ASEAN must diversify energy ties with India, middle powers after West Asia crisis
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should accelerate energy diversification and deepen ties with reliable partners — including India — after the West Asia crisis exposed critical vulnerabilities in global supply chains and energy security, according to a report by Malaysian media outlet Bernama published on 6 May 2025.
Key Recommendation: Engage Middle and Emerging Powers
Associate Professor Rahul Mishra of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) — who also serves as a Senior Research Fellow at Thammasat University in Thailand — urged ASEAN nations to strengthen engagement with middle and emerging powers across the Indo-Pacific. He specifically suggested closer collaboration with Japan, Australia, India, Turkey, and the European Union, all of which are increasingly emerging as key energy partners for Southeast Asia.
Mishra noted that ASEAN may already be moving in this direction, citing possible outcomes from recent meetings in the Philippines, including an ASEAN summit scheduled later this year.
Smaller Economies Bearing the Brunt
The report highlighted that global energy shocks have disproportionately impacted smaller Southeast Asian economies, underscoring the urgency of building more resilient and reliable long-term energy partnerships. Thailand and the Philippines were cited as nations already feeling the strain most acutely.
