Courtesy: IMF
Since the 1990s, South Asia–East Asia trade and free trade agreements have accelerated as India’s trade realigned toward East Asia. As regional trade recovers after the COVID-19 pandemic, South Asian economies have opportunities to participate in global value chains and services trade. BIMSTEC may catalyze more effective regional cooperation for small and large economies alike.
Courtesy: Shutterstock//Creativa Images
Indonesia has managed its G20 Presidency year by understanding the importance of not going it alone. This trading nation has used its deep regional and multilateral cooperative processes which provided trusted back-up and support at every step, and was book-ended by strong linkages and investment partnerships with Japan and Australia. In this, it has laid the groundwork for India’s 2023 presidency.
Courtesy: @ASEAN
ASEAN centrality is not what it used to be. Covid, post-pandemic economic recovery, the Ukraine crisis and the challenge of China all tested ASEAN capabilities to manage them. It is now up to ASEAN to work out its unity and centrality with a greater sense of responsibility.
Courtesy: Twitter: Digital India Archives
With mass digitisation, India has proved that technology is not just for the educated, privileged, and wealthy. The country's open and secure digital public platforms can be significant for the Indo-Pacific, the world's most data-rich region. The Indian model is applicable because it is open-source, interoperable, auditable, and enshrines individual rights, ownership, and empowerment.
Zeti Akhar Aziz, economic advisor to newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Bin Mohamad, believes that economic policy should be rooted in moral and religious ideas
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In two years, the Modi government’s Act East Policy has gone well beyond the focus on economic ties of its predecessor, the Look East Policy. It has made progress on many wider fronts, including connectivity and defence collaboration. India must now build on this success and further consolidate relations and trade links with ASEAN and beyond
Courtesy: Madaki/Wikimedia Commons
After respite from the U.S. government, Cuba now faces the daunting task of reviving its economy without having to give up on its political ideology. The Singaporean model of limited democracy is something Cuba could emulate.
Courtesy: Prime Minister's Office
The India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in services and trade will allow India to leverage its competitive offerings in IT, finance, among other fields. But the pact has proved elusive so far due to the open squabbling between ministries. The deal now looks set to come through only after the new government takes over
Courtesy: Systemman, Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo/Wikimedia Commons
The U.S. government shutdown and President Obama’s absence gave China immense diplomatic and political space at the APEC and East Asia Summit meetings. China’s declaration of a “de-Americanised” world may be premature but the crumbling old order is doing little to dispel this notion
Courtesy: MEAIndia/Flickr
The steps taken by the Indian government to enable private sector involvement in ASEAN have been hesitant. After the recent ASEAN summit in New Delhi, it is time for greater coordination of Indian private industry with government-to-government interaction, which will benefit all members, including India.
