How can the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation (2026) help India's maritime security and Blue Economy goals in the South China Sea region?

At the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit (October 2025), 2026 was declared the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, with the aim of building partnerships in the Blue Economy [1]. The Philippines, a frontline South China Sea (SCS) claimant, is ASEAN Chair for 2026 and hosts the Manila summit [2]. This gives India a platform led by ASEAN and based on agreed rules to pursue both security and economic goals at sea.

Maritime security

• Rules-based order: India and ASEAN jointly back an effective Code of Conduct in the SCS that is consistent with UNCLOS [3]. This matches India's call that all parties respect UNCLOS [4]. India can defend the rules without taking sides in the territorial dispute.
• Sea-lane security: India-ASEAN trade was USD 128.38 billion in 2025–26 [7]. Safe and free navigation through the SCS therefore directly protects India's trade.
• Bilateral force-multiplier: The India-Philippines Strategic Partnership (August 2025) commits both sides to maritime domain awareness and to joint exercises [5]. It followed their first bilateral naval exercise in the SCS [6]. The Year can turn steps like these into wider ASEAN practice.
• HADR: Joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief makes India a trusted first responder in the region [1].

Blue Economy

• The 2023 Joint Statement covers the sustainable use of marine resources, action against IUU fishing and marine-based renewable energy [3].
• Possible areas of cooperation include fisheries, port-led growth, shipping and ocean research. These would back India's SAGAR/MAHASAGAR outlook with economic benefits.

Maritime Year → MDA + exercises + HADR → secure sea lanes
             → fisheries + ocean energy → Blue Economy growth
                         ↓
         Credible Act East / Indo-Pacific role

Fig: How the Year links security and economic goals

Constraints

• ASEAN decides by consensus, so joint texts stay cautious. The 2023 statement does not mention the 2016 arbitral award [3].
• A thematic year has no budget or measurable targets of its own.

Taken together, the Year can bring security and Blue Economy goals into one cooperative framework, provided India turns its declarations into deliverables. India should aim for scheduled exercises, coast-guard cooperation and information-sharing on maritime domain awareness, and report the results at the 2027 summit, which marks 35 years of Dialogue Relations [2]. This would strengthen the Act East Policy and support SDG 14 (Life Below Water).