India and East Asia: The Look East Policy

Authors : G V C NAIDU

Pages : 53-74

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Publication Date : 2013-05-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The global centre of gravity is shifting to East Asia, due to its remarkable economic dynamism, but the rise of new power centres and their assertive attitudes also brings huge security challenges. India is renewing its age-old links with East Asia; after a long hiatus it is looking to East Asia once again to engage with it more purposely. Compelled by political and economic imperatives, New Delhi launched the ‘Look East’ policy in the early 1990s, which, despite its slow take-off, has evolved into a comprehensive engagement underpinned by several politicalinstitutional mechanisms, strong economic association through a variety of comprehensive cooperation agreements, and robust defence links and security cooperation. As a result, India has now become an inalienable part of the evolving East Asian economic and security order. While India closely collaborates with the U.S., Japan and a few ASEAN countries in the management of regional security, India’s relations with China are undergoing major changes as they become increasingly complex.
Keywords : India, East Asia, Look East policy, IndiaU S, India China