The Coming Together of Asean Countries Marks a Paradigm Shift In
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Vol: 26 | No. 2 | February 2018 | R20 www.opinionexpress.in A MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE COVER STORY COMMON GOAL The coming together of ASEAN countries marks a paradigm shift in international relations Thank You BIPL %DODML,QIUD3URMHFWV/LPLWHG www.balaji.co.in www.dighiport.in editorial ASEAN - Aggressive RNI UP–ENG 70032/92, Volume 26, No 2 EDITOR Prashant Tewari diplomacy of a ASSOCiate EDITOR Dr Rahul Misra POLITICAL EDITOR perceived soft state Prakhar Misra ndia’s 69th Republic day function was planned in advance for securing massive BUREAU CHIEF Anshuman Dogra (DELHI), Diwakar Shetty diplomatic edge over India’s strategic challenger China. The time for big-ticket di- (MUMBAI), Sidhartha Sharma (KOLKATA), plomacy with Asean to counter China’s hegemony was staged in an unprecedented Lakshmi Devi (BANGALORE ) DIvyash Bajpai I convergence of 10 heads of state or governments from Asean for (USA), KAPIL DUDAKIA (UNITED KINGDOM) Rajiv Agnihotri (MAURITIUS), Romil Raj the 69th Republic Day parade to showcase the groups’ the grow- Bhagat (DUBAI), Herman Silochan (CANADA), ing solidarity with India. Former PM PV Narsimha Rao’s ‘Act Dr Shiv Kumar (AUS/NZ), Nithya Ramesh East Policy’ is put to practice brilliantly by PM Narendra Modi (Fashion & Entertainment ) is India’s answer to the rapid geopolitical transformation in the CONTENT partner Indo-Pacific region and the presence of ten Asean leaders to The Pioneer Pratham Pravakta commemorate India’s vibrant democracy and cultural diversity LegaL AdviSORS will not be lost, particularly in Asia. The presence of all the major Vishnu Sharma Adv countries head of states meant that they see India as the alter- Vijai Krishna Adv nate Asian power in the region and the unilateral dominance of AdvertiSEMENT / MARKETING DIRECTOR China is softly balanced by India. Diwakar Shetty Gopal Chopra China’s distinctly hegemonic moves in the last few years in the South China Sea and its growing assertiveness has made Asean look towards India as a ‘partner’ for equilib- ADMINIStrative DIRECTOR Amit Pandey rium. Despite FTA in services and investments with India, Asean’s trade in 2016-17 Bal Mukund Gaur was only $70 billion, in comparison to the $470 billion trade with China. Asean econo- Corporate COMMUNICation / PR mies depend upon China for survival but the members are uncomfortable with it. The Sanjay Mendiratta full potential of India-Asean relations is yet to be tapped. Culture, which can provide M M Upadhaya strong binding force, has been neglected for too long despite the rhetoric. The neglect GRAPHICS & DESIGN Writeword Commuications (Studio 8) of Bodh Gaya, the holiest of place for Buddhist pilgrims, is baffling. The Nalanda Uni- versity Project has been a disappointment. ASEAN, on its part, should be more ambi- Photographer Ratan Shukla tious with defence and security cooperation with India. Can India think of exporting OVERSEAS MARKETING its Light Combat Aircraft and other defence equipment to ASEAN? India should pro- OEMCL Ltd (Mauritius), OEHCL ltd (DUBAI) pose solid, concrete projects for defence cooperation and deliver on them. The revival AdvertiSEMENT / CIRCULation: of the India-Australia-US-Japan Quad in the context of Indo-Pacific reflects India’s Delhi / NCR - Hemant Sharma: D 239 move towards extending its ‘Act East Policy’ beyond ASEAN. To reassure the group- Defence Colony New Delhi 110024 INDIA Tel – 011 49060350 ing, India has been careful in emphasising ASEAN’s centrality in Indo-Pacific. What Mumbai - Vijay Kalantri – Advisor: New do ASEAN countries think of ‘Indo-Pacific’ idea? There should be a serious dialogue ExcelsIor BUILDING, 6tH Floor, A.K. NAYAK with the member nations on this. The “Indo Pacific diplomatic terminology is coined MARG, Fort, MUMBAI - 400001 (INDIA). by President Trump to dilute “south China sea” reference. Phone: 91 - 22 - 22019265 / 22019160 If China scares ASEAN, the US confuses them. The unilateral withdrawal of the FAX : 91-22- 22019764 / 22019760 US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership has left many ASEAN members even more de- The magazine is published and printed by Rajiv Agnihotri for Opinion Express Communications pendent on China which is moving rapidly to fill the vacuum left by the US withdrawal. & Entertainments Pvt Ltd, from Kumpu Graphic They see erosion in the US influence in the region and its capability to stand up to Press 2 Ashok Nagar, Lucknow & printed at China. India will have to show ambition and capacities and ASEAN will have to shed Kumpu Graphic Press 2 Ashok Nagar, Lucknow – 226001 Tele : 91-522-4060880 & its hesitations vis-a-vis India in the security arena. New areas of cooperation, particu- Nikhil Offset An ISO 9001 : 2008 Certified larly, in science and technology, space security, food security, cyber security, need to Company 223, DSIDC Complex, Okhla Industrial be explored. The Republic day parade is a good occasion to give a new direction to Area Phase - I, New Delhi - 110020 Tele : 91- the India Asean cooperation and announce some big ticket India will have to show 26812316, 26810097, 26810458, FAX:91 45792362 E-Mail : [email protected], ambition and capacities and ASEAN will have to shed its hesitations vis-a-vis India in [email protected] the security arena. New areas of cooperation, particularly, in science and technology, Registered Office: OPINION EXPRESS HOUSE space security, food security, cyber security, need to be explored. The Republic day 24-A Clyde Road, Lucknow-226001 (India) Phone: 91-522-4060880 parade is a good occasion to give a new direction to the India Asean cooperation and Fax: 91-522-2208242 # 24x7 announce some big ticket In 1967 India was offered the membership of ASEAN but it mobility +91 9984437000 declined because ASEAN was seen as an instrument of cold war politics. With the situ- email: [email protected] ation changed, India should make a bid for it if ASEAN membership opens up. This All disputes are subject to be under jurisdiction of courts in Delhi. may help to deal with the turbulence in Indo-Pacific better. Some people are already All content published may be subject to copyright, discussing this possibility. The potential of the Indo Pacific region is tremendous and seek written permission to re-produce. Opinion it is a diplomatic tool to build India in a global power. Express is trade mark brand of Opinion Express Communications & Entertainment Private Limited. —Prashant Tewari , Editor-in-Chief OPINIon EXPRESS FEBRUARY 2018 3 A Monthly News Magazine FebruarY 2018 COver STORY MARKING A PARADIGM SHIFT OF SHARED VALUES, COMMON DESTINY P 6-15 No, Master 17 My Lord Craftsman UP AGAINST 20 ODDS 46 Why does Davos matter? P 42 25 High Impact girl Rakul is southern Sibal’s court blunder or master- heartthrob 29 stroke for Congress in GE 2019 Wealth Of 34 A Nation India retains No.1 ranking in 40 Test cricket 4 FEBRUARY 2018 OPINIon EXPRESS Govt banks big time on Modicare ‘No reimbursement scheme, it will be cashless’ inance minister Arun Jaitley said the year it will be worked out. going to be a major challenge in that,” that the world’s biggest health If assuming the model to be insur- he said. Fcover plan announced in the ance led, the premium shrink with the Jaitley in the Budget speech said, Union Budget will be cashless and not a increase in number of policy holders, he “We are all aware that lakhs of fami- reimbursement scheme, and promised said at an event organised by a maga- lies in our country have to borrow or more funds if required depending on zine. The scheme although appreciated sell assets to receive indoor treatment the rollout later next financial year. by experts also raises apprehension in hospitals. Government is seriously The National Health Protection about its implementation and the initial concerned about such impoverishment Scheme (NHPS) touted as ModiCare corpus of just Rs 2,000 crore. of poor and vulnerable families. Present envisaged to provide medical cover of Assuring that the scheme will be en- RSBY provide annual coverage of only up to Rs 5 lakh to over 10 crore poor and tirely state funded, Jaitley said initial Rs 30,000 to poor families.” vulnerable families, constituting 40% of funds of Rs 2,000 crore has been allo- Several state governments have also the population. cated and whatever funds required, as implemented supplemented health pro- “It takes care of hospitalisation, the the scheme rolls over, would be made tection schemes providing varying cov- secondary and tertiary care. Obviously, available. erage, he had said in the Lok Sabha. it will involve various state hospitals “In the coming year, I see more com- The finance minister also advocated and selected private hospitals. It can be fortable situation as far as revenues are that the central and the state govern- on trust model, it can be on insurance concerned because the graphs as far as ment can pool in resources for health model. It’s not on reimbursement mod- direct tax is concerned would move very care to achieve efficiency. el because too many complaints come fast,” he said. He also emphasised on having bet- on the reimbursement model,” he said. Following demonetisation and im- ter hospitals in rural areas even though The model is now being worked out plementation of Goods and Services Tier I and Tier II cities have good hos- between the NITI Aayog and the health Tax, the number of direct tax assesses pitals. ministry, he said, adding that the date have gone up ... once anti-evasion mea- Setting up of hospitals in various of implementation would be next finan- sures, I do expect a little bump up in the districts is the state subject under the cial year and sometime in the course of GST collection also.