It is believed that the Chola kings conquered many regions of the present-day Malay Peninsula and other southeast Asian regions with their heavily built naval army. The civilisational linkages of India with the south-eastern bloc aren’t just limited to Cholas and Kalinga; they date back to Ramayana. Our shared practices and beliefs around Ramayana also testify to our shared cultural connections and past. However, enough proof is available to further cement the belief that India’s relations, particularly with Southeast Asian countries, were old and historical.
In present scheme of things, Act East policy is considered to be an extension of Look East Policy, which was initiated after the Cold War era to revive old-age regional friendships for India and secondly, to balance China’s nefarious and hegemonic activities in the Indo-Pacific region which is seen as a threat for all the major player of this bloc. The objective since then has been to develop security and political and economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. The major difference is that Act East Policy focuses on developing political cooperation and added cultural and strategic issues in its work agenda between India and the Asia Pacific region.
In the post-Cold War period, there was a strong rationale for India to cultivate closer relations with the region’s countries for mutual benefit after the fall of the Soviet bloc on which the Indian economy heavily depended. India was, therefore, compelled to seek alternative regions for its economic sustenance, having ASEAN and its member nations at the core. This policy came well in time as China embarked on its economic modernisation program and was on its way to becoming a major player in the Indo-Pacific region.
Look East policy of the yore took the shape of Act East in 2014 after Prime Minister Modi came to power and changed the dynamics of the erstwhile initiatives taken for this region. The recently concluded visit to Brunei and Singapore is all the more important as this year marks a decade of this initiative. As India continues to build on the successes of the past decade, the Act East Policy remains a vital tool in fostering regional stability, economic growth, and strategic partnerships. Today, India has established strategic and comprehensive partnerships and Global partnerships with countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia (the latest addition to the list is Singapore) and Japan, respectively. India’s contribution to Maritime security can’t be undermined in ensuring a Free and Open Indo-Pacific for all the bloc players.
India’s Act East Policy also reflects India’s commitment to developing its Northeastern region (NER), which is considered a gateway to Southeast Asia. Prime Minister Modi has strongly committed to developing the region’s infrastructure by transforming basic infrastructure such as transport, highways, communication, and waterways. In the past, the Northeast Region did not receive as much attention as required from the central and state governments. It severely hampered the development trajectory and remained backwards without any modern infrastructure facilities. Further, the local insurgencies, disorder and even external interference considerably came in the way of the region’s progress and harboured a sense of alienation in rest of the country. With the help of these policies and with intervention from relevant stakeholders, the North Eastern Region is sure to write its saga of glorious days in near future.
The evolution of the Asia-Pacific region’s geo-political understanding and India’s proactive response is a promising sign that the next decade will bring even greater opportunities for collaboration and mutual growth, reinforcing India’s role as a key player.
