Do you think the change in the" look east policy" to " act east policy" will bring any difference to India's foreign policy? Give any two reasons to justify your answer.
Answers
Explanation:
Key Points. About: The 'Act East Policy' announced in November, 2014 is the upgrade of the “Look East Policy”. It is a diplomatic initiative to promote economic, strategic and cultural relations with the vast Asia-Pacific region at different levels.
Answer:
India’s ‘Act East’ policy is a diplomatic initiative to promote economic, strategic and cultural relations with the vast Asia-Pacific region at different levels. The country’s eastward drive since 1992 has underscored the importance of this region in its contemporary international relations. ‘Act East’ and its early avatar, ‘Look East’ are not different; rather, they are two sides of the same coin, representing two different, but continuing phases in the evolution of India’s policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. When India launched the Look East policy in 1991, its own economic strength, its global status and the external environment were not what they are at present. At the time of its launch, India was struggling to transition from a state-controlled economic regime to a more liberalised one. It took many years for the country to get adjusted to the newly emerging economic environment. When in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Act East policy, India’s economy was relatively robust and its global profile was higher than it was in the decades prior. Modi gave a new thrust to intensify economic, strategic and diplomatic relations with countries that share common concerns with India on China’s growing economic and military strength and its implications for the evolving regional order.[1]
The end of the Cold War in 1991 brought about a major shift in the economic and strategic policies of most countries in Asia; they were compelled to make suitable policy changes to cope with the changing economic and security situations in the region. India was no exception, and it made three significant changes in its policies. First, India’s adoption of economic reforms in the early 1990s was a major shift in its development strategy.
Second, as the Cold War thawed, India began adopting a multi-dimensional foreign policy that facilitated closer economic and strategic engagements with the United States (US). Their relations steadily warmed, leading eventually to the signing of the historic civil nuclear cooperation agreement in 2008.[2] Third, the launch in 1992 of the Look East policy was India’s response to the new challenges it faced in the region after the collapse of the Cold War structures. Although India’s relations particularly with Southeast Asian countries were old and historical, this advantage was not considered in the calculation of India’s policies towards the region.[3]
In the post-Cold War period, there was a strong rationale for India to cultivate closer relations with the countries of the region for mutual benefit. The Gulf War of 1990-91 severely affected the Indian economy owing to an unprecedented rise in oil prices. It was further accentuated by the fall of the Soviet bloc on which the Indian economy heavily depended. India was therefore compelled to seek alternative regions for its economic sustenance. Unfortunately, its own immediate neighbourhood, South Asia, did not offer many opportunities for trade and investment. Political bickering and lack of trust, and the economic backwardness of the region compelled India to look to Southeast and East Asia for greener pastures. China, having embarked on a modernisation programme was then well on its way to becoming a major player in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan, the second biggest economy of the world at that time, had already established its footprints in the ASEAN region by setting up its manufacturing bases there. Realising that ASEAN and East Asia offered immense prospects for growth, India launched its Look East policy.
While the initial motive was predominantly economic, Look East soon acquired strategic dimensions too. Over a period of time, as India forged partnerships with several countries in the region, their relations rested on three major pillars: Elaborate institutional mechanisms; economic interests including infrastructure development and connectivity; and common strategic interests.