Act East Policy: Pillars, 4 C's, Initiatives & How It Upgraded Look East

Act East Policy is a major part of India's foreign policy. It is a diplomatic step to strengthen economic, strategic, and cultural ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This policy is a more active and focused version of the older Look East Policy. The main goal of the Act East Policy is to improve relationships with India's eastern neighbours and play a more important role in the region's affairs.

The policy was created to deepen India's engagement on a bilateral (two countries) and multilateral (many countries) level. It has made India a key partner for regional cooperation and stability.

What is Act East Policy?

The Act East Policy was officially launched in November 2014. It represents a shift from a simple focus on trade to a deeper and more active involvement in the region.

This policy focuses on strengthening ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as its core. It also includes a wider focus on the entire Indo-Pacific region, including East Asian nations like Japan and South Korea. The policy covers three main areas:

• Economic Cooperation: Boosting trade and investment.

• Strategic Partnerships: Strengthening defense and security ties.

• Socio-Cultural Ties: Deepening cultural exchanges and people-to-people links.

Act East Policy vs. Look East Policy

The Act East Policy is an upgraded version of the Look East Policy, which was started in 1991. The main differences between the two policies are:

Pillars of Act East Policy: The 4 C's

A major feature of the Act East Policy is its focus on the '4 C's'. These four pillars guide India's engagement with its eastern partners.

The 4 C's of Act East Policy are:

1. Culture: Promoting shared cultural, religious, and historical links, especially through people-to-people exchanges.

2. Commerce: Increasing trade, investment, and economic cooperation with Asian countries.

3. Connectivity: Improving infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and digital networks, to connect India with its neighbours.

4. Capacity Building: Offering help and training to boost the capabilities of partner nations in various fields.

Act East Policy and Northeast India

The Act East Policy and Northeast India are deeply linked. The policy views the North Eastern Region (NER) of India as the gateway to Southeast Asia.

The policy aims to boost the economic development of the region by improving its connectivity. This focus transforms the NER from a border region to a vital link between India and the countries of the East.

Key connectivity projects under the policy include:

• India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway: A road project that will connect India to Thailand through Myanmar.

• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project: This project aims to create a sea-river-road link connecting Kolkata, India, to Mizoram in Northeast India via the Sittwe Port in Myanmar.

Act East Policy Countries

Act East Policy focuses on strengthening India’s ties with countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia. Key countries under this policy include: The core group of Act East Policy countries includes the 10 member nations of ASEAN: