Need For India-Asean Joint Framework Of Cooperation In Digital Space -- High Commissioner

By V.Sankara KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 20 (Bernama) -- There is a need to create a joint framework of cooperation in the field of digital space between India and ASEAN countries, says India's High Commissioner to Malaysia Mridul Kumar. Mridul said he believes the digital collaboration between the 10-member regional grouping and India will not only continue to strengthen, but this could also offer a template for the rest of the world to emulate. “India’s digital economy is evolving rapidly. There has been an upsurge in the use of digital technology in every sector of the economy. “Similarly, ASEAN countries have also been adopting digital technology in their governance systems as well as in businesses and services. “The vast experience of India and ASEAN countries would be helpful in building a robust security infrastructure, which is indispensable for digital trade and e-commerce,” he told Bernama in an interview via e-mail. Mridul said a large number of netizens in India are firmly embedded with the expanding digital ecosystem, where the use of mobile phones, social media, e-commerce, digital payments, and e-governance services are becoming more common among the republic’s large rural population. “As you are aware, India is one of the pioneer countries in Asia in the area of digital transformations. India’s cooperation in the field of digital economy would further strengthen bilateral trade, economic and science and technology ties with ASEAN countries,” he said. Commenting on current India's cooperation with ASEAN in the field of the digital economy, the High Commissioner said New Delhi's relationship with ASEAN goes back to early 1990, when India’s “Look East Policy” was enunciated. “India became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1996, a Summit-level Partner in 2002 and Strategic Partner in 2012. "The upgradation of this partnership to Strategic Partnership was a natural corollary to the growth of India-ASEAN relationship during the last two decades,” he said. India is the second-largest country in Asia, with a population of 1.3 billion. Mridul said currently, India is a dynamic and growing economy with a strong and diversified industrial base and that the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated far-reaching digital reforms in every sector of the economy, be it trade, industry, foreign investment, finance, taxation and the public sector. Malaysia will chair the first ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting (ADGMIN1) via teleconference from tomorrow to Friday, Jan 22. Themed "ASEAN: A Digitally Connected Community", the meeting seeks to strengthen cooperation among ASEAN countries towards building digital ecosystems as a pillar in the post-COVID-19 development plan. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN comprise 10 member states namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam. -- BERNAMA