THE BRIDGES INDIA NEEDS TO THE EAST

India can invigorate its engagement with East Asia through the shared cultural traditions of Buddhism and the epics. To do that effectively, linguistic links will be essential

- VINAY SAHASRABUDDHE

RIGHT after the end of the Cold War, then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao presciently outlined India's 'Look East' policy. It was aimed at addressing our neglect of Southeast Asia despite multi-layered cultural connections. It was expected that looking eastwards would accrue multi-dimensional benefits to India in trade, development and strategic ties.

The desire to replicate the economic miracle that some ASEAN and East Asian countries had gone through was also in the larger gameplan. To facilitate that, India subsequently reduced much of its trade barriers. Government data suggests that Look East also contributed in enhancing the number of inbound tourists from Southeast Asia.

Post 2014, the policy was taken to a different level with renewed emphasis and a new name-Act East. The emphasis was not just on action, but also on the centrality of Northeast India in this policy. Taking ahead the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had established the department for the development of the Northeast region, the Narendra Modi government envisioned closer cooperation between India's oil-rich and tea-growing Northeast and Southeast Asia.

Addressing the East Asia summit at Myanmar's Naypyidaw in 2014, Modi said, "Commerce, culture and connectivity-these three Cs are the pillars of India's current Act East policy."

Since then, the policy has achieved remarkable success in both evolving and implementing fresh policy approaches. While the Look East policy focused solely on the ASEAN, Act East expanded the strategic scope, emphasising the broader Indo-Pacific region with ASEAN at its core. It resulted in stronger multilateral and regional engagements through closer partnerships with Bimstec, Asia Cooperation Dialogue and the Indian Ocean Rim Association, too.