One of the first systematic efforts to cross-compare how ASEAN, India and Australia are approaching policy challenges such as maritime security, climate change, energy security, law enforcement, "good governance" and the politics of security institutions or "architectures".

Against the backdrop of significant developments in regional economic cooperation and integration over the past decade, this book presents some of the key challenges facing ASEAN as it embarks on a bold and ambitious project to establish an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. Organized under the auspices of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program's Regional Economic Policy Support Facility, the book brings together authoritative studies written by prominent experts and academics on issues pertaining to ASEAN economic integration.

Long plagued by poverty, India's recent economic growth has vaulted it into the ranks of the world's emerging powers, but what kind of power it wants to be remains a mystery. Our Time Has Come explains why India behaves the way it does, and the role it is likely to play globally as its prominence grows.

In recent times, the United States, Japan and Australia have all promoted extremely similar visions of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific as the central organizing concept to guide their efforts in the region. The concept is essentially a reaffirmation of the security and economic rules-based order which was cobbled together after the Second World War — especially as it relates to freedom of the regional and global commons such as sea, air and cyberspace, and the way nations conduct economic relations. Be that as it may, the Free and Open Indo-Pacific is an updated vision of collective action to defend, strengthen and advance that order. It signals a greater acceptance by the two regional allies of the U.S. of their security burden and takes into account the realities of China’s rise and the relative decline in dominance of the U.S. There are a number of noteworthy “updates” which include: • A deliberate move from “Asia-Pacific” to “Indo-Pacific” as the primary geo-strategic and geo-economic area of interest and responsibility for the three countries; • An increased emphasis on creating and sustaining a “balance of power” in favour of the rules-based order; and • A greater emphasis on the liberal aspects of a preferred order including the importance of rule-of-law and limitations on how governments wield their power, and greater separation of political and strategic objectives on one hand with commercial activities on the other. While operationalization of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept is at an early stage, trilateral strategic cooperation between the U.S., Japan and Australia is significant and quickly deepening. On the other hand, and with respect to misalignment and inconsistency, the economic policies of the Trump administration are causing considerable frustration. The three countries have also been strong supporters for the revival of the Quadrilateral grouping which also includes India. However, and notwithstanding some apprehension in Southeast Asia, about where the “Quad” is heading, the latter grouping is only still a fledgling one and its shape and development will depend on the extent to which the four countries become concerned about China’s activities in both Oceans. Finally, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states continue to delay any definitive response to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept. Although its principles are attractive to many ASEAN member states, long-held conceptions of ASEAN centrality and its meaning gives the organization apparent reason for hesitation. The reasons include fears of diminished centrality and relevance, and reluctance to endorse a more confrontational mindset being adopted by the U.S. and its allies — including the revival of the Quadrilateral grouping with India — with respect to China. The reality is that while ASEAN and major member states are focused primarily on the risks of action, there are considerable risks of inaction and hesitation. The current era will either enhance or lessen the relevance of ASEAN in the eyes of these three countries in the years ahead depending on how the organisation and its key member states respond. Indeed, the paper argues that ASEAN is more likely to be left behind by strategic events and developments if it remains passive, and that the ball is in ASEAN’s court in terms of the future of its regional “centrality”.

Asia's remarkable economic performance and transformation since the 1960s has shifted the center of global economic activity toward Asia, in particular toward the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies, the People's Republic of China, and India (collectively known as ACI). While these dynamic developing economies do not form any specific institutional group, they constitute very large economies and markets. These emerging Asian giants share common boundaries, opportunities, and challenges. Their trade, investment, production, and infrastructure already are significantly integrated and will become more so in the coming decades. This book focuses on the prospects and challenges for growth and transformation of the region's major and rapidly growing emerging economies to 2030. It examines the drivers of growth and development in the ACI economies and the factors that will affect the quality of development. It also explores the links among the ACI economies and how their links may shape regional and global competition and cooperation.

India announced its Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) in November 2019 at the East Asia Summit. In the same year, ASEAN came up with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Similar Indo-Pacific strategies were promoted by Japan, Australia and US during the period. These strategies underlined the importance of partnerships for establishing a rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. In the context of rising China, the geopolitical strategies of ASEAN, India and Australia gain significance for fostering and promoting peace and security in the region. The Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, India and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia decided to come together to pool their academic and policy research capacities to build a robust research agenda on the Indo-Pacific. In March 2022, CPPR and Monash University hosted ‘Dialogue on Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Strengthening International Cooperation’ in a hybrid (physical-digital) format. Scholars from ASEAN, Australia, India and Japan were invited to discuss the various pillars of the IPOI and accelerated long-term growth in the Indo-Pacific region. The Dialogue was supported by the Department of Foreign Trade (DFAT), Government of Australia. One of the important sessions in the Dialogue was ‘IPOI Scholars Connect’ in which scholars from ASEAN countries and India shared their perspectives on the IPOI in the context of ASEAN, India and Australia. This digital volume is a compilation of papers presented by these scholars that discuss the existing geopolitical strategies of India and ASEAN and evaluate them from different perspectives. Contemporary issues like marine plastic pollution, maritime connectivity and smart ports are also discussed. It is hoped that the volume will add to exciting scholarship on the subject and trigger policies that contribute to peace, stability and development in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a miracle. Why?In an era of growing cultural pessimism, many thoughtful individuals believe that different civilisations-especially Islam and the West-cannot live together in peace. The ten countries of ASEAN provide a thriving counter-example of civilizational co-existence. Here 625m people live together in peace. This miracle was delivered by ASEAN.In an era of growing economic pessimism, where many young people believe that their lives will get worse in coming decades, Southeast Asia bubbles with optimism. In an era where many thinkers predict rising geopolitical competition and tension, ASEAN regularly brings together all the world's great powers.Stories of peace are told less frequently than stories of conflict and war. ASEAN's imperfections make better headlines than its achievements. But in the hands of thinker and writer Kishore Mahbubani, the good news story is also a provocation and a challenge to the rest of the world.This excellent book explains, in clear and simple terms, how and why ASEAN has become one of the most successful regional organizations in the world. - George YeoA powerful and passionate account of how, against all odds, ASEAN transformed the region and why Asia and the world need it even more today. - Amitav Acharya

Ch. 23. Encompassing the AEC blueprint into ASEAN's subregional frameworks : A commentary / Gary P. Krishnan -- Theme 4. Socio-cultural. ch. 24. Population ageing in ASEAN : Prospects and implications / Kang Soon Hock and Yap Mui Teng. ch. 25. Making ASEAN relevant to the young / Diana Lee. ch. 26. ASEAN and human capital / Faizal Bin Yahya. ch. 27. The ASEAN quest for greater engagement and commitment / Braema Mathiaparanam -- Theme 5. External relations. ch. 28. Lao PDR's role in ASEAN-China trade ties / H.E. Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh. ch. 29. ASEAN's diplomatic importance to China / Sheng Lijun. ch. 30. ASEAN as a mover of Asian regionalism / Akiko Fukushima. ch. 31. What I have always wondered about ASEAN : A perspective from ROK / Lee Sun-Jin. ch. 32. India's place and ASEAN's primacy in the New East Asia / P.S. Suryanarayana. ch. 33. Reflections on regionalism : The ASEAN journey / Simon Murdoch. ch. 34. ASEAN and Latin America : Time for a vibrant connectivity / Paulo Alberto da Silveira Soares. ch. 35. Building a strategic partnership : A review of relations between ASEAN and the ILO / Ng Gek-Boo -- Theme 6. The future. ch. 36. The future of ASEAN : Obsolescent or resilient? / Amitav Acharya. ch. 37. How Can ASEAN stay relevant? / Joergen Oerstroem Moeller. ch. 38. ASEAN into the future : Towards a better monitoring and evaluation of regional co-operation programmes / Azmi Mat Akhir. ch. 39. Strengthening the foundation for an ASEAN community / Wilfrido V. Villacorta