Competing Desires: India’s Look East and Act East Policy

By: Debamita Banerjee

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Synopsis: India’s Look East policy opened up a new strategic dimension to Indian foreign policy. India had significant cultural and diplomatic linkages with the Southeast Asian nations. But India’s non-aligned diplomatic position created a distance between India and Southeast Asia. The adoption of the Look East Policy led to the establishment of economic and strategic ties with Southeast Asia. The policy was revised in the form of the Act East Policy in 2015 in the face of China’s increasing influence in South and Southeast Asia which posed a threat to India’s security. Moreover the Sino-Pakistan liaison necessitated the strengthening of India-Southeast Asia relations. This book is an attempt to trace the development of the Look East Policy, its transition into Act East Policy and its aftermath. These changing parameters will show the decisive impacts on the transformative phases of India’s foreign policy.