Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India's Act East Policy
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Crucial for India's strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, economic integration, regional stability, counterbalancing China's influence, and enhancing multilateral diplomacy.
ASEAN is a geopolitical and economic union of ten member states in Southeast Asia, promoting intergovernmental cooperation and facilitating economic, political, security, military, educational, and socio-cultural integration. India's Act East Policy, a successor to the Look East Policy, aims to strengthen economic, strategic, and cultural relations with the Indo-Pacific region, with ASEAN at its core.
Facts & tables
- Formation
- Established in 1967 with the Bangkok Declaration.
- Members
- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.
- India's Status
- Dialogue Partner since 1992, Summit-level partner since 2002, Comprehensive Strategic Partner since 2022.
- Cooperation Areas
- Trade, investment, connectivity, maritime security, digital economy, green technology, cultural exchange.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Geopolitics & International Conflicts |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| ASEAN | Regional grouping |
| Ministry of External Affairs (India) | Implements |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- ASEAN: 10 SE Asian nations, formed 1967.
- India's Act East Policy: Core focus on ASEAN.
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2022.
- Cooperation in trade, connectivity, maritime security, digital.
- Aims for regional stability and economic integration.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2019 | Factual recall, Policy measures |
| 2018 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2015 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2015 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
Timeline
-
Geopolitics & International Conflicts
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2015
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2018
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2019
Factual recall, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2026
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
World is ‘extremely turbulent’, Jaishankar calls for deeper India-ASEAN cooperation
ASEAN is a key regional bloc for India's Act East Policy, fostering comprehensive strategic partnership across economic, security, and socio-cultural domains to navigate global turbulence and ensure regional stability.
See also
Past papers
2015–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
World is ‘extremely turbulent’, Jaishankar calls for deeper India-ASEAN cooperation
ASEAN is a key regional bloc for India's Act East Policy, fostering comprehensive strategic partnership across economic, security, and socio-cultural domains to navigate global turbulence and ensure regional stability.
Try these PYQs
India is a member of which of the following?
1. Asia-Pacific economic corporation.
2. Association of South-East Asian Nations.
3. East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): India is not a member of APEC. Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN): India is not a member of ASEAN, but it is a part of ASEAN6. East Asia Summit: India is a member of the East Asia Summit. Therefore, out of the given options, India is only a member of the East Asia Summit.
Consider the following countries :
1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA
Which of the above are among the 'free-trade partners' of ASEAN?
ASEAN has five free trade agreements (FTAs) with six Dialogue Partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, and Australia and New Zealand. All Parties have ratified the FTA Agreements. USA is not a dialogue partner of ASEAN. So, they don't share a free trade agreement.
Which of the following connectivity projects is/are a part of cooperation between India and the ASEAN member countries ?
1. Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project
2. IMT Trilateral Highway
3. Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Correct: The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project connects the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with the Sittwe seaport in Myanmar by sea, and then links Sittwe to Mizoram in India via river and road. Since Myanmar is an ASEAN member, this project is a key component of India's connectivity with the ASEAN region under its Act East Policy. Statement 2 is Correct: The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Trilateral Highway connects Moreh in India with Mae Sot in Thailand via Myanmar. Both Myanmar and Thailand are ASEAN members, making this highway a flagship project for India-ASEAN physical connectivity. Statement 3 is Incorrect: The Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line is an international railway project connecting Agartala in Tripura, India, with Akhaura in Bangladesh. Since Bangladesh is not a member of ASEAN (it is a member of SAARC and BIMSTEC), this project falls under India-Bangladesh bilateral cooperation, not India-ASEAN cooperation. Therefore, the correct option is A.
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. IOR-ARC is a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation. IOR-ARC is the only pan-Indian ocean grouping. It brings together countries from three continents having different sizes, economic strengths, and a wide diversity of languages, cultures. Statement 2 is incorrect. It aims to create a platform for trade, socio-economic and cultural cooperation in the Indian Ocean rim area. The Indian Ocean Rim is rich in strategic and precious minerals, metals and other natural resources, marine resources and energy, all of which can be sourced from Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), continental shelves and the deep seabed.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following in respect of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):
1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among the navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The inaugural IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi, India. The Indian Navy served as the Chair for the first two years (2008-2010). Statement 2 is correct. IONS is indeed a voluntary initiative that aims to promote maritime cooperation among the navies of countries bordering the Indian Ocean. It provides a platform for discussions on regional maritime security issues and fosters friendly relationships between participating nations.
Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries?
* India signed the ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with Russia. * India and Russia have a long-standing strategic partnership in the field of civil nuclear cooperation. * The agreement aims to enhance collaboration in areas such as nuclear fuel cycle management, nuclear power projects, and research in nuclear science and technology. * Russia has been a key partner in India's nuclear energy sector, particularly through Rosatom, which has been involved in building Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. * Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have also engaged in nuclear cooperation with India but were not part of this specific agreement.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I : Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II : Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement I is correct. The Sumed Pipeline is indeed a significant route for transporting oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe. It bypasses the Suez Canal, offering an alternative path for these resources. Statement II is also correct. The Sumed Pipeline physically connects the Red Sea (where oil and gas are loaded onto ships from the Persian Gulf) with the Mediterranean Sea, providing a direct route for them to reach European ports. The connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea established by the Sumed Pipeline directly explains its strategic importance for transporting oil and gas to Europe. Statement II provides the geographical context for how Statement I functions.