More focus on Asean-India ties

India's ties with Asean has not always been one of priority despite strong cultural and historical links.

But the visit of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and nine other Asean leaders to New Delhi last Thursday for a commemorative Asean-India summit marking 25 years of ties has put the grouping in much greater focus in India.

Eager to engage more closely with South-east Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the red carpet: Hosting the leaders to a gala dinner and meeting them individually. There was also a commemorative stamp in India to mark the 25 years.

A day after the summit, the Asean leaders attended India's Republic Day Parade as chief guests, an honour reserved for important countries that India is keen to cultivate. The summit took place at a time of geopolitical changes and as Asean's other key partners are seeking to deepen their engagement with the grouping.

PM Lee, co-chair of the summit, noted that much more could be done to deepen ties between the two sides, including in trade and economic cooperation.

Singapore has been an early champion of India's engagement with Asean and has continued to push India to engage the grouping more closely by, for example, developing stronger aviation links.

India's trade with Asean has grown to US$71 billion (S$93 billion), but remains modest when compared with China-Asean trade, which stands at US$470 billion.

Differences also remain over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), with India hesitant to give wider market access even as Mr Lee said that the free trade pact - which involves Asean and six other nations, including India and China - would be beneficial.

While it remains to be seen if Asean and India can bring trade ties to the next level and conclude RCEP negotiations, the visit of the Asean leaders is being seen as a milestone in India's Act East policy.