Growth Gateway: ASEAN cooperation on industrial project-based initiatives scoping paper (summary)
Published 10 December 2025
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The paper outlines the rationale for a renewed approach, citing global supply chain realignments, technological advances, and climate imperatives as catalysts for deeper regional cooperation. It reviews 3 decades of ASEAN industrial initiatives – from the ASEAN Industrial Projects (AIP) of the 1970s to later schemes such as AIC and AIJV – highlighting successes and shortcomings, including limited private sector involvement and fragmented incentive structures.
Building on these lessons, the proposed framework introduces a structured, voluntary mechanism for member states to collaborate on large-scale industrial projects. The main components include:
- cross-country collaboration and public–private engagement
- 2-stage project selection process
- incentive archetypes coordinated at ASEAN level
- governance and monitoring systems
The framework also recommends establishing an ASEAN-wide investor co-engagement platform to market the region as a unified investment destination and facilitate multi-country projects. Implementation enablers include standardised proposal templates, interactive submission processes, and robust KPIs to track catalytic, leading, and lagging indicators.
In conclusion, the AIPBI framework represents a strategic opportunity for ASEAN to accelerate economic integration, foster sustainable industrial development, and create regional champions capable of competing globally. By aligning national and regional priorities and engaging the private sector early, ASEAN can build resilient supply chains, enhance connectivity, and secure long-term growth for its member states.