From ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’: Mapping India’s Southeast Asian Engagement

India’s Southeast Asian Engagement: ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’ (2024–2025)

Context:

• ‘Look East’ policy (1990s) → ‘Act East’ policy (2014)
• 10th anniversary of Act East policy in 2024 under Modi 3.0
• India intensified outreach through diplomatic, defence, maritime, cyber, and economic initiatives
• Strategic objective: counter China’s influence, secure sea lanes, promote a free, open Indo-Pacific, and strengthen ASEAN centrality

Key Platforms and Initiatives:

1. ASEAN-Focused Multilateral Engagement:
   • ASEAN-India Summit: Annual summit; 21st held in Oct 2024, Vientiane, Laos
   • ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): Maritime security & terrorism
   • East Asia Summit (EAS): Indo-Pacific strategic dialogue
   • ADMM+ (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus): Defence and security cooperation
2. Sub-Regional & Multilateral Initiatives:
   • Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC): Infrastructure & Quick Impact Projects
   • Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI): Maritime cooperation among like-minded countries
   • BIMSTEC: Connectivity, security, trade; BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 adopted in April 2025
3. Bilateral Engagements (July 2024 – Jan 2025):
   • Maritime partners: Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia – naval exercises, maritime dialogues
   • Gateway states: Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei – economic, strategic, and cyber partnerships
   • Mainland frontier: Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos – balancing security, connectivity, and political considerations
   • Emerging focus: Timor-Leste – Presidential visit in Aug 2024
4. Defence Cooperation:
   • Institutionalisation of defence dialogues (India-Singapore, India-Vietnam, India-Thailand)
   • Advanced joint military exercises: Garud Shakti, Harimau Shakti, CINBAX
   • Defence industrial collaboration: BrahMos export to the Philippines
5. Cyber & Technology Cooperation:
   • India-Singapore Cyber Policy Dialogue
   • Digital public infrastructure sharing (Malaysia)
   • ISRO telemetry station in Brunei
   • Tech governance cooperation in AI, data protection, critical infrastructure
6. Economic Engagement Challenges:
   • Trade imbalances persist
   • Slow infrastructure connectivity (e.g., India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway)
   • Limited investment flows beyond Singapore and Malaysia

Strategic Patterns Observed:

1. Maritime-centric partnerships to counter China and secure critical sea lanes
2. Institutionalisation of dialogues & exercises for sustained cooperation
3. Nuanced engagement with smaller and emerging ASEAN states (Brunei, Timor-Leste)

Conclusion:

• Modi 3.0’s Southeast Asia policy marks a comprehensive strategic recalibration
• Stronger coherence, institutional depth, and regional comprehensiveness
• Implementation challenges remain in economic and political balancing
  
  Updated - May 05, 2025 ; 12: 20 PM | https://www.orfonline.org/research/from-look-east-to-act-east-mapping-india-s-southeast-asian-engagement