Modi unveils BRI alternative to link ASEAN with Europe via India
PM Narendra Modi at ASEAN Summit
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, September 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled a proposition to connect the East Asian nations with Europe through India as part of multi-modal connectivity and an economic corridor. With the ASEAN block commanding stronger economic clout than China, India by presenting an alternative to Belt and Road Initiative, a pet project of the Chinese President Xi Jinping, is apparently seeking to offer an option to the fast growing region to link up with the world.
He proposed establishing multi-modal connectivity and economic corridor that links South-East Asia-India-West Asia-Europe. This is by all means seen as the most comprehensive proposal from India that can measure up to the BRI without burdening the countries with financial cost. The proposal essentially seeks to leverage on the existing infrastructure in the regions in the proposal to build a shared and close trade ecosystem.
It may be recalled that Modi during his visit to Greece recently had also sought deeper maritime ties with the European nation, which overlooks Europe. By integrating East Asian nations with India and thereafter the West Asia and Africa and Europe, Modi is seeking a central pivot for New Delhi by capitalizing on the maritime strength of the country.
With the Chinese economy in a tailspin and India remaining the fastest growing economy in the world, the first quarter growth hit 7.8 per cent, New Delhi is seen to be positioning the country as an investment bet with lure to shifting the manufacturing bases out of China. India also aims to capitalize to friendly relations with the Indian Ocean nations to build on the maritime strength to become a link for the East Asian nations, which have export-oriented economies, with the outside world.
Taking part in the 20th ASEAN-India Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a 12-point proposal for strengthening India – ASEAN cooperation covering connectivity, digital transformation, trade and economic engagement, addressing contemporary challenges, people-to-people contacts and deepening strategic engagement.
Modi held extensive discussions with ASEAN partners on further strengthening of ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and charting its future course. Prime Minister reaffirmed ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the synergies between India’s Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI) and ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
He also emphasized the need to complete the review of ASEAN-India FTA (AITIGA) in a time bound manner. He offered to share India’s Digital Public Infrastructure Stack with ASEAN partners. Modi also announced ASEAN-India fund for Digital Future focusing on cooperation in digital transformation and financial connectivity, besides renewal of support to Economic and Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) to act as knowledge partner for enhancing our engagement.
The prime minister also called for collectively raising issues being faced by Global South in multilateral for a, while also inviting ASEAN countries to join Global Centre for Traditional Medicine being established by WHO in India. He called for working together on Mission LiFE, while also offering to share India’s experience in providing affordable and quality medicines to people through Jan-Aushadhi Kendras.
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