The Prime Minister’s recent attendance at the 16th East Asia Summit (EAS) has drawn attention to important regional and international issues. During the summit, he discussed a broad array of topics, including Indo-Pacific, South China Sea, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), terrorism, and situations in the Korean Peninsula and Myanmar.
The Importance of the Indo-Pacific
A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the Indo-Pacific region. India emphasized its vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, underlining the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A noteworthy point was the clear alignment between ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
Resilient Global Value Chain and Vaccine Distribution
Another focal point was the need for a resilient global value chain in today’s interconnected world. India reinforced its commitment to distribute Quad-sponsored vaccines to countries in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad nations, namely India, Japan, Australia, and the US, aim to manufacture at least 1 billion vaccine doses in India by the end of 2022 to increase the global supply. In addition, India restated its USD 1 million support for the ASEAN Covid-19 Recovery Fund.
Multilateralism and Cyber Security
The value of multilateralism, a rules-based international order, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations was another theme. Also, the need for developing universal standards on cyber security was brought to light.
East Asia Summit: A Brief Overview
The EAS, established in 2005, is a platform for strategic dialogue and cooperation on political, security, and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Originating from the concept of an East Asia Grouping in 1991, it focuses on six priority areas – Environment and Energy, Education, Finance, Global Health Issues and Pandemic Diseases, Natural Disaster Management, and ASEAN Connectivity.
Members and Structure of EAS
The ten members of ASEAN – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, join eight other nations – Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the USA in the EAS. As an ASEAN-centric forum, only an ASEAN nation can chair it, with Brunei Darussalam holding the position in 2021.
EAS Meetings and Processes
The annual Leaders’ Summit is a high point of the EAS calendar, typically held alongside ASEAN Leaders’ meetings in the fourth quarter. In addition to these, EAS Foreign Ministers and Economic Ministers also meet annually.
India’s Role in the EAS
As one of the founding members of the East Asia Summit, India has played a significant part in its history. During the Summit in Bangkok in November 2019, India launched the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), a strategic move towards creating partnerships for secure and stable maritime domains.
The 16th EAS highlighted key issues affecting the region and underscored the crucial role of cooperation in addressing them.
