Abstract
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the upgrading of India’s erstwhile “Look East Policy” (LEP) to a more action-oriented “Act East” strategy at the India–ASEAN summit in Myanmar in November 2014. Since then, much debate and discussion has taken place on the nature and content of the strategy. A large part of the debate has been speculative, since India is yet to come out with an official vision statement for it. However, various pronouncements by India, as well as the shifting pattern of its engagement with countries to its East, are beginning to throw greater light on the strategy. This chapter discusses the features of the strategy as discernible till now and emphasizes its geographic scope and strategic depth. It discusses the specific relevance and implications of the Act East strategy for Southeast Asia. While India’s engagement with ASEAN is likely to become more comprehensive and strategic over time, the region would need to be prepared for the implications of India playing a more active role in regional affairs.
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