The 7th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting (AIMMAF) on Agriculture and Forestry has recently been concluded successfully, strengthening the relationship and collaboration between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This article will discuss the highlights of the meeting, the primary steps taken towards millet production, the implementation of various programs, and the benefits that accrue to both India and ASEAN from their mutual cooperation.
Highlights of the AIMMAF meeting
With ASEAN at the heart of India’s Act East Policy, the country reaffirmed its vision during the meeting. The focus was on fostering strong regional cooperation with ASEAN to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in agricultural development.
Steps Towards Enhancing Millets Production
India acknowledged the importance of millet, a highly nutritious food, and its role in the international nutritional-cereal year 2023. With an appeal to ASEAN member countries, India sought support for increasing millet production, processing, value addition, and consumption. Emphasis was also placed on promoting these nutritious cereal products for overall health and nutrition, which help create nutrient-rich foods with low resource requirements that contribute to more efficient agri-food systems.
Implementation of Programs and Activities
The meeting also served as a platform to review the progress made under the Medium Term Action Plan of ASEAN-India Cooperation for the years 2021-2025. The commitment to continue cooperation in agriculture and forestry was reaffirmed, outlining future steps for sustained development.
Confronting the COVID-19 Pandemic
The meeting discussed actions to counter the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily driven by ensuring a seamless flow of safe and nutritious agricultural products between ASEAN countries and India. Under the ASEAN-India cooperation, continued measures were proposed for implementing post-pandemic recovery strategies. India pledged to enhance its cooperation with ASEAN in various areas, including food security, nutrition, climate change adaptation, digital farming, nature-friendly agriculture, food processing, value chain optimization, agricultural marketing, and capacity building.
Understanding the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEAN is a regional grouping established in August 1967 in Thailand that encourages economic, political, and security cooperation among its member states. With a rotating annual chairmanship based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States, ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian nations – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. These countries collectively boast a population of 650 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 2.8 trillion.
Trade Relations Between India and ASEAN
Trade relations between India and ASEAN region have grown significantly, reaching $98.39 billion from April 2021 to February 2022. The primary trading partners are Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Past Examination Questions
Several questions related to ASEAN and its relationship with India have been a part of the UPSC Civil Services Examination in previous years. These include questions on ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN and the ‘Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership’. A thorough understanding of these topics can be beneficial for current and future examinees.