Marking a decade of the Act East Policy, the Modi government is significantly enhancing relations with Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region. After the back-to-back visits by the leaders of Vietnam and Malaysia, reinvigorating ties with the ASEAN region, PM Modi has embarked on a two-nation visit on September 3rd.
PM Modi’s
sojourn comes at the back of the recent string of high-level visits to the
region- EAM Jaishankar's participation at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting
in Laos in July and President Droupadi Murmu’s State visit to Timor Leste, Fiji
and New Zealand. In a first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei, PM
Narendra Modi arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan on his first leg of the tour at
the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.
Warmly
received by Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah and senior minister in Prime
Minister’s office at the airport, PM Modi held bilateral talks with his Brunei
counterpart. The role of Prime Minister is donned by the Sultan who ascended
the throne in 1967. Hosted by the Sultan at the grand Istana Nurul Iman, the world’s
largest palace, leaders have elevated ties to ‘enhanced partnership’1.
Sides have agreed to deepen cooperation in different areas of mutual interest
like trade and investment, energy, renewable, Information and Communication
Technology, health, pharmaceuticals, capacity building and education, tourism, and
sharing best practices in agriculture. To foster people to people connection
and tourism, a direct flight between Chennai and Bandar Seri Begawan was
announced.
The two
major pillars of India-Brunei bilateral relations are Defence and Space
Cooperation. Countries signed an MoU on defence in 2016 catering to high-level
exchanges, joint training exercises and participation in each other’s defence
expos. After its renewal in 2021, port calls became a regular feature.
Being close
to the equator and disposed towards the East, Brunei’s strategic geographic
position makes it a perfect place for satellite launches. In 1997 India signed
an agreement for setting up ISRO’s Telemetry, Tracking and Telecommand Centre
in Brunei. The centre was ready by 2000. Over 35 ISRO missions have been
completed successfully with the data collected from this station2.
India signed a MoU in 2018. During his current visit, PM Modi renewed the MoU further
enhancing cooperation in space research, science and applications3.
With India
gearing up for the crucial Gaganyaan mission, India is aggressively advancing
space diplomacy considering the critical importance of real-time support and
tracking activities of the orbiting Vyomanauts.
As a part of
this MoU, India has offered to train officers, and scientists of Brunei in
space and satellite technology applications. Given its ambient location of
lying in the eastern hemisphere close to the equator, satellite launches from
Brunei will consume less fuel making them cost-effective. Due to its strategic
location, Brunei is courted by Japan, China and the US. Besides Brunei, India
has telemetry stations in Mauritius, Biak in Indonesia, Sao Tome and Principe
and Vietnam.
Located on
Borneo Island, with territorial claims to the South China Sea, Brunei largely
maintains a non-controversial foreign policy and has warm relations with both
the US and China. Aligned with the ASEAN, Brunei has the closest relations with
Singapore and maintains cordial ties with both Malaysia and Indonesia. It has
special ties with the UK for its security role in stationing the 2000-strong
British Gorkha Reserve Unit in Brunei4.
With five
lakh population and the second highest per capita after Singapore, Brunei is
the smallest ASEAN country (in terms of population). Brunei has an executive
monarchy with an illustrious history of continuing monarchies from the 14th
century. As a protectorate of the British, Brunei obtained independence in
1984. The Sharia-compliant nation with special laws for Muslims has minorities
like Christians, Buddhists and a few Hindus who make up 23% of the population.
India and
Brunei with millennium-long cultural and trade ties established diplomatic ties
in 1984. PM Modi’s visit coincides with 40 years of establishment of bilateral
partnership. Brunei is an important partner in India’s Act East Policy and
Indo-Pacific vision. Despite its size, Brunei is important for India’s
strategic interests. Brunei has huge oil reserves and India has invested $270
million in its energy sector. India is the third-largest importer of Bruneian
Oil. With immense potential for expanded cooperation, a State visit of the
Indian Prime Minister to Brunei was long overdue.
Both
countries committed to the maintenance of peace, stability, prosperity,
security and resilience in the region have underscored respect for freedom of
navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce and peaceful resolution of
disputes in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),
1982.
Reiterating
India’s position in an indirect dig at China, Modi said, “We support the policy
of development, not expansionism…. Through International laws like UNCLOS, we
support freedom of navigation and overflight. We agree that there should be a
consensus on the code of conduct in the region”.
PM Modi
inaugurated new chancery premises at the High Commission of India and visited
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Greeted by the Indian community, which is
approximately 14,500, their contributions as doctors, professionals, and
teachers are well acknowledged in the country. Besides revitalising the ties,
PM Modi’s visit has energised India’s Act East Policy which took a backseat due
to geopolitical turbulences.
ASEAN is
central to the Indo-Pacific vision and by extension maritime security of the
region. Emphasising the need for
leveraging strengths in manufacturing, technology and processing, both
countries acknowledged the importance of regular exchanges including through
Joint Trade Committees (JTC). As opposed to international recognition of India
as a rising power, analysis of the State of South East Asia Survey published by
the ASEAN Studies Centre indicates that India’s influence in the ASEAN region
is underwhelming.
Among the
major partners, China is the most influential in ASEAN followed by US and
Japan. These are closely followed by the EU, South Korea, the UK, Australia, and
the Russian Federation. India is among the list of partners with the least
strategic relevance along with Canada and New Zealand. India is 8th
in the list of 11 ASEAN partners5. While India is seen as a
responsible stakeholder in terms of championing international law, ASEAN
countries largely believe India doesn’t have the political will or capacity for
global leadership. This stems from the notion that India is largely distracted
with its internal and sub-continental affairs and hence can’t focus on global
concerns or issues.
Though India
enjoys goodwill, and commands respect as a civilisational state with strong
cultural and historical relations with the countries in the region, it has
largely failed to project its power. India must intensify its engagement with
the region which offers ample opportunities for trade, investment, defence
cooperation and maritime security. Modi’s visit is a significant move in terms
of cementing ties with the region which lies in its extended neighbourhood.
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