The High Commission of Malaysia and KARMA Foundation hosted the ASEAN–India 2025 Forum, themed “Inclusivity and Sustainability: Together We Rise”, in New Delhi on March 8, 2025 to mark ASEAN Day.
Dato’ Muzafar Shah Mustafa, High Commissioner of Malaysia to India and Chair of the ASEAN New Delhi Committee chaired the program.
The event was co-organized by the KARMA Foundation, led by its Founder Dhwani Jain, a rising voice for people-centered diplomacy in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Dato’ Muzafar Shah Mustafa said the strength of ASEAN–India relations lies in shared values and a commitment to progress that leaves no one behind.
He urged stakeholders to galvanize partnerships anchored in sustainability and inclusion to navigate the complexities of today’s multipolar world.
Highlighting that ASEAN–India trade rose from USD 100.72 billion in 2023 to USD 106.83 billion in 2024, he noted that the newly adopted ASEAN–India Plan of Action (2026–2030) will deepen cooperation in areas such as digital and green economies, maritime security, renewable energy, people-to-people exchanges, and sustainable development.
Similarly, Dhwani Jain called for diplomacy to move beyond formal corridors into the hands of people.
She said India and ASEAN are bound not only by trade or geography, but by shared civilizational values of harmony, interdependence, and respect for diversity. “Inclusion and sustainability are not policy choices — they are moral and strategic imperatives,” she stated.
Jain stressed that India’s leadership will be defined “not merely by power, but by the trust we build and the futures we co-create,” and urged that youth engagement be placed at the heart of ASEAN–India cooperation.
The program featured a high-level panel discussion “Bridging Regions, Building Friendships”, an evocative photo exhibition “Then & Now – Journey Towards Prosperity”, interactive dialogue circles on youth and diplomacy, and a symbolic “Tree of Togetherness” planting ceremony.
Moderated by Dr Amna Mirza, Political Analyst and Academician, the panel brought together a distinguished set of voices.
Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, underscored the need for ASEAN to maintain strategic autonomy while engaging multiple powers, cautioning against binary alignments.
Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), invoked Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ to illustrate that true dignity lies in coupling strength with restraint, and called on powerful nations to use their economic and diplomatic tools responsibly.
Atul K Thakur, Secretary, PHDCCI, reflected on how ASEAN and India “have come a long way” and can “bandwagon well to offer new synergy to the Global South,” advocating for economic cooperation based on parity.
Sharifah Ezneeda Wafa, Deputy High Commissioner of Malaysia to India, likened ASEAN–India unity to “rice stalks growing in different fields yet feeding the same community,” highlighting diversity as a strength and calling for continued focus on shared goals like digital innovation, sustainable development, fair trade, and people-to-people connections, based on mutual respect and great commitment for regional peace.
The Then & Now: ASEAN’s Journey Towards Prosperity photo exhibition depicted ASEAN Member States’ transformation across decades, while the Dialogue Circles, participated by diplomats from ASEAN Diplomatic Missions in New Delhi, created a platform for youth engagement in diplomacy, nurturing the next generation of leaders committed to regional cooperation.
In her closing remarks, Sharifah Ezneeda Wafa reflected on the Tree of Togetherness ceremony as a metaphor for ASEAN–India partnership, saying that just as a tree draws strength from the diversity of its branches and leaves, the partnership flourishes through the unique contributions of each member state, and must continue through “meaningful actions that build prosperity, peace, and progress for all.”
