Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

India’s Connectivity with ASEAN: What Role for Northeast India?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Mainstreaming the Northeast in India’s Look and Act East Policy

Abstract

India has announced its interest in enhancing economic ties with ASEAN, while the latter is committed to greater regional integration. Towards that end it seeks to establish the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). What role, therefore, can Northeast India play in this context? Since it lies in close geographical proximity to ASEAN, it offers a window through which India can extend a connectivity network with ASEAN. Economic development in Northeast India is critical for the country’s connectivity programme and this should be an important part of India’s agenda in forging multilateral cooperaion with Asian countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For details see Nambiar (2010).

  2. 2.

    Nambiar (2011, 2016) argues that India has potential for greater economic ties with ASEAN that go beyond trade.

  3. 3.

    ERIA (2014), discusses some of these areas.

  4. 4.

    See Intal et al. (2014) for the challenges posed by investment liberalization within the AEC context.

  5. 5.

    Almekinders et al. (2015) points out the importance and policy imperatives of financial liberalization for ASEAN and the AEC.

  6. 6.

    See Dee (2015) for some issues on this area.

  7. 7.

    For elaboration see Fukunaga (2015).

  8. 8.

    An investor-friendly view of what this means is to be found at: http://investasean.asean.org/index.php/page/view/asean-economic-community/view/670/newsid/759/competitive-economic-region.html

  9. 9.

    Lee and Fukunaga (2013) argue that regional cooperation on competition policy is possible.

  10. 10.

    For details see the document given in reference ASEAN (2011b).

  11. 11.

    For details see the document given in reference ASEAN (2016).

  12. 12.

    For details see the document given in reference ASEAN (2011b).

  13. 13.

    For an overview of RCEP , see Guiding.

  14. 14.

    Intal et al. (2014) discuss the concept of ASEAN “centrality.”

  15. 15.

    For details see the document given in reference Intal et al. (2014).

  16. 16.

    For details see the document given in reference Asian Trade Centre (2016a, 2017).

  17. 17.

    For details see the document given in reference Asian Trade Centre (2016b).

  18. 18.

    For details see the document given in reference Financial Express (2017).

  19. 19.

    For details see the document given in reference Economic Times (2017).

  20. 20.

    For details see the document given in reference ASEAN (2011a, b), p. 18.

  21. 21.

    For a comprehensive account of the transport sector in ASEAN see ERIA (2010).

  22. 22.

    For details see the document given in reference ASEAN (2011a, b), p. 19.

  23. 23.

    Tan (2013) discusses some interesting issues regarding the aviation industry in ASEAN.

  24. 24.

    ERIA (2010) has a comprehensive treatment of developments regarding connectivity (air, sea and land) in ASEAN.

  25. 25.

    For details see the document given in reference ERIA (2010).

  26. 26.

    Kimura and Umezaki (2011), especially chapters 1 and 3.

  27. 27.

    As pointed out by Nambiar (2015), India can deepen its relationship with ASEAN, with its current trade and investment in ASEAN not being as extensive as possible.

References

  • Almekinders, G., Fukuda, S., Mourmouras, A., Zhou, J., & Zhou, Y. S. (2015). ASEAN financial integration (Working paper 15/34). Washington, DC: IMF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anand, M. (2009). India-ASEAN relations: Analysing regional implications, IPCS special report (Vol. 72). Delhi: Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • ASEAN. (2008). ASEAN economic community blueprint. Jakarta: ASEAN Secretariat.

    Google Scholar 

  • ASEAN. (2009). Roadmap for an ASEAN community. Jakarta: ASEAN Secretariat.

    Google Scholar 

  • ASEAN. (2011a). Master plan on ASEAN connectivity. Jakarta: ASEAN Secretariat.

    Google Scholar 

  • ASEAN. (2011b). ASEAN framework for regional comprehensive economic partnership. http://asean.org/?static_post=asean-framework-for-regional-comprehensive-economic-partnership

  • ASEAN. (2016). Guiding principles and objectives for negotiating the regional comprehensive economic partnership. http://asean.org/storage/2012/05/RCEP-Guiding-Principles-public-copy.pdf

  • Asian Trade Centre. (2016a). RCEP: Model E-commerce language (Policy brief 16-15). Available at: www.asiantradecentre.org/rcep

  • Asian Trade Centre. (2016b). RCEP: Model language suggestions for IP and digital trade (Policy brief 16-116). Available at: www.asiantradecentre.org/rcep

  • Asian Trade Centre. (2017). RCEP: Facilitating trade for e-commerce. Model language suggestions for IP and digital trade (Policy brief 17-01). Available at: www.asiantradecentre.org/rcep

  • Barua, A., & Das, S. K. (2008). Perspectives on growth and development in the Northeast: The look East policy and beyond. Margin, 2(4), 327–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezbaruah, M. P. (2015). Northeast tourism looking east: Expectations, realities and the way forward. In S. Narayan & L. Sailo (Eds.), Connecting India to ASEAN: Opportunities and challenges in India’s Northeast. Singapore/Delhi: Institute of South Asian Studies/Manohar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhaumik, S. (2014). Look East through Northeast: Challenges and prospects for India, ORF occassional paper (Vol. 51). Delhi: Observer Research Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Das, S. B., Menon, J., Severino, R., & Shreshta, O. L. (Eds.). (2013). ASEAN economic community: A work in progress. Singapore: ADB and ISEAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • De, P. (2011). ASEAN-India connectivity: An Indian perspective. In F. Kimura & S. Umezaki (Eds.), ASEAN-India connectivity: The comprehensive Asia development plan, phase II, ERIA research project report 2010–7 (pp. 95–150). ERIA: Jakarta.

    Google Scholar 

  • De, P. (2014). India’s emerging connectivity with Southeast Asia: Progress and prospects, ADBI working paper (Vol. 507). Tokyo: Asian Development Bank Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dee, P. (2015). Monitoring the implementation of services trade reform towards an ASEAN economic community (ERIA discussion paper series). Jakarta: ERIA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Economic Times. (2017, May 4). China may push for economic deal without India. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/china-may-push-for-rcep-deal-without-india-chinese-daily/articleshow/58520990.cmsececono

  • ERIA. (2010). ASEAN strategic transport plan: 2011–2015. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

    Google Scholar 

  • ESCAP. (2012). Growing together: Economic integration for an inclusive and sustainable Asia-Pacific century. Bangkok: UNESCAP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Financial Express. (2017, May 11). Kerala government against RCEP deal. http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/kerala-government-against-rcep-deal/662981/

  • Fukunaga, Y. (2015). Assessing the progress of ASEAN MRAs on professional services, ERIA discussion paper series. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Intal, Jr. P., Y. Fukunaga, F. Kimura, P. Han, P. Dee, D. Narjoko (2014), “Global ASEAN”, in ASEAN Rising: ASEAN and AEC beyond 2015, Jakarta: ERIA, pp. 289–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kashyap, S. G. (2016, August 19). North East on track to connect capitals by train. The Indian Express. Available at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/north-east-on-track-to-connect-capitals-by-train-2984267/

  • Kimura, F., & Umezaki, S. (2011). ASEAN-India connectivity: The comprehensive Asia development plan, phase II. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, C., & Fukunaga, Y. (2013). ASEAN regional cooperation on competition policy, ERIA discussion paper series. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nambiar, S. (2010). India and ASEAN: An FTA and beyond. Canberra: East Asia Forum. http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2010/01/21/india-and-asean-an-fta-and-beyond/

  • Nambiar, S. (2011). India’s engagement with ASEAN: Beyond trade in goods, ISAS working paper (Vol. 129-26). Singapore: Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nambiar, S. (2015). India’s relationship with ASEAN: Seizing trade and investment opportunities, in ASEAN-India economic relations: Opportunities and challenges. Delhi: Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries and ASEAN-India Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nambiar, S. (2016). India and ASEAN: Going beyond trade. In Y. Chowdhury & A. D. Chowdhury (Eds.), Modi and the world. Bloomsbury: Delhi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prabhakara, M. S. (2004). Is North East India landlocked? Economic and Political Weekly, XXXIX(42), 4606–4608.

    Google Scholar 

  • PWC. (2013). India’s North-East: Diversifying growth opportunities. Delhi: Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Indian Chamber of Commerce.

    Google Scholar 

  • PWC. (2014). Gateway to the ASEAN: India’s North East frontier. Delhi: Pricewaterhouse Coopers and FICCI.

    Google Scholar 

  • RIS. (2012). ASEAN-India connectivity report: India country study. Delhi: Research and Information System for Developing Countries.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivananda, H. (2011). Is India’s transport infrastructure prepared for the Eastern front? http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/IsIndia’sInfrastructurePreparedfortheEasternFront__shivananda_150611

  • Singh, N. B. (2006). Globalization and North East India: Challenges and opportunities. Paper presented in the National Seminar on Globalization and Industrial relocation: Implications for the development strategy of the underdeveloped regions with special reference to North East India, organised by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, NIT, Silchar, 27–28 October.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, B. (2017). Projects worth about Rs. 90,000 crore being executed in Northeast India: Suresh Babu. The Economic Times. Online available at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/projects-worth-about-rs-90000-crore-being-executed-in-northeast-india-suresh-prabhu/articleshow/58563059.cms

  • Tan, A. K.-J. (2013). Toward a single aviation market in ASEAN: Regulatory reform and industry challenges, ERIA discussion paper series. Jakarta: Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Shankaran Nambiar

Authors
  1. Shankaran Nambiar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Honorary Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi, India

    Atul Sarma

  2. OKD Institute of Social Change and Development, Guwahati, Assam, India

    Saswati Choudhury

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Nambiar, S. (2018). India’s Connectivity with ASEAN: What Role for Northeast India?. In: Sarma, A., Choudhury, S. (eds) Mainstreaming the Northeast in India’s Look and Act East Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5320-7_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5320-7_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-5319-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-5320-7

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation