IGNOUMATIC

India’s relationship with Southeast Asia has evolved over time, particularly in the domain of security cooperation. The region is of strategic importance to India, and India has sought to build stronger security ties with Southeast Asian nations to safeguard its interests in the Indo-Pacific region. This cooperation spans areas like counterterrorism, maritime security, disaster relief, and overall regional security architecture. Southeast Asia is central to India’s Look East Policy, which was later rebranded as the Act East Policy, underscoring the growing significance of this region in India’s foreign policy.

1. Geopolitical Significance of Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia’s strategic importance for India is multifaceted. The region is located at the crossroads of major international sea routes, and its proximity to key maritime chokepoints such as the Malacca Strait makes it crucial for global trade. As India looks to expand its role in the Indo-Pacific region, Southeast Asia serves as a vital part of this larger geopolitical strategy. The region also acts as a natural buffer zone for India’s eastern borders and plays a key role in enhancing India’s access to the broader East Asia-Pacific region.

Southeast Asia is also home to growing economies, such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, which are central to India’s trade and security objectives in the region. India’s relations with Southeast Asia have evolved from primarily economic and cultural exchanges to increasingly sophisticated security and strategic cooperation.

2. Historical Context: The Look East and Act East Policies

India’s engagement with Southeast Asia dates back to ancient times when cultural and trade exchanges were vital components of the relationship. However, it was after the end of the Cold War that India began to actively focus on the strategic dimension of its relationship with Southeast Asia.

The Look East Policy was introduced in the early 1990s by India’s then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to strengthen political, economic, and security ties with Southeast Asia. This policy aimed to engage the region not only for trade but also to address security concerns such as maritime security, regional stability, and counterterrorism efforts. The Act East Policy took this further, with an emphasis on greater connectivity, security cooperation, and expanding India’s role in the region’s regional forums.

3. Bilateral and Multilateral Security Cooperation

India has built several bilateral security partnerships with Southeast Asian countries to enhance cooperation in areas like defense, counterterrorism, and maritime security. Some key features of this cooperation include:

• Defense and Military Cooperation: India has engaged in numerous defense exchanges, joint exercises, and training programs with Southeast Asian countries. Countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia have participated in joint military exercises with India. For instance, the India-Singapore Maritime Exercise has become an important feature of bilateral security cooperation. Similarly, India-Vietnam defense cooperation focuses on strategic exchanges and capacity-building in areas like air defense and maritime security.
• Maritime Security and Counterterrorism: Given the importance of maritime security in the region, India has been working closely with Southeast Asian nations to secure maritime routes and combat piracy, illegal fishing, and other maritime threats. India and Southeast Asian countries have participated in maritime security dialogue frameworks such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), which focus on addressing common maritime challenges.
• Joint Counterterrorism Efforts: Terrorism has been a shared concern for both India and Southeast Asia. Indian cooperation with Southeast Asian countries on counterterrorism involves intelligence sharing, training, and coordination to combat transnational terrorism. India has worked alongside countries like Indonesia and Malaysia to tackle extremist threats in the region.

4. Multilateral Cooperation: ASEAN and Regional Forums

India’s engagement in multilateral security frameworks in Southeast Asia is an essential aspect of its security cooperation with the region. India is a key participant in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional organization that plays a significant role in shaping security and political dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.

India’s active participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM-Plus) has provided a platform for discussions on regional security challenges, including non-traditional security threats like natural disasters, cybersecurity, and pandemics. These forums also help facilitate cooperation in defense and maritime security issues.

One notable aspect of India’s cooperation with ASEAN is the India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, which facilitates regular interactions between the defense ministers of both India and Southeast Asian countries. India has also taken part in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), a multilateral security dialogue that brings together ASEAN members and their dialogue partners, including India, to discuss pressing regional security issues.

5. Challenges and Opportunities

While India has made significant strides in strengthening its security ties with Southeast Asia, challenges remain. One of the key challenges is managing the complex relations with China. China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia, both economically and militarily, presents a challenge for India. In this context, India has worked to deepen its security ties with countries like Vietnam, which shares concerns about China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea. However, India needs to balance its interests and avoid exacerbating tensions in the region.

Another challenge is the diverse political and security environments in Southeast Asia. While countries like Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia share many of India’s security concerns, others may have different priorities or engage in different forms of cooperation with China. India’s challenge is to navigate these varying interests and deepen its security engagement in a way that is beneficial to all parties involved.

However, these challenges also present opportunities for India to strengthen its security partnerships in the region. Southeast Asia’s strategic location, its growing economies, and the convergence of security concerns around maritime threats, counterterrorism, and regional stability provide India with a strong platform to engage in deeper and more meaningful cooperation.

6. Conclusion

India’s security cooperation with Southeast Asia is a key element of its foreign policy, driven by both strategic and economic considerations. As India looks to assert itself as a dominant player in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening ties with Southeast Asia will continue to be central to its overall security and regional stability objectives. Both bilateral and multilateral cooperation are essential in ensuring that India and Southeast Asian nations work together to address common challenges and build a stable, secure, and prosperous region in the face of emerging threats.