Why northeast and southeast Asia must deepen their engagement with India

Abstract

This paper makes the case that time is ripe for the countries in southeast and northeast Asia to actively seek greater integration with India. The case is based on two arguments. First, China has emerged as an increasingly aggressive and belligerent power bringing it into conflict with its neighbors in the South China Sea. Therefore, strategically, these countries would need India, which is the continent's second largest in land area and population with a long common border with China, Second, having embraced the market model, India is poised to emerge as a major economy not just in Asia but also the world. By 2030, it will likely be a $6 trillion economy in 2021 dollars, becoming the third largest economy in the world and second largest in Asia. This prospect makes the country a large potential market for other Asian countries.