believe India will not disappoint ASEAN. I believe India will stand with ASEAN to conclude the negotiation for the RCEP this year.”
ASEAN’s priority is to gain better access to the Indian market for trade and investment. Lee candidly noted, “By 2025, India’s consumer market is expected to become the fifth-largest in the world.” He stressed deeper economic integration between ASEAN and India.
The final clincher would have been the stance of Vietnam. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc pointedly noted in an interview with an Indian daily that there had been “positive and commendable signs” of an easing of tensions in ASEAN-China relations and he anticipated more confidence-building measures. His advice to the Indian leadership is that “trade and investment should be targeted as the main engine and first priority for the ASEAN-India strategic partnership.”
Easing ASEAN-China tensions
To be sure, New Delhi senses the shift in the direction of an overall easing of tensions between ASEAN and China. Speaking at Manila Airport while departing for Delhi, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte proposed that ASEAN should take China’s help in maritime security to put an end to piracy and other problems in the Celebes and Sulu seas.
“I will tell you, if we can’t do it, we just have to call China to come in and blow them off, just like [in] Somalia, that Aden Strait there,” Duterte said. “Were it not for the presence of the Chinese, the piracy there would not have been stopped.”
When the Philippines and Vietnam, the two “frontline states” in the South China Sea, are cautiously optimistic about Chinese policies, and when Singapore, India’s staunchest ASEAN ally, counsels a shift in priority toward focusing on economic integration (by enhancing trade, investment and connectivity), it is bound to prod new thinking in New Delhi and dispel the self-serving notion of India as a balancer vis-à-vis China in the Southeast Asian region.
Ironically, ASEAN leaders pin much higher hopes on India intrinsically as a driver of growth for their economies at a juncture when the consensus on globalization and free trade is fraying and for sustaining the positive Asian story, deep economic integration with India is desirable and necessary.
Of course, this narrative will take time to percolate down India’s idiosyncratic media and the strategic community with their warrior identity, but the bottom line is that Modi has put his imprimatur on the new thinking. It will be a remarkable achievement if the RCEP gets concluded this year.
Bhadrakumar seems to be the only voice of reason when it comes to India’s foreign policy. Hopefully, it’s not a voice in the wilderness.
William Mann: you have a very low intelligence level. When someone writes something not to your liking, you use abusive and offensive words instead of using logical arguments. Very low IQ. You never win by being offensive. You win with logic and intelligence. Understand?
Modi beat US in having their Trump before them, a divisive figure that is splitting India along caste, religion, language, and region.
Like his predecessors in history he is preparing India for another foreign incursion a la Aryan, Greek, Arab, Afghan, Turk, Mongol, Mughal, and the English.
While India’s top 5% enjoy Modi’s acts, their balls will be squeezed by the 95% rest when the next invader sets his eyes on India.
Once again thank you for your thoughtful comments. That is what is needed from the Indian side not those idiotic comments we see on this posting
Great article until it reached the issue of Global Warming, alternative Energy and India’s commitmett to it. My environmental impact report on India:
-Wastes 21 million tons of wheat per year, millions of tons of rice, world’s largest waster of fruit and vegetables (which includes cubic feet of water, fertilizer, pesticides, man hours) while around 5 thousand Indian kids die each day due to hunger & malnutrition,.
-80% of surface water polluted
-raw sewage and Industrial waste pour into every river.
-massive air and land pollution. List is much longer
India has to first clean up these issues before tackling "Global warming"
At 1.3 Billion India uses around 14 Quadrillion BTU’s per year (China uses around 115 Quadrillion BTU’s per year, the US around 97 Quadrillion BTU"s per year).
India adds 1 Quadrilion BTU"s per year to her power grid. It will take over 82 years just to catch up to America (340 million populations use of electricity).
In order to add even 1 Quadrilion btu’s per year India is rapidly expanding coal burning plants.. which would be the opposite direction to the Paris Summit
There are also warriors in Indian cabinet and media. As election is near, Could Modi balance them? Yes, it is rational to follow the trends from the Asean countries to accommodate China. It is rational too, to watch the wind in Japan-China relation. Also USA, the promoter and backbone of India-Pacific alliances. They sent one warship to SCS, and would send a carrier to VN soon. But Obama did much more, included B52 and nuclear subs, and flew over the China occupying island by then commander of 7th fleet . The outcome is there for world to see. No chance there that US and Japan could beat China militarily nowadays. Trump is selling arms to India to make money and playing India and China to weak each other. Smarter is Japan.
And you are just an idiot who piss around in the open!
And you are just an idiot who refuse to acknowledge the fact!
An honest and great article!
No
India is the big bully in south asia, and countries around it hate and despise india. That is why they all turn to China one by one. India can yelp, but has no bite, no bark and certainly no standing. India is a helpless little snake with nothing more than wannabe dreams.
Time for Bhadrakumar to reset HIS priorities from sucking up to Chinese racist imprerialism, no?
"Leaders from Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia were invited by Prime Minister Modi to also commemorate the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-India ties.
Celebrating the occasion, Modi even wrote an op-ed that was published by 27 newspapers in 10 languages in the 10 ASEAN states. In the article, PM Modi stated that India and ASEAN have relations "free from contests and claims" and believe in the sovereign equality of all nations irrespective of size, and support free and open pathways of commerce and engagement.
After the talks between the leaders, India and the ASEAN nations signed a declaration to ensure an "open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture" and enhance maritime cooperation.
"A rule-based order for oceans and seas, and respect for international law, is critical for peace. We are committed to working with ASEAN for maritime cooperation," Modi said in his opening remarks at the summit."
http://www.dw.com/en/india-asean-agree-on-maritime-cooperation-as-china-asserts-power/a-42321422
Indian ICBM puts Beijing in range, may spur build-up in South Asia
New Delhi’s progress in developing a long-range missile may push China to prop up defense and deterrence, with more installations in Pakistan
By ASIA TIMES STAFF JANUARY 25, 2018
And every day the Indian press notes Chinese pressure on India’s border and its frenzied activity to turn neighbours against India and beef up Pakistan.
Bhadrakumar is pissing in the wind.
A majority of Taiwanese wants reunification with a prosperous and growing China and do not like the wasteful purchases of US arms which are increasingly inferior anyway.