Look east policy 1 - 1992

 It came in effect under Narshima Rao’s UPA government in 1992.

 It focused on interconnectivity with ASEAN countries post liberalization.
 India became a sectoral partner of ASEAN countries in 1992
 Look East Policy mainly focused on Economic integration with South-East Asia and different Free
Trade Agreement were signed with different ASEAN countries
 It also focused on Development of North-East India.

Look East Policy 2 - 2002

 It came under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government in 2002.

 It expanded the focus to East Asia keeping South-East Asia as the center of focus.
 It shifted the focus from trade to wider economic and security issues.
 It expanded the definition of East.

Act east policy - 2014

 Came under Modi’s NDA government in november 2014

 Expanded the focus even further to whole of Indo – pacific.
 3 Cs – connectivity, cultural connect

Why is it important for India?

 It will establish physical connectivity between NE region & SE Asia.

 It will promote economic ties, trade & tourism of NE India.
 It will generate employment opportunities.
 It will help to tackle the problem of insurgency & thus will help in strengthening the internal
security of India.

Projects

 Kaladan project – Sea route from Kolkata to Sittwe port in Myanmar.

 India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral highway project.

Challenges to Act East Policy

1. Assertive and Rising china

 China has maritime issues with ASEAN countries but trade with them is huge.
 Ethnic connect of china with ASEAN countries results in a very healthy Person-2-Person
interaction.
 Post Covid-19, China’s vaccine diplomacy has succeeded in ASEAN countries.
2. Economic under performance of India
 Indian economy is in downfall from 2016.
 Pandemic acted as a catalyst, damaging the economy even further.
  India pulled out RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership).
 India is becoming less attractive for ASEAN countries because of these reasons.
3. Diversity in ASEAN
 ASEAN countries have huge diversity where majority religion varies from Buddhism to
Islam to catholic in different countries.
 India’s domestic politics regarding minorities is hampering the relation with Muslim
majority ASEAN countries such as Malaysia & Indonesia.

India’s failure to rise to challenges faced in ASEAN countries has led to weakened Business-2-Business
and Person-2-Person connect between India and ASEAN countries despite the best efforts of diplomats
to maintain a good Government-2-Government relation.

Things needed to be Done

 Indian diplomacy must take a fresh look at its Act East policy and the constraints being imposed
on it by unsatisfactory economic performance and sectarian and communal politics at home.
 Only diplomacy will not achieve true success, it has to be complemented with good economic
performance and mature domestic politics.