India and ASEAN / East Asia

[SSridhar]

And, maritime trade. India was also a transshipment point between China and the Arabs & beyond. The excellent knowledge about the wind patterns helped Indian seamen to navigate. Funan, Champa, Sri Wijaya, Majapahit et al are fine examples of thalassocracies which were Hindu/ Buddhist influences.

[ricky_v]

agreed, sir, hopefully, those active on twitter can highlight some of this active temple restoration democracy, can also count towards working on core indic issues

https://theconversation.com/happy-birth ... rld-205455

The holiday has been observed in different parts of Asia for hundreds of years, but its significance varied by region. In Sri Lanka, for example, it was a religious day simply celebrated at temples, not a public celebration. In Korea, on the other hand, the Buddha’s birthday became a more commercial festival under the Choson dynasty, which frowned upon Buddhist religious practices and ended in 1910.

In the late 1800s, Sri Lankans successfully petitioned the British colonial government to allow celebrations for the Buddha’s birthday, which they deliberately modeled on Christmas – a model that caught on around Asia.

is the above correct? i believe even Ganesh Chathurthi and Durga Puja are stated by some scholars to have been popularised in their current form by BG Tilak

But there are even more variations. The Taiwanese government decided in 1999 to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday jointly with Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May. In Japan, meanwhile, the Buddha’s birthday is called “Flower Festival” – Hana Matsuri in Japanese – and celebrated on April 8, following the government’s decision to adopt the Gregorian calendar in 1873.

Yet another date for the Buddha’s birthday in 2023 is June 4: the full moon of the fourth lunar month in the Tibetan lunisolar calendar. The entire month, called Saga Dawa, is considered holy because it includes the Buddha’s birth, awakening and death. Tibetan Buddhists believe that good deeds generate exponentially more positive karma during Saga Dawa than at other times of the year.

Throughout East Asia, Buddhists will bathe statues of the infant Buddha-to-be, recite Buddhist scriptures and make donations to Buddhist temples – but there will still be a lot of diversity in these celebrations.

In China, the practice of “fangsheng,” releasing animals, has been part of celebrating the Buddha’s birthday since the 11th century. Devout Buddhists purchase animals otherwise destined for slaughter and release them into the wild. Recently, some cities in China have encouraged greater consideration of local ecosystems to prevent invasive species that worshippers release from crowding out native animals.

Another way Chinese Buddhists express compassion for all living beings is by avoiding meat for three days around the Buddha’s birthday – similar to the Tibetan practice of following a vegetarian diet during the month of Saga Dawa.

Korea was under Japanese imperial rule from 1910 to 1945. During that period, the Japanese government sponsored a joint Japanese-Korean celebration of the Buddha’s birthday that revived the holiday’s religious significance. Though many Koreans opposed the Japanese occupation, some Korean Buddhists appreciated the opportunity to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday as a new pan-Buddhist holiday.

The Buddha’s birthday has even been observed in North Korea since 1988, despite the country’s general suppression of religious activity. In 2018, the holiday served as an occasion for Korean unity, with Buddhists in North and South Korea jointly composing and reciting a prayer for the occasion.

In Vietnam, the celebration of the Buddha’s birthday – known as Phật Đản – was observed in the medieval period, often alongside prayers for rain. However, celebrations seem to have faded over time until the festival was reintroduced in the early 20th century, when the holiday was gaining popularity throughout the region.

[ricky_v]

https://nationalinterest.org/feature/in ... ean-212031

On July 26, 2024, in Vientiane, Laos, the foreign ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India will meet, marking a significant landmark in their relationship. This gathering highlights the increasing significance of their partnership and emphasizes India’s role in enhancing its connections with ASEAN countries while maintaining ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific region.

India has varied interests in the Indo-Pacific region. In terms of economics, ASEAN is one of India’s most important trading partners, with bilateral trade between the two reaching over $100 billion. Strategically, the organization is an extremely significant area for India’s Act East Policy (AEP), Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR).

It should be emphasized that in order to enhance its relationship with ASEAN and support ASEAN centrality, India needs to focus on a number of key areas. India must increase trade and investment among the member states of ASEAN. For instance, it can take part in ASEAN digital transformation efforts and other infrastructure projects like the ASEAN-India Connectivity Plan.

When it comes to climate change, India’s role is crucial since it can actively and fully participate in addressing issues within the region. A shared commitment to sustainability can be built through joint investments in renewable energy sources, natural disaster prevention projects, and environmental preservation activities done together with neighbors.

With the world moving towards the age of new technology, India also has a chance to form alliances with ASEAN countries to help push innovation and digitalization. Programs of joint research and development, technology transfers, and the organization of capacity-building programs can be used to drive economic growth and development. For instance, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will enter into collaborative agreements with the central banks of four ASEAN Countries—Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Thailand—to enable the retail purposes of cross-border payments.

ASEAN’s centrality is essential in maintaining a balanced and inclusive regional system in the Indo-Pacific. In order to support this principle, India must interact with ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting with Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United States (ADMM+). This would enable India to help build regional norms and address common challenges through its participation in those platforms. India should also advocate for an Indo-Pacific region that is multipolar and dominated by no one power.

Connectivity plays a crucial role in boosting regional trade and links for further cooperation. India’s involvement in projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway (IMT) and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) will aid this. In addition, India, being part of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), can link South Asia and Southeast Asia, enhancing wider cooperation beyond the economic sphere.


The South China Sea remains a point of conflict for U.S.-China competition, with ramifications for regional safety. ASEAN’s precepts are echoed in India’s position on freedom of navigation and its allegiance to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). By carrying out joint naval exercises, port visits, and capacity-building programs with ASEAN navies, India can contribute both to maritime security and to a rule-based order.

Additionally, by offering scholarships and academic programs to students from ASEAN, India can instill in them an appreciation of Indian culture and traditions. India is undertaking a number of initiatives to foster closer ties with the ASEAN member countries through the ASEAN-India Youth Summit, ASEAN-India Artists’ Camps, and ASEAN-India Music Festival. Moreover, there is also a significant Indian diaspora in Southeast Asia, which acts as a bridge to link cultural and economic ties between the two regions.

[sanman]

Thailand's Court Outlaws Largest Political Party




US supports Thailand's repressive laws because these help to keep Thailand in America's orbit.

Sounds like there needs to be a student uprising to get rid of this oppressive dictatorship.

Tit for tat. Put US on the back foot.

[S_Madhukar]

Hmm I thought Pita was the Ombaba of Thailand , parachuted from the US and somehow he was thwarted in the last election. May be the Sina lobby also helped get his party disqualified

[ramana]

Visit by Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim.

https://myind.net/Home/viewArticle/a-st ... -interests

[SSridhar]

Visit by Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim.

https://myind.net/Home/viewArticle/a-st ... -interests

Very well written, notwithstanding a few minor errors.

Anwar's visit is purely to ensure a smooth induction of Malaysia into BRICS. Still, he has rubbished India's extradition claims as lacking in proof. That's the power of Islamic radicals in Malaysia.

Zakir Naik was spewing venom & hatred against Hindus and Indians publicly in Malaysia ever since he fled there. It was only a couple of years back that he was stopped from speaking in public events. This followed his exceeding the limits when he demanded that Chinese have overstayed their welcome in Malaysia and should go back. That was when an alarmed Malaysia stopped him.

Malaysia has given different reasons at different times. Mahatir said that he could not extradite him to India because Modi had not requested him (a blatant lie), then he said he could not extradite him because Naik's life would be in danger in India, then he said Naik was an unwelcome guest but no other country was willing to accept him and so he was stuck with him. Now, Anwar says that no 'compelling evidence' has been given by India.

[SSridhar]

Thie following is not about India and the ASEAN.

But, it might help us understand the dynamics.

ASEAN, China, and Japan – a pas de trois

[ricky_v]

https://asiatimes.com/2025/07/tokyo-man ... ini-nato/#

Manila’s adoption of Japan’s “one theater concept” has further escalated tensions with China. Proposed in March this year, the concept breaks from Tokyo’s traditional security outlook and views the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula as a “single theater.”

Analysts in Chinese news media were quick to read it as a formation of a Washington-led “Mini NATO in the Asia-Pacific” aimed at “containing China.”

Another analysis related the situation to the Reciprocal Access Agreement signed between Manila and Tokyo in July last year. Many defined the concept as an “absurd” one that “deliberately confuses” distinct geographical regions, solely to build a case for foreign intervention. The continued stationing of US military’s advanced missile systems, Typhon and NMESIS, in Manila is similarly viewed as a way of targeting China.

While Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s moves are broadly described as “unacceptable,” some in China believe he is still “pragmatic” in finding common strategic ground with Japan when compared with Lithuania, which expressed concerns over the “axis” formed by “China, Russia and North Korea” that must be opposed through an “alliance of democracies.”

Others describe the concept as Japan’s attempts to “blur” the boundaries of the “hot spots” by linking the Taiwan Strait and East China Sea to its “surrounding areas,” hence using it as an “excuse” to break free from restrictions placed by its peace constitution.

Highlighting Manila’s intentions of “controlling the entire Bashi Channel,” some Chinese analysts have pointed to several hindrances in this “plan” – particularly differing defense interests of the members of the informal SQUAD alliance (QUAD, with an S for “security” added) and Trump’s insistence that allies expand their military expenditures, which many, including Tokyo and Manila, are unable to do.


The PLA Southern Theater Command’s response included a joint sea and air patrol in the “second island command” with its advanced H-6K bombers equipped with Eagle Strike-12 anti-ship missiles, capable of launching an attack on targets as far as 4000 km from the Chinese mainland. While an intense move, it broadly falls in line with Beijing’s previous response to Manila’s unilateral and bilateral military exercises with Washington in January.

China’s latest white paper on national security noted “gross interference” in the South China Sea issue from external powers. The paper clearly underscores a growing pessimism as it notes how “Western anti-China forces” are “leaving no stones unturned” to “encircle, suppress and contain” Beijing.

China’s sanctions against former Senator Francis Tolentino for his “malicious remarks and moves” are similarly seen as a strong move. This is the first time a senior official has been sanctioned since bilateral relations deteriorated in 2023, further elevating tensions as Manila summoned the Chinese ambassador to express its concerns. Despite the intensity, it must be noted that Beijing refrained from sanctioning Tolentino while he was in office, reflecting a cautious approach.

Manila too has been prudent in not pushing the boundary too far. Hence, while the 38-year travel ban on Filipino officials traveling to Taiwan was lifted in April, restrictions remain on visits by the president and vice president and the foreign and defense secretaries.

[A_Gupta]

Malaysia dismantles Islamic State network involving workers from Bangladesh
By Reuters
July 4, 2025

https://www.reuters.com/business/media- ... 025-07-04/

Foreign adviser: 2 more held in Malaysia with indication of more arrests
UNB
Publish : 16 Jul 2025
https://www.dhakatribune.com/amp/bangla ... aysia-with

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said that two people have been arrested and there is an indication that more Bangladeshis are likely to be arrested as Malaysia is looking across the country to see whether anyone is involved in any radical militant group.

“Two more people have been arrested on the same charges….we have been given an indication that more arrests will be made,” he said while responding to a question at the Foreign Service Academy.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said Bangladesh will cooperate with Malaysia in the ‘terror investigation’ as the Malaysian authorities announced that they had arrested 36 Bangladeshis in the recent security operations for their alleged involvement in a ‘radical militant’ movement.

“We want to cooperate fully. I understand they will cooperate with us. I have assured them of cooperation from our side. We want this bad name not to come to our shoulder,” said the Foreign Affairs Adviser.