Yash Kumar
Policy Update
BACKGROUND
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also known as ASEAN, is a regional intergovernmental organisation which was established on 8 August, 1967 with the objective of promoting economic, political, security and socio-cultural cooperation among the regional countries. The member states of ASEAN include Brunel, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The headquarters of ASEAN is in Jakarta, Indonesia. The ASEAN aims to promote regional stability, economic integration and cultural exchange. It operates through various mechanisms like the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS)
The ASEAN- India Science and Technology cooperation’s foundation was set up when the diplomatic relations between India and ASEAN began, which was when India became a sectoral dialogue partner with ASEAN in 1992. This partnership marked the beginning of a formal relationship between India and ASEAN, which further initiated the framework for more cooperation in various specialised fields, which include Science and Technology. The collaboration was institutionalised in 1996 with the establishment of the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Working Group (AIWGST), which led to the creation of a dedicated platform for the coordination of joint initiatives in research and innovation.
This cooperation reached new heights in 2008 when the government of India established the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund (AISTDF), which allocated the equivalent of $5 million in Indian rupees to support collaboration in research and development projects. This framework was able to showcase India’s commitment to growing scientific ties with ASEAN member states. The relationship reached another milestone in 2012 when, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary as a dialogue partner, India-ASEAN celebrated a commemorative summit and declared elevating their relationship to a strategic level, further intensifying the importance of scientific collaboration in their partnership.
The most recent advancement in this relationship occurred in 2022 with the establishment of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 19th ASEAN-India summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This development came at the same time as the 30th anniversary of India-ASEAN dialogue relations; this further strengthened the commitment to scientific and technology cooperation as a cornerstone of their strategic partnership.
FUNCTIONS:
The ASEAN-India Science and Technology cooperation functions as a bilateral relationship that is institutionalised through structured funding, joint research, and a policy alignment framework. This partnership is based on shared developmental goals, which aim to address regional disparities through technological innovations, while also overcoming systematic barriers which are inherent to multilateral cooperation. The Management and Execution of the ASEAN-India Science and Technology is done by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), which acts as India’s central agency to coordinate the AISTDF. The cooperation is regulated by the Governing Council of the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund (GC-AISTDF), which holds periodic meetings to review progress and set strategic directions.
Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology chairs the India ASEAN Working Group by providing leadership to this collaboration. The Governing Council of ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund (GC-AISTDF) includes representatives from all the ASEAN member countries and India. The total budget for the cooperation fund is equivalent to $5 million in Indian rupees and is shared by the Department of Science and Technology (Govt. of India) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The projects cover areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), High- Performance Computing (HPC), Marine Science and Technology, and Material Science.
The main objectives of ASEAN-India Science and Technology Cooperation are based on the following principles:
- Promote cooperation in science, technology and innovation by joining research engagement and cross-sectoral development in areas such as health, communicable and infectious disease, ecological governance, adaptation and mitigation as a measurer against climate change, technological advancement in agriculture, sustainable energy, promoting biodiversity, food processing, development of value-added products and space technology.
- Promote cooperation in Biotechnology by training people and joint research and development shared profits.
- Carry out engagements and create programs/ projects under the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund.
So, in order to support their collaboration and facilitate advanced facilities sharing among the researchers of ASEAN MS and India, India and ASEAN also have implemented a joint program on “ASEAN-India Collaborative R&D Program”.
They also have some restrictions on projects from those individuals who already have joint ASEAN-India Projects, those plans which only require individual visits and training programs. Additionally, those who are focused on setting up seminars and workshops or even participating in congress or conferences.
The AISTDF serves as the financing body for the cooperation by supporting various activities:
Collaborative R&D Projects: these focus on cross-sectoral areas- this includes health, ecological governance, adaptation and mitigation as a measurer against climate change, technological advancement in agriculture, sustainable energy, promoting biodiversity, food processing, development of value-added products and space technology.
Research Training: This aims to boost efficiency and facilitate the mobility of researchers between India and ASEAN, which further increases knowledge exchange and skill development.
ASEAN-India Innovation Platform (AIIP): the introduction of ASEAN-India Innovation Platform (AIIP) as a major element of already enhanced AISTDF, the AIIP focuses on developing, transferring and innovating low-cost technologies to address socio-economic challenges which both ASEAN and India have, by doing this they are able to promote mutual benefit.
IMPLEMENTATION:
The Governing Council of ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund, which includes representatives from the Department of Science and Technology, the Ministry of External Affairs and the ASEAN Secretariat. They meet at least once a year or sometimes they conduct regular meetings to monitor the ongoing projects.
During meetings They also evaluate the activities and approve new projects which fulfils the requirements. The proposal for the projects is submitted through a standardised format, technically and financially evaluated, and then funded in Indian rupees, with grants provided to lead Indian institutions in implementation. This cooperation aligns with the ASEAN Plan for Action on Science, Technology and Innovation 2016-2025 and the broader framework of ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity 2021-2025, with special emphasis on ASEAN-centred, action-oriented initiatives.
EVALUATION:
The evaluation of the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Cooperation is conducted using internal mechanisms, but there are limited public or scholarly assessments available. Annual reports from the Department of Science and Technology of India (DST), provide an overview of Science and Technology initiatives, this includes international collaborations. However, specific evaluations of the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Cooperation are not explicitly mentioned in these reports or any other reports. This limits the public insight into its impact. The reports discuss various activities and achievements, such as the total number of funded projects and fellowships.
EMERGING ISSUES:
The ASEAN-India Science and Technology Cooperation is well-developed in framework, but it faces systematic issues that hold back its growth.
The ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund, which was increased to $5 million in 2015, remains insufficient for large-scale projects despite the expansion of the cooperation. Funding distribution remains uneven, with India contributing more than ASEAN countries. Also, the Research & Development expenditure of ASEAN nations remains at an average of 0.8% of their GDP and India at 0.64%, which is far below the global average of 2.6%. This constraint limits the growth or success of this cooperation in the long term.
The different Intellectual Property Rights frameworks across ASEAN states and India making it difficult to innovate jointly. Different standards of both ASEAN and India in Data Protection and Cyber Security regulation makes the implementation of cyber initiatives difficult. The 8th GC-AISTDF (2023) has emphasised the need to bridge gaps in affordable technology access, particularly in rural regions where digital infrastructure is not developed. The CLMV countries fall short in skilled manpower and research infrastructure compared to Singapore and Malaysia, which makes efficient utilisation of the cooperation difficult.
WAY FORWARD:
The ASEAN-India Science and Technology Cooperation is a very important framework which fosters innovation and research collaboration in the region. A strategic and well-implemented approach is essential to maximise the impact of the cooperation. By strengthening the funding mechanism in which the contributions from ASEAN member states will be increased so that the cooperation equally impacts all the concerned states. The contribution will depend on their GDP and their technological capacity. This will provide better financial support for large-scale projects, thus leading to technological advancements and regional integration.
Public-private partnerships will play a crucial role in gathering resources and contributing to innovations; therefore, encouraging industry to participate through incentives such as tax breaks and grants will enhance the collaboration between academia, government and private enterprises. A key priority must be given to increasing policy alignment and regulatory framework so that collaboration can be facilitated efficiently. Policies concerned with Intellectual Property Rights and data protection laws will promote efficient technology transfers and cross-border research initiatives.
By aligning policies and long-term objectives, ensuring financial sustainability and promoting collaboration with ASEAN-India Science and Technology Cooperation, we can increase transformative change while also contributing to economic growth and sustainable development across the region.
REFERENCES:
- Annual Reports | Department of Science & Technology. (n.d.). https://dst.gov.in/annual-reports
- ASEAN India S&T Cooperation. (n.d.). https://aistic.gov.in/ASEAN/aistdfMandate
- ASEAN India S&T Cooperation. (n.d.-b). https://aistic.gov.in/ASEAN/aistdfCollaborative
- ASEAN India S&T Cooperation. (n.d.-c). https://aistic.gov.in/ASEAN/aistdfInnovatPltm
- AIDCR. (2021). In ASEAN-India Centre. https://aseanindiacentre.org.in/sites/default/files/Publication/AIDCR%202021.pdf
- Rodriguez, V., & Soeparwata, A. (2012). ASEAN benchmarking in terms of science, technology, and innovation from 1999 to 2009. Scientometrics, 92(3), 549–573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0603-7
- The ASEAN Economic Community: Progress, Challenges, and Prospects. (2013). In ADBI Working Paper Series. Asian Development Bank Institute. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/156295/adbi-wp440.pdf
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR: Yash Kumar is a research intern at IMPRI, pursuing his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics and Sociology with a minor in Political Science from Christ University, Bangalore.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The author would like to thank Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja for supporting and reviewing my article.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organization.
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