Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific
Source: By Mathew Joseph C: The Indian Express
India and Singapore recently held the second round of India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) meeting ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to two key member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Singapore and Brunei.
The Prime Minister’s visit slated to take place in the first week of September speaks volumes about India’s commitment to strengthen its strategic, economic, and cultural ties with countries in Southeast Asia as part of its ‘Act East’ policy.
But how has India’s ‘Act East’ policy evolved? When and why did India’s ‘Look East’ policy become ‘Act East’ policy? What is the thrust of the ‘Act East’ policy and how is it helping New Delhi deepen its ties with countries in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region?
India-Southeast Asia connections and the Cold War
The linkages between the Chola Empire and the Kingdom of Kalinga with Southeast Asia are good examples of the civilisational relations India has had with the countries in Southeast Asia for centuries. The strong root of the Ramayana tradition in Southeast Asia is also another strong example of the cultural relations existing between India and the region.
These cultural connections were not stressed much in the context of the Cold War. During the Cold War period, the countries in Southeast Asia became part of the US-led military alliance called the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) formed in 1954 with Pakistan as a founding member.
India’s stated policy of keeping distance from military blocs kept it away from the countries in Southeast Asia. The bonhomie developed between India and the Soviet Union in the second phase of the Cold War also played a role in keeping New Delhi away from the Southeast Asian region.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 affected India more than any other country in Asia. India suddenly lost a super power ally in the anarchic world of international politics. It was not possible for India at that time to bandwagon with the US due to the decades-old suspicion of the US and its policies shared by the Indian civil society as well as the political elite. Apart from that, the Nehruvian world view of the Indian political and security/strategic elite also acted as a hindrance in reaching out to the US and the US-led Western world.
From Look East to Act East
The then Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao inherited this confused state of affairs when he assumed power in 1991. However, he led the country from the front and made significant changes in domestic and foreign policies. In the domestic sphere, India opted for neoliberal policies and in foreign policy, it started showing a tilt towards the US and the West. The ‘Look East’ policy of India was formulated in 1992 in this politico-historical context.
The stated aim of the ‘Look East’ policy was to improve the level of relations between India and the countries in Southeast Asia and project India as a counterweight to China since many of the Southeast Asian countries perceived China as a threat to their security. The thrust of the ‘Look East’ policy initially was mainly economic relations and trade. However, due to the rise of China, a strategic dimension was added to it.
As a forward step in the direction of operationalising the ‘Look East’ policy, India joined ASEAN in 1992 as a sectoral dialogue partner. In 1996, it became a full dialogue partner and member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). India also began participating in the East Asian Summit (EAS) in 2005. In 2010, it became a dialogue partner in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus).
It is the evolution of India’s ‘Look East’ policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. The ‘Act East’ policy allowed India to deepen its relations with the countries in the region which had concerns regarding China’s growing economic and military might.
Act East policy and India’s Northeast
As mentioned earlier, the stress in the ‘Act East’ policy is security and connectivity. Keeping this in mind, India established strategic partnerships with countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea and Australia. Maritime security assumes great significance in the ‘Act East’ policy, which was a major concern for the countries in the region due to the hegemonic behaviour of China as well as the presence of non-state actors and pirates.
In addition, India’s North-East is a vital part of the ‘Act East’ policy as has been the case in the earlier ‘Look East’ policy too. The emphasis on connectivity programmes in the ‘Act East’ policy envisions developing multiple linkages between the North-Eastern part of India with ASEAN countries and beyond. India hopes that connectivity programmes with the Asia-Pacific region will address the development lag of the North-Eastern part of India in a considerable way.
