INDIA'S LOOK EAST POLICY AND ACT EAST

POLICY: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN

Synopsis of Thesis Submitted to The University of Burdwan in Partial

By
DEBAMITA BANERJEE
Registration Number: A/[Link]./140 of 2015-16

Under the Supervision of

Department of Political Science

April, 2019
SYNOPSIS

Children of post-Cold War generation have been fortunate enough to witness a changing

strategic dimension of India’s foreign policy. When we were born, India’s foreign policy was

rapidly changing, ushering in the momentous movement of globalisation.

While the Southeast Asian nations have already been striding into the new global world order

determined by the emerging principles of global political economy, the world has been

witnessing multiple forms of socio-political disruptions evident in threats of terrorism, border

disputes, onrush of diasporic refugees the world over, challenges of security dynamics,

evolving parameters of development and social policy.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

In the post-Cold War period, India began to decisively move towards assuming the role of a

global player, especially in terms of its relations with Southeast Asia.

Long back in 1947, Anthony Strachey prophetically outlined this strategic destiny of India.

He said that India should be looking Southeast, which applies to Burma, Siam, French

Indochina and the East Indies. He also said:

“The lesson of the last war surely is that India must take adequate precautions that her

Eastern neighbours do not become the springboard for yet another attack”.1

Panikkar pointed out that “India’s interest in the security of …. Burma, Siam, and the Indo

Chinese coastline, apart of course from Malaya and Singapore is obvious to all”.2During the

1980s, India’s security considerations underwent a significant change because of the US-

China rapprochement and the approaching decline of Soviet Union. India was in dire need of

economic development as well as an alliance in Asia, thus giving up the earlier non-aligned

stance. Manmohan Singh was the pioneer of the process of globalization and an open door

policy in India’s foreign policy. P.V Narsimha Rao made a landmark attempt towards a

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rapport with Southeast Asia in 1991 through the Look East Policy. India received a mixed

response from the Southeast Asian nations due to India’s blatant recognition of the Heng

Samrin regime in Cambodia and its inclination towards Soviet Union while countries like

Singapore extended support to India’s entry into ASEAN as a dialogue partner. The visits of

Rajiv Gandhi and P.V. Narsimha Rao to the Southeast Asian nations were the stepping stones

to this diplomatic progress.

During the Modi regime, India’s foreign policy especially in the context of its relationship

with Southeast Asia begins to develop more proactive strategies. The earlier “Look East”

paradigm comes to discover new determinants for ascertaining the shifting terrains of

geopolitics. This led to new negotiations, however complex, in terms of transforming itself

into “Act East Policy”. Despite the practice of “Look East Policy” inflecting on political and

diplomatic engagement for over two decades, India seems to be more and more afflicted with

several political and militaristic anxieties.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE THESIS:

The primary aims and objectives of this thesis are to determine and analyse the specific

parameters of India’s strategic defence mechanism, to investigate the critical perception of

the security dimensions of India’s Look East Policy, to inquire how China has been a major

hindrance to India’s diplomatic proliferation in Southeast Asia. The thesis also strives to

explore the strategies that India seeks to operationalize in the pursuit of cooperation with

Southeast Asia, to focus on the security challenges posed on India with regard to Southeast

Asia and the contextual specificities that led to the adoption of Look East Policy and its

transition into Act East Policy due to China’s increasing influence and power in Southeast

Asia. This thesis would also highlight India’s ability to counter China in Southeast Asia and

the adoption of its Act East paradigm in the year 2015 in order to formulate India’s foreign

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policy in terms of a more action-oriented parameter. Therefore the title of the thesis-“India’s

Look East Policy and Act East Policy: Continuity and Change in India’s Foreign Policy”

signifies the problematic of conflictuality governing India’s strategic policy with regard to

reinstating its relations with the Southeast Asian countries while at the same time impeding

the Chinese threat as China has strategically penetrated into many of the Southeast Asian

nations like Myanmar by completing the Irrawaddy corridor. On the western side, China is

involved in constructing the trans-Karakoram corridor and the China-Pakistan Economic

Corridor. Moreover the Chinese infiltration into the Indian territory holds grim security

implications for India. During the Cold War period, India maintained a non- aligned stance

with a subtle inclination towards the Soviet Union. But in the 1990s, after the dissolution of

Soviet Union, it became imperative for India to initiate a liberalised paradigm with regard to

its foreign policy. In the post-Cold War era, there was a wave of globalisation in the world

economy that paved the way for the changing dynamics of India’s foreign policy. India’s

previous linkages with the erstwhile Soviet Union and its non-aligned stance had made

Southeast Asia sceptical of its intentions. But the collapse of Soviet Union and the changing

world order along with the rise of Southeast Asian countries led to the reorientation of India’s

policy towards Southeast Asia. India adopted the Look East Policy in the year 1994 under the

Narsimha Rao government in order to establish strategic, political and economic cooperation

with the rising powers in Southeast Asia. This thesis seeks to re-interrogate the emergence of

the Asian Tigers in Southeast Asia, to analyse the evolution of the Look East Policy and

India’s attempt to develop connectivity in terms of military, political and economic ties with

the ASEAN countries. Thus the aim of this research has been to provide a vivid analysis of

the changing dimensions of India’s strategic policy with regard to Southeast Asia, adoption

and evolution of India’s Look East Policy in the post-Cold War years in particular, its efforts

to make an entry in Southeast Asia, thereby establishing diplomatic linkages in order to

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thwart China’s attempts at expanding its influence and dominance in Southeast Asia and Asia

Pacific region. It seeks to counter China’s elaborate One Belt One Road Initiative, China-

Pakistan Economic Corridor and various Chinese expansionist policies. The thesis would

focus on the transformation of the Look East Policy into a more proactive strategic policy

leading to the furtherance of India’s cooperative strategies and strengthening of people-to-

people contact, trade, joint military drills, political and cultural linkages with Southeast Asia.

The thesis provides an insight into India’s Look East Policy, its consequent metamorphosis

into Act East Policy and raises a pertinent question if there has been a continuation of the

Look East Policy’s strategic elements or if the policy has undergone a significant change.

HYPOTHESIS OF THE THESIS:

This thesis focuses on the origin and evolution of India’s Look East Policy, its transition into

Act East Policy and discusses the economic and security dynamics of India’s foreign policy

based on the following hypothetical arguments:

1. Strategic perspective of India’s Look East Policy is governed by China. India’s Look

East security policy in the post-Cold War years is guided by economic requirements

concerned with security challenges and the rise of China. It is imperative for India to

seek ASEAN’S cooperation with regard to strategic and economic cooperation.

2. Despite threats from China, India did not contemplate any anti-China rhetoric in

Southeast Asia. India was not interested in hampering the stability of the region by

fuelling any anti-China sentiment.

3. India, like China, required ASEAN’s cooperation in an era of liberalisation and a

globalised world. Since China is an important economic partner of ASEAN, India needs

to contain China’s growing dominance in the region. Hence India is keen on

establishing linkages with countries like Vietnam, Myanmar and Japan.

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4. Since 2015 India has been urged to engage more proactively with Southeast Asia

through increasingly deepening its ties that lead to the formulation of the Act East

Policy. Initiatives have been taken on India’s part by bolstering its linkages with

Southeast Asia in order to contain Sino-Pak cooperation. Thusthe ongoing relations

between India and Southeast Asian countries, India’s post-Cold War strategies

reflecting a shift in its foreign policy dimensions, its eventual adoption of Look East

Policy, the significance of ASEAN for India’s Southeast Asian policy, China’s

relevance with regard to India-Southeast Asia relations, India’s action-oriented

engagement as a strategic defence mechanism exhibit significant parameters of India’s

initiatives to act as a major regional player being surrounded and infiltrated by China’s

different strategic schemes as well as a step towards being a significant global player in

the 21st century.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

This research would seek to analyse specific parameters of India strategic defense mechanism

and investigate the critical perception of the economic and security dimension of India’s

Look East Policy. The research questions are placed below:

1. How does Southeast Asia form a part of the Indian foreign policy?

2. How strategically significant is Southeast Asia to the foreign policy makers of India?

3. What are its perceived threat and aspirations?

4. How does India recognise the possible threats from its neighbours as well as other

international actors with regard to its collaboration with the Southeast Asian nations?

5. How does the structural adjustment of the international system in a changed scenario of

the post-Cold War period affect this effort?

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6. What are the strategies that India seeks to operationalise in the pursuit of cooperation

with Southeast Asia?

7. How does India seek to implement is Act East Policy?

METHODOLOGY:

This research is based on qualitative, analytical and interpretive methodology and certain

concepts and perceptions based on content analysis which is an attempt to study the recurrent

themes in terms of a particular discourse. Concepts and tools related to International relations

have been followed in the study to analyse and trace the antecedent causes leading to the

crafting of Look East Policy and the eventual revision of the policy into Act East Policy. The

study traces the developments that took place in the post-Cold War era by the application of

content analysis. Critical analysis has been pursued to highlight the implementation of Look

East Policy, thereby tracing the origin and evolution of the policy. Historical approach has

been undertaken to focus on the reasons behind the adoption of Look East Policy with an

emphasis on the background that paved the way for India’s changing approach towards

Southeast Asia from a non-aligned stance to a more active orientation of its foreign policy

towards the ASEAN countries. The research also adopts a qualitative approach to focus on

India’s growing presence in Southeast Asia in an effort to counter-balance China’s influence

in the region.

The study involves a detailed content analysis of India’s Look East Policy, its connectivity

with Southeast Asia, ASEAN in particular, and the oscillating Sino-India relation and the

modified version of “Look East”, that is, Act East”. Hence for this research, information

regarding the visits and exchanges between leaders, speeches and statements delivered by the

heads of the states and ministers, governmental documents, archival reports of the Ministry of

External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence and information related to the summits and

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meetings between and Southeast Asian countries, Memorandum of Understandings and

agreements reached between India and Southeast Asian countries have been consulted.

Relevant information regarding the different policies and initiatives launched by P.V.

Narsimha Rao and the later governments in order to pursue a diplomatic, strategic and

economic cooperation with the Southeast and East Asian countries, particularly ASEAN,

have been collected to put forward an in-depth understanding, analysis and interpretation of

the governmental efforts to pursue a balance of power strategy in Asia that certainly involves

China. Moreover ministerial reports and documents involving India’s strategy not to

antagonise China have envisaged the fact that India has refrained from direct confrontation

with China and resorted to an inoffensive relationship with China. India’s major step in

modifying the Look East into Act East implies a significant attempt to reinstate its

relationship with Southeast Asian countries which has been documented through the

declarations by the Prime Minister and Ministry of External Affairs in various visits, summits

and exchanges between the Indian government and Southeast Asian countries. The research

includes information and materials collected from Annual Reports, Websites of the Ministry

of External Affairs, Archive of Embassy of India, Ministry of Defence, Secretariat of ASEAN

which have been used as primary resources. Journals like Journal of Southeast Asian Studies,

China Report, International Relations of the Asia Pacific, Contemporary Southeast Asia, Far

Eastern Economic Review etc. have been consulted. Published books with regard to India’s

Look East Policy and Act East Policy have been used as references. Internet sources and

newspaper articles from The Hindu, The Statesman, Hindustan Times, Times of India etc.

have been used for collection of information. Therefore this thesis is based on the collection,

analysis and interpretation of data and information.

CHAPTER DIVISION:

The area of discussion in this research has been divided into the following eight chapters:

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Chapter 1 - Introduction

Chapter 2 - Origin and Evolution of India’s Look East Policy

Chapter 3 - Look East to Act East: India’s Relations with the ASEAN

Chapter 4 - Look East Policy Under the UPA government (Phases I and II)

Chapter 5 - Relevance of China in India’s Look East and Act East Policy

Chapter 6 - National democratic Alliance’s Act East Policy

Chapter 7 - India’s Look East and Act East Policy: Continuity and Change in India’s

Foreign Policy

Chapter 8 - Conclusion

This dissertation intends to analyse the evolving phases of India’s Act East Policy in terms of

new challenges encountered by India in the domain of collaborative exchanges, trade and

investments, security dynamics, militaristic deployment in Southeast Asia and partially in the

Asia Pacific.

This First Chapter of this dissertation is a re-description of the evolving parameters of India’s

negotiation with the neighbours in terms of Look East Policy and Act East Policy. In other

words, it posits a careful narrative of the transformative phases of India’s foreign policy. The

first chapter of this thesis deals with the origin and development of India’s Look East Policy

and traces the development of the forces that led to the adoption of the policy by the

Narsimha Rao government. It also traces India’s attitude towards Southeast Asia during the

Cold War period and certain misperceptions that led to the dwindling of India-Southeast Asia

relations. Moreover India’s urge in the post-Cold War era and the factors that pushed India

towards Southeast Asia have been discussed in this chapter with a focus on the Narsimha Rao

government’s efforts in taking a liberal outlook for the development of India’s economy

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keeping in view the collapse of Soviet Union. It also provides an insight into India’s

perception of Southeast Asia as a source of economic development. The historical

background and the factors leading to the formulation of this policy have been illustrated in

this chapter. In other words, it posits a careful narrative of the transformative phases of

India’s foreign policy. The chapter also comprises a broad literature review that is likely to

contribute to the existing knowledge system.

The Second Chapter marks the development of Look East Policy. This is extremely pertinent

because it deals with the background that led to the formulation of Look East/Act East

Policy. This review shows how the present dissertation develops an appropriate perspective

on factors relating to India’s LEP/AEP dynamics.

The Third Chapter touches upon the thorny questions of regionalism and contemporary trade

regimes which raise the overlapping issues of the impact of power and economy which are,

again, technically regarded as the domain of global political economy. It focuses on India’s

relations with the ASEAN countries and shows how India seeks to re-define its ties with the

ASEAN and strengthen its position in Southeast Asia with the revised form of Look East

Policy, that is, the Act East Policy. In this context, the problematics of rivalry,

competitiveness and opportunities are raised, especially in terms of the escalating rise of

China.

The Fourth Chapter deals with evolution of India’s Look East Policy under the UPA

government and the initiatives taken to spread its influence in Southeast Asia.

The Fifth Chapter deals with the China factor and this naturally brings into focus many of the

Southeast Asian nations and the relevance of China in India’s Look East Policy. Even the

border issues, especially in the context of China and Pakistan, have been carefully examined.

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The Sixth Chapter extensively discusses the NDA’s Act East Policy and elaborates the

complex forms of security paradigms. It also negotiates how India transforms its diplomatic

culture in relation to its proximate neighbours. India’s Act East Policy brings in distinctive

changes: relations are re-framed; new promises are made; new identifications of common

enemies are discerned.

The Seventh Chapter now considers the outcome and aftermath of India’s formulation of

LEP/AEP. It tries to examine whether the Act East Policy is a continuation of the Look East

Policy or a completely different version of India’s foreign policy with regard to Southeast

Asia. Does India gain? Is the gain substantial? Has India been able to achieve what it so

enthusiastically aimed at? It seems that India is still waiting under “cloudy skies”.

The Concluding Chapter sums up the research focusing on the critical findings and proving

the hypotheses discussed at the beginning of the thesis and tries to consider all the pertinent

research questions.

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