Cultural and Civilisational Links between India and Southeast Asia

375 Pages·2018·10.77 MB·English

by  Shyam Saran

Edited by Shyam Saran
C U LT U R A L A N D
C I V I L I S AT I O N A L L I N K S
B E T W E E N I N D I A A N D
S O U T H E A S T A S I A
Historical and
Contemporary Dimensions
Cultural and Civilisational Links between India
and Southeast Asia
Shyam Saran
Editor
Cultural and
Civilisational Links
between India and
Southeast Asia
Historical and Contemporary Dimensions
Editor
Shyam Saran
Centre for Policy Research
New Delhi, India
Research and Information System
for Developing Countries (RIS)
New Delhi, India
ISBN 978-981-10-7316-8 ISBN 978-981-10-7317-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7317-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018937672
© ASEAN-India Centre at Research and Information System for Developing Countries
(RIS) 2018
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F
oreword
India and Southeast Asia inhabit a shared geographical and cultural space.
India’s cultural and civilizational linkages with Southeast Asia date back
thousands of years. In fact, no other country has such strong links with
Southeast Asia as India does, by way of religion, language, culture and
civilization.
India’s relations with ASEAN have gained momentum, embedded
firmly in “culture, commerce and connectivity”. Starting as a sectoral part-
ner of ASEAN in 1992, India became a dialogue partner of ASEAN in
1996, a summit-level partner in 2002 and a strategic partner in 2012. On
January 25, 2018, India and ASEAN celebrated 25 years of their partner-
ship, at a commemorative summit in New Delhi, with the participation of
Heads of State/Government from all the ten countries of ASEAN and
India. For the first time, all the ten ASEAN leaders also attended India’s
Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2018, in New Delhi, as Guests
of Honour.
Our shared cultural linkages help us to understand and confront con-
temporary challenges. Our leaders recognize that there is a need to deepen
ASEAN-India ties, based on our rich cultural affinities. It is also recog-
nized that there is a need to create greater awareness of the linkages
between India and ASEAN.
The ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), Research and Information System for
Developing Countries (RIS) in collaboration with the Indian Council for
Cultural Research (ICCR) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA),
Government of India, organized an International Conference on “ASEAN-
India Cultural Links: Historical and Contemporary Dimensions”, which
v
vi FOREwORD
was held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on July 23–24, 2015.
Twenty-four eminent scholars from several parts of the world presented
their research papers at this Conference. This book titled Cultural and
Civilisational Links between India and Southeast Asia: Historical and
Contemporary Dimensions, edited by Ambassador Shyam Saran, presents
several dimensions of cultural linkages between India and Southeast Asia.
It contains research papers, written by eminent scholars on various aspects
of historical and cultural relations between India and Southeast Asia,
which were presented at the Conference.
As India’s engagement with the ASEAN countries moves forward, the
socio-cultural linkages between the two regions can be utilized effectively
to expand collaboration, beyond the economic and political domains into
areas of education, tourism and people-to-people contact. Several new
ideas for strengthening our cultural relations emerge in this book.
I congratulate Ambassador Shyam Saran and the AIC in publishing this
book for the use of a larger audience. I am confident this book will serve
as a valuable reference for researchers and policymakers.
Preeti Saran
P
reFace
India–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) relations have
witnessed remarkable growth in recent years. At the ASEAN–India
Commemorative Summit 2012 in New Delhi, the two sides elevated rela-
tions to a strategic partnership. The summit welcomed the report of the
ASEAN–India Eminent Persons’ Group and its vision statement on the
future of these relations. In this context, the summit encouraged ‘the
study, documentation and dissemination of knowledge about civilization
along links between ASEAN and India’. India’s Act East Policy has
imparted fresh momentum to these relations in all their multifarious
dimensions, including in the field of arts and culture. ASEAN and India
are celebrating twenty-five years of partnership.
The ASEAN–India Centre (AIC) at the Research and Information
System for Developing Countries (RIS) in collaboration with the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA), Government of India, organised an international confer-
ence ‘ASEAN–India Cultural Links: Historical and Contemporary
Dimensions’ at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 23–24 July 2015.
Twenty-four eminent scholars from ASEAN countries, India and several
other countries presented original research papers at this conference. They
discussed a number of key issues that are relevant to the objective of deep-
ening ASEAN–India cultural relations. These are now presented in a sin-
gle volume, which will become a valuable reference for scholars and
researchers, but will be of interest to the general reader as well.
I would like to record my appreciation of the efforts made by Dr Prabir
De and his team at AIC in putting together this volume. I wish to thank
vii
viii PREFACE
the Director General, Dr Sachin Chaturvedi, and other colleagues at RIS
for their constant support and cooperation. I wish to thank the President
of ICCR, Professor Lokesh Chandra, and its former Director General, Dr
Satish C. Mehta, who lent their valuable support to the conference and
contributed to its success.
I am also grateful to Ambassador Anil wadhwa, former Secretary (East),
MEA, Government of India; Ambassador Preeti Saran, Present Secretary
(East), MEA, Government of India; Ms Pooja Kapur, former Joint
Secretary (ASEAN Multilateral), MEA, Government of India; and Mr
Anurag Bhushan, the current Joint Secretary (ASEAN Multilateral),
MEA, Government of India for their support and cooperation.
This book provides new ideas and suggestions related to deepening
ASEAN–India cultural relations. It will be welcomed by all those who
have an interest in the rich and remarkable history and contemporary
dimensions of India’s cultural engagement with its Southeast Asian
neighbours.
New Delhi, India Shyam Saran
a
cknowledgements
Cultural and Civilisational Links between India and Southeast Asia:
Historical and Contemporary Dimensions has been edited by Ambassador
Shyam Saran, former chairman, RIS, with the support of Prof. Prabir De,
Coordinator, AIC at RIS, who has also coordinated the ASEAN–India
Cultural Links Project under the overall guidance of Ambassador Shyam
Saran.
we are grateful to Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS for
his guidance and encouragement. The publication has immensely bene-
fited from discussions with Ms Malini Saran and Dr Sudha Gopalakrishnan.
In particular, we are thankful to Dr Kapila Vatsyayan and Prof. Lokesh
Chandra for their contribution, guidance and cooperation. Editorial assis-
tance has been received from Ms Sarah Hasan, Mr Sunando Basu and Ms
Sreya Pan.
Every chapter in this volume went through a peer review process. we
are thankful to the authors who have extended their fullest support and
adhered to deadlines while revising these chapters, despite their busy
schedules.
we are grateful to Ambassador Anil wadhwa, former Secretary (East),
MEA, Government of India; Ambassador Preeti Saran, Present Secretary
(East), MEA, Government of India; Ms. Pooja Kapur, former Joint
Secretary (ASEAN Multilateral), MEA, Government of India; Mr Anurag
Bhushan, the current Joint Secretary (ASEAN Multilateral), MEA,
Government of India; Col. Sandeep Puri, Director (ASEAN Multilateral),
MEA, Government of India; and Mr Abhijit Chakraborty, Deputy
ix
x ACKNOwLEDGEMENTS
Secretary (ASEAN Multilateral), MEA, Government of India, for their
support and cooperation.
In particular, we are thankful to Ambassador Suresh Reddy, Indian
Ambassador to ASEAN, for his cooperation. Ms Niharika Gupta and Ms
Kiran wagh extended very useful administrative assistance throughout the
project. At Palgrave Macmillan, we are thankful to Dr Sagarika Ghosh and
Ms Sandeep Kaur for fast-tracking the project and for extending their
cooperation at every stage of publication.
Views expressed in this book are those of the contributors and not
those of the Government of India or those of ASEAN countries, RIS,
AIC, ASEAN Secretariat, or the Indian Council for Cultural Relations
(ICCR). Usual disclaimers apply.