18. ASEAN Cooperation with Dialogue
Partners
The first group of countries which ASEAN’s external
relations centered on were the major trading
partners of ASEAN. ASEAN formally established full
dialogues relations with Australia, Japan, New
Zealand and the UNDP in 1976, the United States in
1977, the European Union in 1980, Canada in
1981, Republic of Korea in 1991. India which was a
Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN since 1993 was
elevated to a Dialogue Partner in 1995. China and
Russia in 1996,Pakistan established Sectoral Dialogue
relations with ASEAN in 1997
19. INDO – ASEAN Trade and Economic
Relations
The trade and economic relations between India
and countries of the ASEAN region though quite
old were not quantitatively significant.
In 1970-71, India’s total trade with the world was of
the order of Rs.3106 crore of which ASEAN
accounted for 1.87 per cent only. ASEAN’s share
in exports and imports during that year was 2.65
and 1.12 per cent respectively. From 1996-97
onwards India’s trade balance with ASEAN
countries has been unfavourable, the imports
exceeding the exports.
