The Union Minister of State Development for North Eastern Region (DoNER) recently highlighted that connectivity forms a key component of the Act East Policy. This article delves into the origins, aims and key points of the policy, contrasting it with its precursor, the Look East Policy, and examining its impacts on regional relations.
Key Points about Act East Policy
Launched in November 2014, the Act East Policy is essentially an upgrade of the “Look East Policy”. It was introduced as a diplomatic venture with the intent to bolster economic, strategic and cultural ties with the expansive Asia-Pacific region at varied levels. The policy promotes intensive and continuous engagement with Southeast Asian nations in different domains such as connectivity, trade, culture, defence, as well as people-to-people-contact at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.
Aim of Act East Policy
The core purpose of the Act East Policy is to encourage economic cooperation, cultural ties, and the development of strategic relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Its proactive, pragmatic approach aims to boost the economic progression of the North Eastern Region (NER), positioning it as a gateway to the Southeast Asia Region.
Emergence of the Look East Policy
India, recovering from the loss of USSR as a strategic partner post the end of the Cold War in 1991, aimed to establish relationships with the USA and its southeast Asian allies. To this end, the Look East Policy was launched in 1992 by then Prime Minister, P V Narasimha Rao. The aim was to enhance India’s engagement with the South-East Asia region, thereby strengthening its status as a regional power and serving as a counterweight to China’s strategic influence.
Distinction between Look East and Act East
While Look East primarily focused on economic integration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Act East expands its sphere to include East Asian nations and security cooperation as well. The key objectives under Act East Policy were listed as Culture, Commerce, Connectivity and Capacity building by the Prime Minister of India.
Security Concerns
In light of increasing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, securing freedom of navigation and establishing India’s role in the Indian Ocean are major aspects of the Act East Policy. This has led to India’s engagement in the narrative of Indo-Pacific and an informal grouping known as Quad.
Initiatives to Boost Connectivity
Several initiatives have been undertaken under the Act East Policy to enhance connectivity. These include the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link between India and Bangladesh, establishing intermodal transport linkages and inland waterways through Bangladesh, and the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project.
India-Japan Act East Forum
The India-Japan Act East Forum established in 2017 seeks to provide a platform for collaboration between India and Japan under the rubric of India’s Act East Policy and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. The forum identifies specific projects for the economic modernization of India’s North-East region.
Other Initiatives
Additional initiatives launched under this policy include the provision of medical assistance to ASEAN countries during the pandemic, offering scholarships and PhD fellowships at IITs for ASEAN countries participants. Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), which are small-scale, low cost projects planned and implemented within a short timeframe, are also being conducted in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. These QIPs aim to provide development assistance at the grassroots level in areas like education, water resources, and health.