Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI549
2005-01-20 13:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:  

INDIA ON EAST ASIA SUMMIT: NOT WITHOUT ME

Tags:  PREL PGOV ECIN IN ASEAN 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000549 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECIN IN ASEAN
SUBJECT: INDIA ON EAST ASIA SUMMIT: NOT WITHOUT ME

REF: A. SINGAPORE 148

B. 04 STATE 275091

C. 04 NEW DELHI 8051

Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt. Reasons 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000549

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECIN IN ASEAN
SUBJECT: INDIA ON EAST ASIA SUMMIT: NOT WITHOUT ME

REF: A. SINGAPORE 148

B. 04 STATE 275091

C. 04 NEW DELHI 8051

Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt. Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: Following the November 2004 ASEAN Plus One
Summit in Vientiane, the MEA scoffed at the idea of an East
Asia Summit, but a recent conversation with MEA Joint
Secretary (Southeast Asia Two) Biren Nanda indicates India

SIPDIS
has shifted from that position. It now appears that India,
if invited, would welcome the opportunity to participate.
The Singapore High Commission has told us that India has not
made a concerted effort to secure an invitation, which may
reflect what one New Delhi foreign policy expert describes as
the GOI's perception that Southeast Asia wants India's
presence in the region as a balance to China. End Summary.

India Changes Its Mind
--------------


2. (C) In a January 14 meeting with PolCouns and Poloff, the
MEA's Biren Nanda avoided a detailed discussion of the East
Asia Summit (EAS),but his quiet insistence that India's
participation was up to the ASEAN members was in sharp
contrast to his colleague, Joint Secretary (Southeast Asia
One) Mitra Vashishta's (protect) vehement dismissal of the
Summit in December (ref C). Whereas Vashishta argued that
the EAS would be "a waste of time," telling PolCouns that one
of the GOI's objectives in Vientiane was to make New Delhi's
position known, Nanda said India was interested in closer
ties with ASEAN, and would be happy to participate in an EAS
if invited. Disguising his earlier enthusiasm, later in the
conversation Nanda reiterated that India's invitation to the
EAS was ASEAN's decision to make, adding that "we have
engagement through ASEAN Plus One."

New Delhi's Not Trying Very Hard
--------------


3. (C) Singapore High Commission First Secretary Edmund Chia
told Poloff on January 20 that if India is not included in
the first EAS, it will not be possible to have New Delhi
participate for a long time. The majority inclination in
ASEAN right now, he continued, is not to invite India, adding
that Singapore does support bringing in the GOI, as reported
in ref A. Part of the problem, Chia remarked, is that New
Delhi is not trying very hard. He characterized New Delhi's
foreign policy attitude as more focused on the larger
countries and regions, particularly, the US, the EU, and
sometimes China. Therefore, no one in the GOI really pays
attention to Southeast or East Asia until the Foreign
Minister is about to take a trip. While India would probably
like to be included in the EAS, Chia observed, he has seen no
GOI lobbying for it.

They Really Like Us
--------------


4. (C) In December, the MEA's Vashishta commented to
PolCouns that "Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand are all on
our side, because of the magic of the PM." Capturing that
attitude, Jawarhalal Nehru University Professor of East Asian
Studies Manmohini Kaul remarked to Poloff recently on
Southeast Asia's view of New Delhi, "India is wanted in the
region, but the question is, how keen is India?" New Delhi
is still "preoccupied" with South Asia as an area of
immediate and ongoing concern, she noted, explaining that
India is more comfortable with South Asian groupings where
India is "in the driver's seat" than it is in the more
diverse and competitive ASEAN milieu. On the GOI's East Asia
policy, Kaul, who is also on a kitchen cabinet of advisors to
the Indian Foreign Secretary, pointed out that India does
want to play a larger role, but is not "executing" the way
China has.

Comment
--------------


5. (C) With the assumption in the Foreign Ministry that the
invitation is in the mail, GOI opposition to the EAS seems to
have vanished. As we had suspected, GOI opposition to the
EAS was rooted in a fear of being left out, more than
concerns about redundancy with ASEAN Plus Three. In contrast
to the MEA attitude at the Laos Summit, Nanda's recent
comments ("it's up to ASEAN") reflect the non-proactive
position Singapore has observed. India appears unwilling to
make the effort to secure a seat at the EAS, but will
certainly take notice if not invited, as is the case with the
GOI's lingering unhappiness at not being involved with APEC.
MULFORD