As China rankles Phl, India goes on Asean charm offensive

NEW DELHI – As the Philippines protests the latest Chinese military action in disputed areas of the South China Sea, India is ramping up its charm offensive in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, pushing for close economic cooperation with the 10-member regional grouping.

“The shift of power to Asia in this century is almost a cliché now,” Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said here last week at the two-day Delhi Dialogue III. “We are committed to deepening our engagement with the countries of ASEAN.”

Krishna pushed for the construction of “an inter-connected economic bloc” between India and ASEAN. This would revive ancient economic and cultural ties.

“India and ASEAN are natural partners,“ said ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan. “Together we are a formidable force.”

India, with its 1.5 billion population and sustained annual economic growth averaging 9 percent, is pursuing a “Look East” policy that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hopes will translate into a trade volume of $70 billion by 2012.

A free trade agreement on goods between India and ASEAN has been in effect for a year. India wants a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement by 2012 that will include free trade in services and investments.

The Delhi Dialogue III is in preparation for next year’s India-ASEAN commemorative summit to celebrate 20 years of formal partnership.

Sources said President Aquino may attend the summit in this city.

For the Delhi Dialogue III, New Delhi has invited delegations from each of the ASEAN member states, representing government, the academe and mass media. Most of those invited will head from this city to Mumbai and Bangalore this week to see various aspects of India’s economic development.

China has also embarked on similar programs, but the friendly gestures are periodically set back by its actions in disputed areas of the South China Sea. India also has a border dispute with China.

Indian Ambassador A.N. Ram said the emergence of his country as a major player on the world stage “is seen as a positive and benign factor in the region.”

Several of the speakers at the dialogue pointed out roadblocks in the “connectivity” that was a buzzword among the delegates.

Indonesian Trade Minister Mariah Pangatsu noted the wide income gaps among several ASEAN member states. She also said regional economic integration would require uniform Customs rules. Myanmar representatives, for their part, expressed reservations about opening their country’s borders to connect India to the rest of ASEAN.

Still, the mood at the dialogue was generally bullish.

“We are entering into a marriage. We have a serious commitment,” Pangatsu said.