ASEAN serves the twin purpose of developing India's Northeast and augmenting the country's reach in the Southeast Asian region. Comment.

Recently, 20th India-ASEAN summit was held where bilateral relations were elevated to comprehensive strategic partnership level. This indicate the vitality of relationship. ASEAN plays a crucial role in developing North east region. 1) Connectivity - Various schemes like - India-Myanmar-Thailand zonal bilateral provided the region access to sea routes, India Thailand Myanmar, ensuring human, currency bye-off. 2) People to people movement - with ethnic ties across border. People movement brings economic opportunities. 3) Access to nearly market in the region. 4) Checking hand-boundary animal human, currency buffering. 5) Plus ensuring peace and stability in the region by checking insurgent groups like - operate sunshine.

Augmenting reach in South east - connecting through improved connectivity like Myanmar of maritime routes like cabbage port. Economic opportunities - like access to large market, investment opportunities eg - India-ASEAN FTA, 2010, 2015. Access to mineral resources - like India's interest in the offshore crude oil in Vietnam. Defence cooperation in the region - like selling of Brahmos to Philippines - joint exercise like - JIMEX with Singapore. Part of regional governance and decision making through cooperation on platforms like - ASEAN defence ministerial meeting etc. Political engagement - suppose political relations through continuous engagements, highest dialogue. India has given priority to Act East policy which signifies the role ASEAN as a collective entity can play to pursue interest in the South east region and fulfill development needs of North East.