Act East Policy Turns 10: Success, Challenges & What’s Next?

Ten Years of India’s Act East Policy | This year, 2024, marks ten years of India's Act East Policy (AEP), unveiled by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 9th East Asia Summit in 2014, a diplomatic step-up from the earlier Look East Policy. This step-up highlighted the importance of Southeast Asia and, by extension, East Asia in India’s geostrategic framework. After its announcement, AEP has significantly bolstered India’s diplomatic, economic, and defence ties with the regional countries. India has emphasised ASEAN centrality as the hallmark of its AEP, subsequently shaping its Indo-Pacific vision and strengthening its comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN and East Asian countries. The AEP has opened new areas of cooperation and collaboration, including maritime security, trade and connectivity, and cultural diplomacy.
What are the key takeaways of ten years of India’s AEP policy? Has India's AEP harmonised with its Indo-Pacific vision? What are the challenges and roadblocks for India’s AEP? What are the new areas of cooperation as India moves forward with its AEP?
Speakers:
Don McLain Gill, Lecturer, Department of International Studies, De La Salle University, Manila.
Pratnashree Basu, Associate Fellow, Indo-Pacific, Observer Research Foundation, India.
Yanitha Meena Louis, Analyst, Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS), Malaysia
Rahul Mishra, Associate Professor, Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies SIS, India.
Moderator:
Ajay Bisaria, Distinguish Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India.