India’s Act East Policy

By Ambassador Biren Nanda

Since 1991, India’s Act East policy has traversed a long road with its current focus on commerce, connectivity, culture and security while bringing within its ambit not only the ASEAN but also other regional powers including Japan, Australia and South Korea. India’s foreign policy has focused on enhancing connectivity, commerce, culture and security linkages with its partners in the region and has achieved this through bilateral ties and regional groupings like the ASEAN and the East Asia Summit. Although India’s Act East policy reinforces regional integration, security and prosperity, it isn’t sufficient to address the emerging security challenges in the region.

This publication is a transcript of a keynote speech delivered by Ambassador Biren Nanda during the launch of Realising the Indo-Pacific: Tasks for India’s Regional Integration in New Delhi in September 2017.