PM Modi at 19th East Asia Summit

1. In Oct 2024, PM Modi attended the 19th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Lao PDR. He highlighted ASEAN’s central role in the Indo-Pacific regional framework, India's Indo-Pacific Vision, and Quad cooperation.
2. He stressed restoring peace and stability in Eurasia and West Asia, noting that the Global South suffers most from ongoing conflicts and emphasized that solutions must come from dialogue, not battlefields.

Key highlights

1. Indo-Pacific and South China Sea: He indirectly referenced China, emphasizing development over expansionism.

1. A free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific is essential for regional peace and prosperity.
2. He called for maritime activities to comply with United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), stressing freedom of navigation and developing a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

2. Global Conflicts and Humanitarian Approach: Addressing global conflicts, including the Israel-Hamas war and Russia-Ukraine wars, he highlighted the need for peace and respect for sovereignty and international law.

1. He reaffirmed India’s role as a ‘Vishwabandhu’, advocating for diplomacy and humanitarian efforts.

3. Terrorism and Cooperation: He warned of terrorism as a global threat, urging global cooperation to combat it, especially in cyber, maritime, and space domains.
4. Humanitarian Assistance and ASEAN Unity: He expressed condolences (expression of sympathy) for those affected by Typhoon Yagi and noted India’s humanitarian aid through Operation Sadbhav.

1. India supports ASEAN unity, endorsing their Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar and promoting engagement over isolation.

5. Act East Policy: Modi reiterated the success of India’s Act East Policy, contributing to a rules-based, inclusive Indo-Pacific.

What is East Asia Summit?

1. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a key forum for leaders in the Indo-Pacific region to address political, security, and economic challenges.
2. Established in 2005 by ASEAN and holds annual meetings.
3. First summit took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Members

1. Initially, 16 countries from East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Oceania participated.
2. In 2011, membership expanded to 18 countries, including Russia and the US.
3. East Asia Summit now includes 18 countries, representing 53% of the world’s population and 60% of global GDP.
4. Members include: Ten ASEAN nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States.
5. It is the only leaders-led forum that brings together the US, China, Russia, India, Republic of Korea, and Australia.
6. Membership Requirements To join the EAS, countries must:

1. Sign the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)
2. Be an ASEAN formal dialogue partner
3. Maintain substantive cooperative relations with ASEAN

Priority Areas of Regional Cooperation

1. Environment and Energy, Education, Finance, Global Health Issues and Pandemic Diseases, Natural Disaster Management, ASEAN Connectivity

India and EAS

1. India has been a member since 2005.
2. At the 4^th EAS in Thailand (2009), leaders supported the revival of Nalanda University, an idea proposed by former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006.

 

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR PRELIMS What is ASEAN? Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok by five founding countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. ASEAN now has 10 member states: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In 2022, ASEAN agreed to admit East Timor (Timor-Leste) as the 11th member and granted it observer status. ASEAN Summit is the highest policy-making body, consisting of heads of state or government from member countries. It is held twice annually. The 1st ASEAN Summit was held on February 23-24, 1976, in Bali, Indonesia. ASEAN is influential in the region with dialogue partners like India, the US, China, Japan, and Australia. What is United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)? The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982 is an international agreement that establishes the legal framework for marine and maritime activities. It is also known as Law of the Sea. It is the only international convention which specify a framework for state jurisdiction in maritime spaces. It provides a different legal status to different maritime zones. It divides marine areas into five zones: Internal Waters: Include areas such as ports, rivers, channels, bays, lakes, and other marine spaces landward of the baseline where the coastal state has full sovereignty. Territorial Sea: Extends up to 12 nautical miles (nm) from the baseline. The coastal state has sovereignty over the sea, seabed, subsoil, and airspace, but rights are limited by the innocent passage of ships. Contiguous Zone: Extends up to 24 nm from the baseline. The coastal state can prevent and punish violation of fiscal, immigration, sanitary, and customs laws but only has jurisdiction over the ocean's surface and floor, not airspace. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): Extends up to 200 nm from the baseline. The coastal state has sovereign rights to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources. However, it does not have full jurisdiction over navigation or airspace. High Seas: Beyond the EEZ, considered the “common heritage of all mankind.” States can conduct activities like transit, marine research, and undersea exploration for peaceful purposes. Typhoon Yagi and Its Impact on Southeast Asia Typhoon Yagi was the strongest tropical cyclone in Asia in 2024. It severely affected Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is the 2nd most powerful storm globally in 2024, after Hurricane Beryl in the Atlantic Ocean. It began as a tropical storm in the western Philippine Sea and weakened after hitting the Philippines. It reached Category 5 status, with maximum sustained winds of 260 kmph due to warm waters in the South China Sea. Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale categorizes cyclones from Category 1 (119-153 kmph) to Category 5 (252 kmph or higher). Storms classified as Category 3 or higher are considered major due to their destructive potential. Cyclones with winds of 119 kmph or more are termed hurricanes, typhoons, or tropical cyclones. India launched Operation “Sadbhav” to provide aid and essential supplies to Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar as part of its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts under the ‘Act East Policy’.

 

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Previous Year & Practice Question

Q. Consider the following countries:                                                                                                                  (UPSC Prelims 2018)

1. Australia                         2. Canada

3. China                              4. India

5. Japan                              6. USA

Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?

(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5                 (b) 3, 4, 5 and 6

(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5                  (d) 2, 3, 4 and 6

Answer: (c) 1, 3, 4 and 5

 

Q. Consider the following statements with reference to the East Asia Summit (EAS):

1. It consists of 10 ASEAN member states and 10 observer countries.

2. China is one of the members of the Summit.

3. It is must to sign the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) for joining the EAS.

Which of the above statements are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only                  (b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only                  (d) All of the Above

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only