The ASEAN Summit is an annual meeting held by the member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in relation to economic, and cultural development of Southeast Asian countries.

The league of ASEAN is currently connected with other countries who intended to participate on the missions and visions of the league. Apparently, the league is conducting an annual meetings with other countries in an organization collectively known as the ASEAN dialogue partners. ASEAN +3 adds China, Japan and South Korea. The formal summit are held in three days. The usual itinerary are as follows:

  • ASEAN leaders hold an internal organization meeting. 
  • ASEAN leaders hold a conference together with foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum. 
  • Leaders of 3 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN+3) namely China, Japan and South Korea hold a meeting with the ASEAN leaders. 
  • And a separate meeting is set for leaders of 2 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN+CER) namely Australia and New Zealand 

ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2012 

To mark the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership and the 10th anniversary of ASEAN-India Summit-level partnership, India hosted the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on December 20-21, 2012. The theme of the summit was ‘ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace and Shared Prosperity’.

The Summit has resulted in the adoption of the Vision Statement which will chart the future direction of ASEAN-India relations. The ASEAN-India Eminent Persons Group (AIEPG) submitted their recommendations to the Leaders on future relations between ASEAN and India at the 10th ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh.

Enhancing relations with ASEAN has been central to India’s “Look East Policy” and there has been steady progress in the relationship with ASEAN countries since the policy was initiated in 1991. India became a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992, and a full dialogue partner in 1996. Since 2002, we have had annual Summits with ASEAN. After the Commemorative Summit on Dec 20-21 2012 in Delhi, India has become a strategic partner of ASEAN.

The ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit was the culmination of several events organized in celebration of the partnership. These included a number of Ministerial level Meetings, people to people initiatives, B2B activities and cultural programmes both in India and the ASEAN countries.

The Logo for the Commemorative Summit was launched by External Affairs Minister at a special event organized on the sidelines of the 10th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh on July 11, 2012.

External Affairs Minister with his ASEAN Counterparts at the launch of the logo forthe Special ASEAN-India Commomerative Summit in Phnom Penh (July 11, 2012).

Two flagship events were organized as part of the commemorative year: Shipping Expedition of INS Sudarshini to ASEAN countries (on-going till March 2013) and the ASEAN-India Car Rally 2012.

The INS Sudarshini Shipping Expedition was flagged off on 15 September 2012 from Kochi and is scheduled to conclude on 29 March 2013. The shipping expedition traces the ancient trade route along the monsoon winds and is conceptualized to highlight India’s traditional and current maritime linkages with South East Asia and emphasize connectivity and the continuous flow of intellectual ideas, economic trade and the civilizational interface between the people of the region. INS Sudarshini would call on ports in nine ASEAN countries during this expedition. Various “Marker” events – B2B events by FICCI and ICC, Kolkata and cultural events by ICCR – are being organized at various ports of call.

PHNOM PENH 18-20 Nov 2012 Cambodia hosts 21st ASEAN Summit

Cambodia, 2012 president of the 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations, hosts its second ASEAN summit of the year. The 7th East Asia Summit (EAS) follows, bringing eight additional world leaders, all keen for fuller access to the vast SE-Asian market, to the city. With Europe’s crisis showing just what can go wrong with integration, there are signs that the bloc’s enthusiasm for full regional integration by 2015, with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), is cooling. At both summits, China would prefer to keep the debate on trade and away from the issue of the South China Sea.

ASEAN’s Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties to the South China Sea appears to be doing little to ease rising tensions over competing territorial claims in the waterway. China is buttressing its claims with an increasingly robust military presence. South Korea and Japan recently almost signed a military pact to help counter China’s rising military might, and the Philippines is looking to United States help to bolster its territorial claims. Both Russia and the United States have announced plans to shift their military focus to the region. The New York Times pointed out in June that China’s view of Southeast Asia is complicated. Economically, it would like to see a strong ASEAN, but on some delicate territorial issues, Beijing insists on dealing with countries individually.

The AEC goals include the free movement of goods and services, and an even freer movement of capital and talents among the 10 member states. Malaysia’s Star observed in July that as the bloc observes the crisis in the euro zone and European Union in general, people now asking if the AEC is a good idea after all. The newspaper asks if, given the range in economic development, diverse political and economic systems and cultural differences, whether ASEAN can be molded into a community and whether regional cooperation should be forced.

Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam make up ASEAN. The EAS is now 18 members strong -- Russia and the United States were admitted in 2011. The other EAS members are Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan and South Korea.

 List of previous summits 

Twentyfirst ASEAN Summit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 18 November 2012
Twentieth ASEAN Summit, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 03-04 April 2012
Nineteenth ASEAN Summit, Bali, Indonesia, 14-19 November 2011
Eighteenth ASEAN Summit, Jakarta, 7-8 May 2011
Seventeenth ASEAN Summit, Ha Noi, 28-30 October 2010
Sixteenth ASEAN Summit, Ha Noi, 8-9 April 2010
Fifteenth ASEAN Summit, Cha-Am Hua Hin, Thailand, 23-25 October 2009
Fourteenth ASEAN Summit, Cha-am, Thailand, 26 February - 1 March 2009
Thirteenth ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 18-22 November 2007
Twelfth ASEAN Summit, Cebu, Philippines, 9-15 January 2007
Eleventh ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 12-14 December 2005
Tenth ASEAN Summit, Vientiane, 29-30 November 2004
Ninth ASEAN Summit, Bali, 7-8 October 2003
Eighth ASEAN Summit, Phnom Penh, 4-5 November 2002
Seventh ASEAN Summit, Bandar Seri Begawan, 5-6 November 2001
Fourth Informal Summit, Singapore, 22-25 November 2000
Third Informal Summit, Manila, 27-28 November 1999
Sixth ASEAN Summit, Ha Noi, 15-16 December 1998
Second Informal Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 14-16 December 1997
First Informal Summit, Jakarta, 30 November 1996
Fifth ASEAN Summit, Bangkok, 14-15 December 1995
Fourth ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 27-29 January 1992
Third ASEAN Summit, Manila, 14-15 December 1987
Second ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 4-5 August 1977
First ASEAN Summit, Bali, 23-24 February 1976