ASEAN-India Renewable Energy Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges for the Region and the Philippines

Abstract

ASEAN-India relations reached a level of strategic partnership in 2012 given that both parties have shared numerous convergent interests encompassing their political, economic, and security objectives. ASEAN and India are also dealing with energy concerns, which can be an area for further cooperation. It has been noted that despite the Act East policy under Prime Minister Modi, India’s renewable energy cooperation with ASEAN has been lackluster. The paper argues that while renewable energy cooperation presents an opportunity to deepen ASEAN-India relations, an enabling environment is necessary to sustain cooperation in the medium to long term. This study also identifies the steps that can be done to foster energy security cooperation and examine the implications to the Philippines’ own energy security plan.