For a major part of the post-independence period, ‘continental mindset’ had dominated Indian strategic thinking. Border disputes and wars with Pakistan and China have been the major factors that have contributed to this thinking.
The influence of continental mindset is evident in India-Southeast Asia relations. Currently, only two projects are underway to improve connectivity between India and Southeast Asia. One is the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, running from Moreh in Manipur state in Northeast India to Mae Sot in Thailand passing through Myanmar, and the other is Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.
The trilateral highway is also expected to be further extended to Laos and Cambodia. The Kaladan project will connect Indian’s state of Mizoram (again in Northeast India) with the rest of India as well as with Southeast Asia.
In many of the events (any turmoil in the ASEAN region), the government of India showed less interests in the matters like Myanmar political crisis, etc. On the same time there existed many MOUs between the nations though the actual economic trade is still not very significant between ASEAN and India.
