Since 1999, the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) has been organising an annual international conference on issues relating to Asian security. The Asian Security Conference 2007, held on February 9-10, 2007, focused on the Evolving Security Dynamic in Southeast Asia.
The 9th Asian Security Conference is being held 60 years after the Asian Relations Conference was held in this city as Asian nations envisioned their destiny in a post-colonial world. The objective of the current conference is to further the understanding of the changing dynamics of Southeast Asia. The conference aims to highlight a wide spectrum of security issues that confront the region and to examine these issues in the broader context of their ramifications for Asia-Pacific in particular and the world in general.
India and Southeast Asia have revived their traditional cultural and economic ties that were interrupted during the colonial rule. The persistence of their interest in each other in the transformed context of globalisation and liberalisation is testimony to the strength of this relationship. Initially driven by economic incentives, India's Look East policy envisages multifaceted bonds with India's extended neighbourhood in the East, particularly the Southeast Asian states. The engagement so far has yielded many dividends beyond intensifying economic interactions, including the strengthening of political trust and defence cooperation ties. The growing cooperation in the economic field (Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN, Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements with Singapore and Thailand) is matched by burgeoning cooperation in the security field. India's inclusion as dialogue partner of ASEAN, membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and its inclusion in the East Asia Summit (EAS) in December 2005 have all been a part of a continuing process of mutual engagement. India's record of a dispute-free relationship with Southeast Asian states and its accession in 2003 to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation have further contributed to greater engagement with this region.
Southeast Asia continues to be home to the fastest growing economies, commonly referred to as the 'Tiger Economies,' despite the downturn witnessed in late-1990s. It is strategically positioned in continuum with the region's economic powerhouses such as Japan, China and India because of which the global community has always viewed Southeast Asia in geo-strategic terms. While the underlying geo-political circumstances have been changing over the years, its salience has never diminished.
The 9th ASC will feature six sessions, which would comprehensively seek to address the strategic security, political as well as economic facets influencing the region.
Perspectives on Southeast Asian Security (Session I)
As Southeast Asia takes rapid strides towards economic growth, it finds itself beset with many security issues, both in traditional and non-traditional terms. Centrifugal tendencies continue to simmer in some states, many of these owing to socio-economic disparities. Common interests in economic prosperity have reduced but not completely eliminated the potential for inter-state conflicts. Contentious issues such as the volatility of energy supplies and threats to their dislocation, the safety of sea lines of communication, possible decline of tourism over terror threats, have emerged as challenges that need to be addressed. The first session while laying the broad themes for the 9th ASC will place in a context regional perspectives that bring to fore the immediate and long-term security challenges faced by Southeast Asia and explore mechanisms to address the same.
Issue to be covered:
Regional Perspectives on Southeast Asian Security
Terrorism and Rise of Religious Fundamentalism (Session II)
Non-traditional security is increasingly emerging as the zone of conflict between the institutional mechanisms of an organised state and the anarchy being spread by non-state actors. Some of the challenges faced by Southeast Asia in the realm of non-traditional security are the escalation of terrorism and religious fundamentalism. Islamic radicalism seems to be gaining ground posing new challenges to established norms of governance. The rise in transnational crimes by non-state actors as evidenced by the spurt in smuggling of arms and drugs as also the emergence of criminal syndicates pose 'asymmetrical threats' leading to the very nature and discourse of security challenges undergoing a radical transformation. The themes to be explored in this session are as follows:
1. Terrorism, Insurgencies and Religious Fundamentalism in Southeast Asia
2. Terrorism and Trans-national Crimes in Southeast Asia
Energy and Maritime Security Issues (Session III)
Over the past several years, rising global oil prices have focused attention on the issue of energy security - the need for countries to ensure continued access to energy resources, especially oil and gas, both at home and abroad. Southeast Asia has a predominantly maritime configuration and is traversed by the world's busiest trade routes. There is a need for countries of the region to explore and ensure the safety and security of sea-lanes as a vital component in creating the overall framework of energy sufficiency.
Demands for economic growth and development are however, bound to rekindle issues such as conflicting claims over maritime resources, harnessing of natural resources and the task of ensuring uninterrupted flow of strategic cargo, especially energy resources, to and through the region. The occurrence of natural disasters affecting the entire region and beyond is yet another pointer towards the need for cross-regional cooperation and coordination. The third session will focus on the following issues.
- Energy Security and Southeast Asia
- Civilian Nuclear Energy
- Maritime Security Issues and prospects for cooperation in Southeast Asia
- Disaster Management
Regionalism and Multilateralism in Southeast Asia (Session IV)
ASEAN as a multilateral institution is remarkable for its achievements and endeavours to accelerate economic growth and social progress of the region in a spirit of equality and partnership. Importantly, in order to strengthen the foundations for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian nations, ASEAN has promoted regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Institutional and multilateral cooperation with countries of the extended region are perhaps better means with which to address issues. In this regard the role of institutions such as the ASEAN, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the East Asian Summit (EAS) acquire added salience. The topics to be covered under this session are as follows:
- ASEAN and East Asian Regionalism
- Role of EAS
- Economic and Financial Multilateralism
- BIMSTEC
- Multilateral Security Cooperation
Southeast Asia and External Powers (Session V)
Owing to its many attributes, Southeast Asia will continue to attract the interests and attention of great powers. The ARF and the incipient idea of EAS are a testimony to the importance that the great powers attach to Southeast Asia. Regional powers such as China, Japan, Korea, the US as well as India are actively engaged with Southeast Asia. The easing of big power rivalry following the end of the Cold War has led to these powers looking to Southeast Asia as a region of opportunities. At the same time, given their competition and rivalry with one another, great powers have also tended to view Southeast Asia as a battleground for influence and power politics. Issues to be covered in this session are as follows:
- China and Southeast Asia
- United States and Southeast Asia
- Japan and Southeast Asia
- External Powers in Southeast Asia
India and Southeast Asia (Session VI)
India has long history of cultural and civilisational relations with Southeast Asia. Against the backdrop of far reaching international changes brought by the end of the Cold War and rapid globalisation, India initiated the 'Look East' policy whereby it sought greater political interaction and economic cooperation with Southeast Asia. Both bilaterally and through multilateral institutions, India sought to forge closer ties with the region. This is manifested in the growing political contacts, economic interactions, trade ties and security cooperation. Closely connected with security is the approach that India and Southeast Asian states adopt towards the major powers with stakes in the region. It is in this context that the evolution of institutions such as the East Asia Summit and BIMSTEC could hold meaning for the region. Besides these issues, it has strong connections with Southeast Asia through its diaspora. Issues to be covered in this session are as follows:
- An Overview of India's 'Look East' Policy
- India's Defence and Strategic relations with Southeast Asia
- India's Economic Interaction with Southeast Asia
- India and East Asian Economic Integration
