In India's capital of New Delhi, leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are meeting to celebrate 25 years of partnership between India and the 10-nation bloc. The gathering is designed to boost India's acceptance across the region. CGTN's Ravinder Bawa has more on why officials are rolling out the red carpet.

It is unprecedented in India's history to host 10 chief guests instead of customary one at its Republic Day celebrations. The leaders from all ten ASEAN nations have arrived in India and are attending various events to commemorate 25 years of India- ASEAN partnership. One of the main focus of this relationship is to increase trade and investment between India and ASEAN countries.

ENGGARTIASTO LUKITA INDONESIAN TRADE MINISTER "We need to capitalize better on this FTA (Free Trade Agreement) and at the same time looking at the possibility of improving the agreement and secondly, we are in the midst of negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP to promote the further deepening and expansion of value chains in the region."

SURESH PRABHU INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER "Bilateral trade between India and ASEAN is increasing. It is $5 trillion dollars in total. The two economies are huge. We are trying to increase this vast economy."

Trade is one pillar of this partnership but according to experts ASEAN countries are also crucial to India's 'Act East' policy.

DR. SAMPA KUNDU RESEARCHER, SOUTH EAST ASIA AND OCEANIC CLUSTER "When we talk of this region the simple fact is that ASEAN plays an important role in India's outlook towards this region. India is not forgetting ASEAN's centrality and what role it plays in India's foreign policy."

But why is there a need to engage with ASEAN nation? Is containment of China one of the motive of this partnership?

HARSH V. PANT EXPERT IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS "India too has a long-term historical association with the region. Some of it is strategic as India wants to be a part of what is happening in the region of Pacific and ASEAN is a such a big part of it and I don't think India ASEAN relations primarily are directed at China and it will have consequences on what China does in the region just as it will have consequences on what India does in the regions."

It will all depend on how committed India and ASEAN nations are to achieve the visions and goals 2020.

RAVINDER BAWA NEW DELHI "The show of cultural and economic ties here on Rajpath will surely bring the ASEAN nations closer. It is in keeping with the theme of the commemorative summit of "Shared Values, Common Destiny". This time these countries seem determined to take the relationship beyond symbolism. Ravinder Bawa, CGTN, Delhi."