Archive · 30 Aug 2026
Book Examines India-ASEAN Ties, Opportunities and Persistent Engagement Gaps
India and the countries of Southeast Asia have been building closer relationships.
Vietnam’s president recently visited India and talked about shared goals and cooperation.
A new book by diplomat Gurjit Singh explains how these relationships have changed over time.
ASEAN is a large regional group with hundreds of millions of people and a major economy.
India has helped Southeast Asian countries during disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, some development projects have not progressed as well as others.
India and ASEAN also disagree about trade, China and how to describe the region.
The book suggests new ways to make their partnership stronger.
Vietnamese President To Lam’s May 6, 2026, visit highlighted India-Vietnam strategic cooperation.
Gurjit Singh’s book traces India-ASEAN relations through history, culture, trade and contemporary diplomacy.
ASEAN is described as an 11-member bloc with more than 700 million people and about $4 trillion in GDP.
The book identifies weaknesses in development-project delivery and disagreements over trade, China and regional frameworks.
Singh recommends impact investing, matching finance and greater QUAD-ASEAN cooperation on health and disaster management.
- Who
- India, ASEAN member states, Vietnamese President To Lam and diplomat-author Gurjit Singh.
- What
- A book reviews the history, achievements, shortcomings and future possibilities of India-ASEAN relations.
- When
- President To Lam visited India and delivered a policy speech on May 6, 2026; the book also examines developments since the 2014 launch of the Act East Policy.
- Where
- India and the wider ASEAN region, including Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.
- Why
- The book argues that India-ASEAN ties receive too little sustained public attention and need stronger cooperation, financing and project implementation.
- Book
- The Durian Flavour by Ambassador Gurjit Singh
- ASEAN population
- More than 700 million people
- ASEAN economy
- About $4 trillion in combined GDP
- India-Vietnam trade target
- $25 billion by 2030
- Key policy shift
- India’s Look East Policy was elevated to the Act East Policy in 2014
- Thailand vaccine donation
- India donated 200,000 Made-in-India vaccines to Thailand under the QUAD Vaccine Partnership in early 2022