ASEAN India Center ASEAN India Center

ASEAN India Center

For information on AIC please visit the website: http://aic.ris.org.in/

The ASEAN-India Centre (AIC) was established as a result of the elevation of the partnership between ASEAN and India to Strategic Partnership, as announced by the Leaders of ASEAN and India at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit held on 20 December 2012 in New Delhi, India.The Commemorative Summit adopted a ‘Vision Statement’ that envisages the establishment of an ASEAN-India Centre. AIC was formally inaugurated by the Hon’ble External Affairs Minister of the Government of India on 21 June 2013. It is located at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in New Delhi, India. The Centre is a non-profit organisation but may raise funds necessary for its operation. It undertakes regular networking activities with relevant organizations and think-tanks in India and ASEAN Member States, with the aim of providing up-to-date information, data resources and sustained interaction to promote the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership. It assists in the implementation of the ASEAN-India connectivity agenda, apart from promoting ASEAN-India cooperation in various sectoral areas concerning water, energy, food security, scientific research etc.

Objectives

The objectives of the Centre are to strengthen the ASEAN-India strategic partnership across three pillars of political-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation; and to realize the ASEAN Community, particularly in post 2015 era.

Functions

To achieve its objectives, the Centre undertakes the following activities:

(i)   to serve  as  Resource   Centre  for ASEAN  Member  States  and  India  to facilitate information sharing for policy decisions and creating opportunities for cooperation including setting up a linked website for the Centre and publication of a newsletter; 

(ii)   to undertake regular networking activities with relevant organizations and think-tanks in ASEAN Member States and India to provide up-to-date information, data resources and sustained interaction regarding all aspects of ASEAN-India strategic partnership. 

(iii)  to conduct research and studies on ways to integrate ASEAN and India through greater physical, institutional and  people-to-people connectivity, trade, investment and economic linkages, tourism, cultural and educational exchanges; 

(iv)  to organize track 1.5 workshops and round tables to assist ASEAN and India governments in identifying result-oriented action plans in support of the ASEAN-India strategic partnership; 

(v)  to undertake research and studies to strengthen regional cooperation between ASEAN and India on strategic issues; 

(vi)  to promote people-to-people contacts to improve mutual understanding between peoples and societies in ASEAN Member States and India and to build a culture of working together; 

(vii)  to support initiatives and programs related to narrowing the development gap in ASEAN Member States, including implementation of the IAI Work Plan II and its successor documents;

(viii) to publish research publications and disseminate through policy briefs, discussion papers, books, research notes etc. periodically; and 

(ix)  to undertake other activities deemed necessary to achieve the objective of the Centre. 

Research and Activities undertaken by AIC 

AIC conducts ASEAN-India Seminar Series, ASEAN-India Dialogue Series, ASEAN-India Eminent Persons Lecture Series, ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks, AIC Newsletter and is associated with high-level track 1.5 events between India and ASEAN such as the Delhi Dialogue. It has published several Reports in collaboration with RIS, such as: 

(i)   ASEAN-India Cultural Links: Historical and Contemporary Dimensions, RIS, AIC, New Delhi, 2015  

(ii)  ASEAN-India Development and Cooperation Report 2015, AIC, RIS, New Delhi, 2015

(iii) ASEAN-India Economic Relations: Opportunities and Challenges  

(iv)  India-Korea CEPA - An Appraisal of Progress, V. S. Seshadri, New Delhi, 2015  

(v)  ASEAN-India Economic Relations: Opportunities and Challenges, AIC and RIS, New Delhi, 2015  

(vi) Shillong Roundtable Summary, AIC, New Delhi, 2015  

(vii) ASEAN-India Deepening Economic Partnership in Mekong Region, Prabir De, RIS, New Delhi, 2014  

(viii) ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership: Perspectives from the ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks, RIS et al., New Delhi, 2013

Memorandum of Understanding on AIC

An MOU on AIC is proposed to be signed between India and ASEAN to formally institutionalize the Centre. The MOU provides for a Governing Board headed by a Chairman and a Secretariat of experts, researchers and staff led by an Executive Director. It also provides for various administrative and financial arrangements, extent of privileges and immunities of the Secretariat and staff and other standard clauses.

For information on AIC please visit the website: http://aic.ris.org.in/ .

Go to Navigation