ASEAN centrality
Topic: India's External Relations, 1947-1999: Non-alignment, Wars and Nuclear Policy · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
ASEAN centrality is the idea that ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) should sit at the centre of how security and cooperation are organised in the Indo-Pacific. In practice, ASEAN hosts and runs the main regional forums, and it sets their agenda. Outside powers then join these forums as partners. It is a political principle, not a rule set by any treaty. It matters for India because supporting ASEAN centrality shows India as a partner that strengthens the existing regional system instead of competing with it.
Example
India's Look East Policy (1991, P.V. Narasimha Rao) built its ties with South-East Asia through ASEAN itself. India became a sectoral dialogue partner in 1992 and a full dialogue partner in 1995-96, and it joined the ASEAN Regional Forum in 1996. The policy became the Act East Policy in 2014. Today India takes part in ASEAN-led defence forums such as the ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus), and it publicly backs ASEAN centrality as part of its vision of an open and rule-based Indo-Pacific.
Don't confuse with
- Quad: an informal group of India, the US, Japan and Australia. ASEAN does not lead it or set its agenda, though Quad says it respects ASEAN centrality.
- Act East Policy: this is India's own policy for engaging South-East Asia. ASEAN centrality is about who leads the regional system.