South East Asia and Oceania

About Centre

The South East Asia and Oceania Centre focuses on policy-relevant research with respect to the ten ASEAN states, East Timor and Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand. The Centre studies India’s bilateral and multilateral relations with states of the region with a view to providing contemporary relevance to India’s Look East policy. It has a futuristic-looking approach and examines the emerging trends in the regional security architecture. The Centre studies the potential for India’s enhanced defence cooperation (including maritime issues) and cooperation in non-traditional security issues with the region. It examines internal developments of countries in this region, especially political transitions and the role of the military, and their implications for India. The Centre seeks to promote Track-II institutional linkages with the region. Southeast Asia & Oceania Centre brings out a monthly newsletter – Insight Southeast Asia.

India and Indonesia: Trade and Investment Complementarities

To maximise gains from their bilateral relations, India and Indonesia have to tread a middle path - a mix of furthering economic complementarities while competing to attract foreign investments.

Rahul Mishra
January 25, 2011
Issue Brief

Mosaics of Cultures: Investigating the Role of Cultural Linkages in India-Indonesia Relations

The cultural linkages between India and Indonesia have to be leveraged, as a foreign policy tool, to take India-Indonesia relations to the next level.

Rahul Mishra
January 19, 2011
Issue Brief

Indonesia- China relations: Challenges and Opportunities

During the course of their sixty year-old bilateral relationship, Indonesia and China have gone through many ups and downs. A great part of the formative years of this relationship was marred by mutual apathy, if not distrust.

Indonesia-US Relations in the context of President Obama’s visit

President Obama’s visit to Indonesia is expected to excise the sense of drift in the relationship that had crept in the post-Suharto phase of transition.

Udai Bhanu Singh
November 10, 2010
IDSA Comments

Myanmar Elections: Domestic Apathy and International Concerns

The outcome of the elections in Myanmar is awaited anxiously by the international community but not much change is expected.

Rahul Mishra
November 04, 2010
IDSA Comments

The Second US-ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in New York

The second US-ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in New York hints at concerns about China’s assertiveness and acknowledges a role for US balancing.

Udai Bhanu Singh
October 07, 2010
IDSA Comments

Indonesia’s Protracted War on Terrorism: The Importance of Abu Bakar Ba’asyir’s Arrest

Indonesia, which has been taking significant measures to curb terrorism, scored another success with the arrest of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir aka ABB, suspected of having funded and ideologically motivated Al Qaeda Aceh, in early August 2010. The arrest is just one of the steps in a long, consistent and protracted fight to maintain Indonesia’s secular, democratic and republican credentials.

Australia’s Tryst with Coalition Politics

A ‘Labor government with Independent-Green characteristics’ will have an impact on the government’s style of functioning and might lead to changes in the very core of Australia’s domestic and foreign policy orientations.

Rahul Mishra
August 25, 2010
IDSA Comments

Elections in Myanmar

On one hand the military Junta is wary of the international backlash in case it tampers with the election process, and on the other it knows what its fate would be if ‘truly fair and democratic elections’ are held.

Rahul Mishra
August 19, 2010
IDSA Comments

Julia Gillard’s Political Moves

To distance herself from the adverse fallout of the unpopular policy decisions taken by Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard has decided to seek a fresh mandate from the electorate.