I didn't hear or watch anything that implied what you've implied on your post though. While it's understandable the logic of your annoyance and the potential development of an anti-China quasi alliance with respect to the disputed waters in the SCS in conjunction with India, I really don't see the threat for now in that regard. Unless, the economic and technical progress of India comes close to their much hyped potential, I don't foresee India making enough contributions of actual meaning and impact against China's firm and entrenched position in the SCS against any and all claimants.
We can see from the thumbnail, that Kamala Harris was there too. So this India-ASEAN SCS thing is definitely coordinated and brokered by the US. While India is nothing like the US when it comes to lending defense assistance to SEA nations, it is becoming a contributor to the US's own SCS grand strategy against China. India had recently sold Brahmos missiles to the PH and given a warship to Vietnam. Again, nothing like the US and South Korea, but its a start. Now, I know that Indian weapons are vastly overhyped junk, but its their hype that can breed overconfidence, like in the PH. The PH had most recently made joint statements with India about their anti-China SCS stance. India ultimately wants to join the US to meddle in the SCS disputes. And this is somehow gaining momentum, because some SEA leaders wanna act tough on China.
Would this India-ASEAN thing go anywhere? I don't think so. But some leader in SEA may get stupid enough to think he can take on China, just because he has the backing of US, Japan, SK, and India. Malaysia is currently led by Anwar Ibrahim. He is making a stupid move, but I don't think he will go too far to antagonize China. But the opposition in Malaysia are Sinophobic Islamic fanatic idiots. If they get into power, by coup or by elections 4 years later, they could inherit this QUAD-ASEAN thing and be emboldened to provoke China.
ASEANs mentality and its approach to foreign policy just simply mirrors their western patrons and masters that most Asians looked upto until maybe recently, that's just not disputable. The way ASEAN countries look at their foreign policy have a western bias, along with mindset and outlook to a certain degree. But this is understandable. The modern iteration of post war II Japan didn't do much in actual shaping, molding, and building an Asian narrative; it happily played and trumpeted the western values shtick and worked on their propaganda to soften their criminality and genocidal actions during much of the 20th century.
The assisting and development of ASEAN as an organization was a western led creation and initiative if am not mistaken, so why would then expect such organization to reorient its approach on a more pro-China/Asian centric approach when China's current foreing policy orientation leaves countries politically vulnerable from foreign funded NGOs that have operated from these countries and honed their expertise for decades?
Yes, this is unfortunately true. I only hope that this doesn't lead to any war. But the PH situation is getting more concerning as time goes by.
