Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : NEW DELHI, INDIA
Tarikh/Date : 21/12/96
Tajuk/Title : THE ASEAN-INDIA LECTURE SERIES
1. It is indeed an honour for me to be here today
on the occasion of the inauguration of the ASEAN-
India Lecture Series. I would like to thank the
Government of India for inviting me to this
memorable function.
2. This ASEAN-India Lecture Series is a laudable
initiative. It clearly illustrates the commitment
and seriousness that India attaches to its growing
relationship with ASEAN. I was made to understand
that this ASEAN-India Lecture Series would involve
the participation of a wide spectrum of
representatives involving political leaders, opinion
makers, business personalities, academics and
specialists on national and regional issues from
ASEAN and India. I am confident with such wide
participation the forum would realise its objectives
of presenting a composite and contemporary picture
of the emerging ASEAN identity, and of the new
dynamic India. Through such interactions, this
forum will play an important role in creating
opportunities for cooperation and collaboration
between India and ASEAN, encompassing all sectors of
the society.
3. The countries of Southeast Asia and India have
had a long-standing relationship that dates back to
several centuries. The historical and cultural
linkages and the existing traditional ties form the
basis or foundation on which a strong ASEAN-India
relations can be built. Being Asians, both our
regions share many similarities which include
eastern values and culture.
4. The ASEAN region has become an important entity
for peace and stability and an engine for strong
economic growth. Internationally, ASEAN's voice of
moderation and pragmatism has gained for it respect
as well as many friends. Though ASEAN-India
relations have only recently being crystallised with
India becoming a full dialogue partner in July 1996,
the dialogue relationship has progressed well. I
think it is still not too late for me to welcome
India as ASEAN's Dialogue Partner.
5. The establishment of full dialogue partnership
demonstrates ASEAN's and India's commitment towards
creating a strong and mutually beneficial
relationship. We both have now a responsibility to
put new impetus for the growth of this relationship
and I am happy to note that a number of broad
sectors of cooperation which are of mutual interest
to ASEAN and India have already been identified.
These include trade and investment promotion,
science and technology cooperation, tourism, human
resource development and people-to-people
interactions. More specifically, the sectors which
could be explored mutually are petroleum and natural
gas, agriculture, agro-based technology,
biotechnology, power and telecommunication,
information technology, railways and roads, civil
aviation and financial services.
6. I wish to reiterate here that there are indeed
good prospects for improving economic and business
opportunities between ASEAN and India. Between 1993
and 1995, ASEAN's total trade with India increased
by nearly 60 percent from US$2.9 billion to US$4.6
billion, with exports exceeding imports. On the
investment front, ASEAN's investment in India
skyrocketed by 420 percent from US$13.66 million in
1993 to US$372.73 million in 1995. Malaysia,
Singapore and Thailand have led ASEAN's move into
India while Indonesia and the Philippines have also
begun to invest substantially.
7. The expansion of ASEAN embracing all the 10
countries in Southeast Asia will provide a large
market and wider investment opportunities for Indian
companies. ASEAN and India can also explore ways
and means to jointly utilise our resources to invest
in regional activities such as the ASEAN-Mekong
Basin Development Cooperation and the sub-regional
growth areas. With Malaysia, in particular, I would
like to invite the Indian IT companies to invest in
the Multi-media Super Corridor project which the
Malaysian Government is actively promoting.
8. Allow me to use this occasion to highlight the
lack of information and misconceptions about
opportunities in trade and investment between ASEAN
and India. Some Indians perceive ASEAN markets as
being over competitive and on the other hand, many
in ASEAN view India as being too bureaucratic and
still uncomfortable with an open economy. Many
entrepreneurs in ASEAN countries are unaware of the
recent economic reforms in India and think that
trade and investment opportunities remain highly
restricted. Hence, there is a need to address these
misconceptions.
9. In science and technology, ASEAN and India have
much to learn from each other not only in terms of
technical know-how and innovative research but also
in terms of commercialising and marketing these
technologies. I understand that ASEAN and India
have agreed to cooperate initially in three areas,
namely advanced materials, information technology
and biotechnology.
10. Another important area of cooperation that has
to be energised is private sector cooperation. For
any government- initiated trade and investment
measures to succeed, private sector involvement is
crucial. The private sector must play a leading
role and the Governments of ASEAN and India should
strive to build up a strong network of private
sector cooperation as a parallel framework around
government-initiated activities. This can be
achieved by providing the private sectors of both
sides with a predictable and conducive framework to
come together and explore possibilities of combining
their forces and resources in intra-and inter-ASEAN-
India joint ventures. The ASEAN-India Business
Council (AIBC) recently established is indeed a good
vehicle for the private sectors from the regions to
interact and exchange information and views.
11. Tourism is a growing industry and there is no
doubt that this sector has become a major industry
and a source of foreign exchange for both ASEAN and
India. ASEAN and India should work on complementing
measures to increase our capacity in creating
awareness for the exchange of information between
the tourism sectors of ASEAN and India. In addition
to this, the existing exchange programmes and
workshops on tourism industry should continue.
12. In the area of human resource development,
training and fellowship, I have no doubt much can be
done between ASEAN and India. Regular exchanges of
visit and programmes between the educational
institutions and the think-tanks of both regions
should be vigorously pursued. There are both
challenges as well as opportunities in consolidating
the ASEAN-India relations.
13. It now gives me great pleasure to declare open
the First ASEAN-India Lecture Series.
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