India’s Look East Policy

Background

• Launched in 1991
• Why?

o In the wake of the collapse of Soviet Union India wanted to improve its relations with all major powers of the world

o India focused on South-East Asia as it was a growing market

o India wanted to go beyond the confines of SAARC to reap the benefits out of the economic potential of the South East and East Asian region

o To balance China’s influence in the region

• Initially directed towards the SE Asian nations. But India has now included China, Japan, S.Korea and other Asia Pacific nations in the gamut of this policy
•  The policy which began largely as an economic initiative has gained political, military and regional dimensions

Principles of LEP
Outcomes of the policy

Strengthening Cooperation:-

• India-ASEAN relations have strengthened
• India became ASEAN’s full dialogue partner in 1996
• Became member of ASEAN Regional Forum in 1996
• Since 2002, India has annual summits with ASEAN along with China, Japan and Republic of Korea
• BIMSTEC and Mekong Ganga Cooperation floated by India in 1997 and 2001 respectively
• India is also a founding member of East Asia Summit

Trade and Investment:-

• ASEAN is presently India’s fourth largest trading partner after EU, USA and China
• FDI data
• Indo-ASEAN bilateral trade data
• India-ASEAN FTA signed in 2009 at Bangkok came into force from January 2010.

o However, FTA did not include software and information technology

o FTA is a part of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Cooperation signed with ASEAN in 2003

Development Cooperation:-

• India provides assistance to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Philippines in the form of grants, soft loans, credit lines and training sources for their socio-economic development. 
• As a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), India has been engaging with these countries to provide assistance for capacity building
• MILAN naval symposium

Science and Technology:-

• India has set up a Tsunami Warning Centre to extend information exchange and data sharing arrangements with BIMSTEC countries
• Satellite sharing

Bilateral Ties:-

• FTA with Thailand and CECA with Indonesia and Singapore
• Enhanced defence ties with Malaysia
• Strong economic ties with China
• Strategic partnership agreements, economic interaction and defence cooperation with Japan
• CEPA with South KoreaInfrastructure Cooperation
• Asian Highway, Asian Railway link being discussed
• Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport facility is aimed at establishing connectivity between Indian ports and Sittwe port in Myanmar through riverine transport and road links in Mizoram
• Ganga-Mekong initiative
• Completion of the 160 KM India-Myanmar Friendship road from Tamu to Kalemyo to Kaletwa built by BRO

Education

• Nalanda University
• New cooperation area could be
• India’s LEP can be furthered through areas like Education, human resources development, democracy, human rights and culture
• Furthering of trade ties
• Simplification of visa regime
• India-ASEAN health care initiative
• India-ASEAN Green Fund
• An Open Skies Policy
• Cooperation in fighting terrorism and transnational crime
• Tourism has a lot of potential

By : ADMIN : LAV