Indo-Pacific Strategy will strengthen Indias ties with US, ASEAN countries: Envoy

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Posted by AI on 2025-09-08 01:03:07 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-08 18:11:11

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The Indo-Pacific Strategy announced by US President Joe Biden will strengthen India's ties with the US and ASEAN countries and deal with the challenges posed by China, Indian Ambassador to Thailand, India's gateway to the Indo-Pacific, said Wednesday.

India, the US, Japan, Australia, and many ASEAN countries have become more vocal about the need for a free, open, and thriving Indo-Pacific in the face of China's growing economic and military clout in the region.

"I think the (Biden) administration has laid out a very coherent and comprehensive Indo-Pacific Strategy. It is a strategy that builds on the strengths of the US, its allies and partners, and I think it is a strategy that will provide the opportunity for countries like India to deepen its relationships with the US and the ASEAN countries," Pawan Kapoor told PTI in an interview.

Kapoor was in Bangkok after paying his first visit to Cambodia, another key Indian partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

"I think China is a challenge for all of us, not just India or the US or some countries in the ASEAN region. I think it is a challenge that is ahead of us. We have to deal with it," he said.

"Our objective should be to deal with it in a manner that we pursue our legitimate interests, we ensure that the global order is stable, and the global order is based on the principles that we have been adhering to since the end of World War II," he said.

"As far as India is concerned, I think the Indo-Pacific Strategy announced by President Biden and the expansion of the Quad are important elements of that strategy," he said.

The Quad, which comprises India, the US, Japan, and Australia, is a strategic forum to deal with security and development challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Kapoor said the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the expansion of the Quad are a positive development.

"It will provide an opportunity to India to deepen its engagement with the US and countries of the ASEAN region, and I think that is something which will be beneficial for our country," he said.

The ambassador said the COVID-19 pandemic, the changing global order, and the war in Ukraine have increased India's importance as a country that can provide stability and opportunities to the rest of the world.

"I think the vision of our prime minister, Mr Narendra Modi, of 'Make in India, Sell Globally', when he came up with that vision, has now been realised," he said.

"Everybody wants to have closer relations with India, to deepen cooperation with India, not only in the area of trade and investment but also in other areas, and India's foreign policy, I think, has been very proactive in reaching out to the world, including the countries of the ASEAN region," he said.

Kapoor said the Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN, which is under negotiation, will provide even greater opportunities to Indian producers and exporters when it is finally implemented.

"It (FTA) will open up new markets for our agricultural products, and there will be greater integration of our services in the ASEAN region. It will also provide greater opportunities to Indian professionals to go and work in the ASEAN region," he said.

More than 1.75 million Indian migrants live and work in the ASEAN countries, mainly in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The Indian envoy said his country's ties with Cambodia are expanding rapidly and covered a range of areas, including political cooperation, trade, investment, culture, and capacity building.

Cambodia's strong support for India's candidacy to the Human Rights Council and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea was also appreciated, he said.

"We have also agreed to deepen our cooperation in the healthcare sector. India will soon be providing assistance for the establishment of a cancer hospital in Cambodia," Kapoor said.

"Our companies are also exploring opportunities in the energy sector, renewable energy sector, and the pharmaceuticals sector. There are also opportunities for Indian companies to participate in the special economic zones (SEZs) that Cambodia is developing in the country," he said.

Cambodia also agreed to consider participation in the Gaganyaan mission, India's human spaceflight to be launched in 2023, the Indian ambassador said.

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