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Foreign Policy Watch: India-ASEAN

East Timor: Asia’s youngest nation joins ASEAN

Prelims Only | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

Why in the News?

East Timor (Timor-Leste) was formally admitted as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

East Timor: Asia’s youngest nation joins ASEAN

What is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)?

  • Establishment: Founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand through the Bangkok Declaration.
  • Purpose: To promote economic growth, political stability, regional peace, and cultural cooperation in Southeast Asia.
  • Membership: 11 nations – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and East Timor.
  • Institutional Pillars:
    • Political-Security Community,
    • Economic Community,
    • Socio-Cultural Community.
  • Legal Framework: The ASEAN Charter (2008) gave it a legal identity and deepened integration on the EU model.
  • Economic Scale: Represents 680 million people with a combined GDP > $3.8 trillion, making it a leading global growth hub.
  • External Partnerships: Engages India, China, Japan, USA, Australia, etc., through forums like the East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Plus Six.

About East Timor (Timor-Leste):

  • Location: Situated in Southeast Asia, occupying the eastern half of Timor Island, bordered by Indonesia (west) and Australia (south).
  • Colonial History: A Portuguese colony for 400+ years until Indonesia’s invasion in 1975, shortly after a brief independence.
  • Independence: Achieved full sovereignty in 2002 following the UN-supervised 1999 referendum ending 24 years of occupation.
  • Demographics: Population ≈1.4 million; 42% below poverty line; two-thirds under age 30, making employment creation a core policy focus.
  • Economy: Dependent on oil and gas revenues, now diversifying toward agriculture, tourism, and digital infrastructure due to depleting reserves.
  • Political Leadership: Led by PM Xanana Gusmao and President Jose Ramos-Horta (1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate).
  • Regional Integration: Became ASEAN’s 11th member in Oct 2025, marking the bloc’s first expansion since 1999.
[UPSC 2009] Consider the following countries:

1. Brunei Darussalam 2. East Timor 3. Laos Which of the above is/are member/members of ASEAN?

Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only* (d) 1,2 and 3

 

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