55th Anniversary of ASEAN: ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) recently celebrated its 55th anniversary.

Key Points:

The 55th ASEAN day was celebrated amidst challenges from within the 10-member regional grouping and the tensions in the region emanating from the United States (US)-China rivalry.

ASEAN-India Friendship Year:

• The year 2022 also marks the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations & the 10th anniversary of India’s Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.
• Therefore, 2022 has been designated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
• The ASEAN-India Centre (AIC) at Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi, organized a panel discussion on the occasion of the 55th Anniversary of ASEAN.

Theme of 2022 ASEAN Day:

• The theme of 2022 ASEAN Day is “Stronger Together” that invites and welcomes the forward-minded people of ASEAN to come in synchronization and work as a collective to face the challenges of 21st Century.
• ASEAN symbolizes the spirit of solidarity and peaceful, prosperous and socially responsible ASEAN Community.

About ASEAN:

• ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
• It is a regional intergovernmental organization.
• It comprises of 10 countries in Southeast Asia.
• The 10-member countries are Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Laos.
• It was created on 8 August 1967 by 5 countries namely Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. The ASEAN Secretariat is located at Jakarta, Indonesia.
• It was created with an aim to promote intergovernmental cooperation.
• The organization also facilitates political, economic, military, educational, security, and socio-cultural integration among its members as well as in other countries in Asia.
• Chairmanship of ASEAN rotates annually, on the basis of alphabetical order of English names of member states.
• The ASEAN Secretariat is located in Indonesia, Jakarta.

The first ASEAN Summit was held in Bali, Indonesia in 1976.

ASEAN - India Relations:

• ASEAN has been India’s utmost priority under its Act East Policy.
• Both ASEAN and India believe that openness, inclusiveness, rules-based order, freedom of navigation and peaceful settlement of disputes lie at the very core of the Indo-Pacific.
• India shares a deep connection with ASEAN and has continued its active engagement in many areas contributing to regional peace and stability, particularly through ASEAN-led mechanisms.

Institutional mechanisms for engaging ASEAN:

• East Asia Summit.
• ASEAN Regional Forum.
• ADMM-Plus.
• ASEAN-led frameworks.
• India-ASEAN economic engagements.
• Sectoral Dialogue mechanisms.
• Delhi Dialogue.
• The ASEAN-India Plan of Action & sectoral level Work Plans, for cooperation activities.
• Summit/AIFMM/AISOM