Jakarta, 7 October 2025: ERIA, in collaboration with the Council for International Economic Understanding (CIEU), hosted a high-level roundtable discussion under the theme ‘Reimagining the World with India + ASEAN: Towards a Multipolar Global Order Anchored in Resilience, Equity, and Shared Prosperity.’ Held at ERIA’s office in Jakarta, the event gathered senior policymakers, economists, industry leaders, and representatives from the Permanent Missions to ASEAN from across the Indo-Pacific region.

The roundtable explored how India and ASEAN can work together to strengthen resilience, promote equitable growth, and shape a multipolar world order. It highlighted the ongoing global recalibration away from post-Cold War unipolarity towards a more distributed system of leadership and co-operation. In this shifting landscape, India and ASEAN stand out as natural partners – anchored in shared civilisational values, strong economic complementarities, and a mutual commitment to strategic autonomy.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from H.E. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, followed by keynote addresses from H.E. Dr Meenakshi Lekhi, Former Minister of State for External Affairs and Member of the Board of Governors of CIEU, and H.E. Shri Srinivas Gotru, Ambassador of India to ASEAN. Their remarks reaffirmed the growing ASEAN–India partnership in advancing shared prosperity and fostering an inclusive, rules-based regional order.

The roundtable was structured around two thematic sessions. The first, ‘Resilient Supply Chains and Co-Production Ecosystems: From “China +1” to “India + ASEAN + Global South”, ’ was moderated by Ms Anita Prakash (Director for Partnership at ERIA) and featured scene-setting presentations by Dr Dionisius A. Narjoko (ERIA), Dr Alloysius Joko Purwanto (ERIA), Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi (ERIA), and Mr Jagjeet Sareen (CIEU). The second session, ‘Digital Public Infrastructure and Tech for Development: Scaling Secure, Inclusive Digital Stacks Across Borders, ’ also moderated by Ms Prakash, featured contributions from Ms Randeep Kaur (ERIA), Dr Jordan Holbrook (ERIA), and Mr Anilesh S. Mahajan (CIEU).

Discussions underscored the India + ASEAN approach as a forward-looking alternative to the China +1 framework – one that emphasises co-creation, inclusivity, and equitable participation in regional and global value chains.

The roundtable concluded with reflections from Dr Ashwani Mahajan, Economist and National Co-Convenor of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, and Member of the Board of Governors of CIEU. The closing remarks highlighted the importance of ASEAN–India co-operation in shaping an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable global order that reflects the aspirations of the Global South.