GS-II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
East Asia Summit
Context: At the 16th East Asia Summit, leaders discussed matters of regional and international interest and concern including Indo-Pacific, South China Sea, UNCLOS, terrorism, and the situation in Korean Peninsula and Myanmar.
India –
Reaffirmed India’s focus on a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and support for ASEAN’s centrality in the region.
India remains committed to strengthening respect for shared values of multilateralism, rules-based international order, international law and sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
Spoke about ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign for post-pandemic recovery and in ensuring resilient global value chains.
Emphasised on establishment of a better balance between economy and ecology and climate sustainable lifestyle.
Reaffirmed “ASEAN centrality” in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the synergies between ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
Raised the idea of developing global standards on cyber security.
EAS leaders adopted three statements on mental health, economic recovery through tourism and sustainable recovery, which have been co-sponsored by India.
About East Asia Summit
The East Asia Summit is the Indo-Pacific’s premier forum for strategic dialogue at which all key partners meet to discuss political, security and economic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific. This forum has an important role to play in advancing closer regional cooperation.
The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a regional forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian regions, based on the ASEAN plus Six mechanism.
There are 18 members including the ten ASEAN countries along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
In 2020 EAS members represented 54 per cent of the world’s population and accounted for 62 per cent of global GDP worth an estimated US$52.3 trillion.
India participated, as a founding member, in the inaugural East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur on 14 December 2005. Since then this forum has played a significant role in the strategic and geopolitical evolution of East Asia.
It is also an important platform for furthering practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific by building upon the convergence between ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific and Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative.
Aim: To further the objectives of regional peace, security and prosperity; has evolved as a forum for strategic dialogue and cooperation on political, security and economic issues of common regional concern and plays an important role in the regional architecture.
Six priority areas of regional cooperation within the framework of the EAS–
