The presence of heads of government or state of all 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at India’s 69th Republic Day is a monumental marker of India’s ‘Act East’ diplomacy. Never before has India hosted so many presidents and prime ministers at one go in its annual showpiece event. That Asean responded unanimously to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to participate as a combined chief guest in such a seminal celebration reflects how much it, as a group, values India’s rise.