Cross-Border Electricity Trade and Climate Stabilization / Venkatachalam ANBUMOZHI

Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Integration: Outlook of ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific at Crossroads

Cross-Border Electricity Trade and Climate Stabilization : Key Policy, Regulatory and Market Challenges in South and Southeast Asia
Venkatachalam ANBUMOZHI, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Jakarta

Recognising the various benefits of Cross Border Electricity Trade (CBET) for meeting energy security and climate stabilization, both ASEAN and SAARC member states formulated directions. As the political climate is becoming increasing more conducive for CBET, the power sectors of the countries are at different stages of evolution in regulatory frameworks. National policy and investment frameworks and other aspects of facilitating energy trade across the borders are nit exhaustive. Without a consistent and coherent inter regional regulatory framework in place, investment opportunities and consequently, large scale energy between India and ASEAN that could benefit both importing and exporting nations may not happen. This paper examines the current status and future of cross border energy trade in the context of climate change stabilization. It concludes that deeper energy connectivity between India and ASEAN will be driven by sound climate economics that would in turn depend on the demand and supply balance in each country as well as the policy and regulatory environment.

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Session 6 / ASEAN amidst Competing Connectivity Strategies and Integration Challenges
Chair : Prof. Prabir DE, ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)

ASEAN is still far from clear that new geopolitical changing landscape and implications from major power rivalries will turn out to be positive for the future of region building. The prime objective of the Indo-Pacific is often seen as focussed on the security issue, and not yet well defined on its economic and connectivity potential. Without downplaying the significance of the Indo-Pacific, the issue is, however, about how ASEAN connectivity will be forging with a broader region of the Indo-Pacific, in addition to the already-existed initiatives like ASEAN Master Plan of Connectivity, and ASEAN Plus’s Connectivities, the region has built up over years. What about the acceptance of the Indo-Pacific construct meant for AOIP and ASEAN Connectivity in particular ? Session will review the progress in implementing the above initiatives and the tasks ahead.

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“Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Integration : Outlook of ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific at Crossroads” is an international conference organized by The Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia (IRASEC-CNRS) with the ASEAN Studies Center (Chulalongkorn University) in Bangkok, and the ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), RIS in New Delhi.
8-9 July 2021 - Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok