Walking the talk on Act East: How India can reach out to Asean nations

India must do more to build economic connectivity with the Asean countries, including investment in creating value chains, if its efforts at integration with the bloc are to succeed

The India-Asean commemorative summit saw the presence of the leaders of all ten member states of Asean not only at the summit but as guests of honour at the Republic Day Parade. The summit was the 25th anniversary of the sectoral partnership, the 20th anniversary of the dialogue partnership and the fifth anniversary of the strategic partnership enunciated at the 20th anniversary commemorative summit in 2012. The ten leaders’ presence along with PM Modi on this occasion indicates that India’s engagement with Asean as a whole is now close, and our recognition of them as neighbours.

The engagement builds on