July 3 @ 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
The roundtable will discuss Amb. Gurjit Singh’s The Durian Flavour and use its insights as a lens to examine the opportunities, constraints, and evolving dynamics of India-ASEAN relations a decade into the Act East Policy. Drawing on the author’s experience as India’s Ambassador to Indonesia and ASEAN, the discussion will explore the enduring perception gaps between the two sides, the meaning and relevance of ASEAN Centrality in a changing regional order, and the extent to which India’s engagement with Southeast Asia has moved beyond rhetoric to deliver tangible outcomes.
The discussion will also assess how growing geopolitical competition, particularly China’s rise and the emergence of initiatives such as the Quad and AUKUS, is shaping ASEAN’s strategic role and influencing India-ASEAN cooperation. Participants will examine opportunities for deeper collaboration in areas such as supply chains, digital public infrastructure, green growth, and connectivity, while considering how India and ASEAN can strengthen functional cooperation and build a more resilient and mutually beneficial partnership in an increasingly multipolar Asia.
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