India, Nov. 4 -- India-ASEAN strategic partnership has continued to prosper despite the prevailing "era of uncertainties," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his virtual address to the 22nd India-ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur. His statement was well contextualised, given the long-built "cultural capital" between India and ASEAN, while echoing the spirit of companionship from the Global South.

The relationship between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is rooted in centuries of cultural, economic, and maritime interactions. Ancient trade routes across the Bay of Bengal connected the Indian subcontinent with Southeast Asia, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and philosophies. Institutions like the AS...