Speaking to The Financial Express, Dr Panchmukhi said that in the last few years, Asean had started looking towards India as a dynamic trade partner and a number of members including Singapore, Thailand and the Phillipines were strongly in favour of including India in the forum.

As the Asean forum of 10 countries has been expanded recently to include China, Korea and Japan, India too is looking forward to be included in the group. With the meeting of senior officials of Asean secretariat scheduled for later this month, the timing of the lecture is quite favourable. Experts are hopeful that with India fresh on his mind, the secretary general will put in a good word for the country at the meet. "The Indian government has shown a lot of interest in the visit and is trying its best to make it a success," he said.

Mr Severino will deliver his lecture in the capital on Tuesday under the India-Asean programme of Eminent Lecture Series organised by the RIS. He is expected to speak on opportunities of partnership between India and Asean, especially in the fields of information technology, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and bio-technology. He would also elaborate on the potential linkages between India and the proposed Asean Free Trade Area (Afta).

The lecture series was launched by the Centre in December 1996 to promote awareness about the reality and potential of the India-Asean partnership into the 21st century. The RIS has been designated as the nodal agency to organise the series. The Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Bin Mohamad inaugurated the lecture series and subsequently, several noted experts in various fields from all over the Asean region have delivered lectures in India. From the Indian side, experts including CSIR director general RA Mashelkar, Andhra Pradesh governor C Rangarajan, eminent space scientist UR Rao, brain surgeon PN Tandon and Indira Gandhi National centre for the Arts academic director Kapila Vatsayan have delivered lectures in different Asean countries.