Compendium of essays, previously published in Alternative frames, a journal; attempts to examine the dynamics of India's look East policy and its impact on Northeast region, with special focus on Manipur.

India’s Look East policy opened up a new strategic dimension to Indian foreign policy. India had significant cultural and diplomatic linkages with the Southeast Asian nations. But India’s non-aligned diplomatic position created a distance between India and Southeast Asia. The adoption of the Look East Policy led to the establishment of economic and strategic ties with Southeast Asia. The policy was revised in the form of the Act East Policy in 2015 in the face of China’s increasing influence in South and Southeast Asia which posed a threat to India’s security. Moreover the Sino-Pakistan liaison necessitated the strengthening of India-Southeast Asia relations. This book is an attempt to trace the development of the Look East Policy, its transition into Act East Policy and its aftermath. These changing parameters will show the decisive impacts on the transformative phases of India’s foreign policy.

India's 'Act East Policy' has been a significant reorientation in foreign policy towards realizing India's big power ambitions. During the initial years, the focus of the policy was on economic and diplomatic connectivity that cantered around the ASEAN. Since then, the policy has evolved to assume greater strategic dimensions with co-operation in security matters and incremental engagement with countries and regions beyond the ASEAN that include East Asia and the whole of Asia-Pacific. India's plans to become a global power depend to a great extent on its becoming a dominant economic actor, political and strategic player and soft power attraction in East Asia and Asia-Pacific. This region is the most vibrant economic arena and crucial strategic site in international politics presently. The changing geopolitical and strategic realities increasingly necessitate a new regional security architecture in the region. Along with its efforts towards economic integration and diplomatic connectivity, India needs to carve out a role in shaping the security structure of the region to deal with issues of maritime disputes and security. This book is a collection of 7 scholarly papers that d

India's Eastward Engagement: From Antiquity to Act East Policy presents India's engagement with its extended eastern neighbours from ancient times to the present. It argues that this engagement has been long rooted in India's geographical location, its civilizational evolution and historical transformations. The book critically examines all the important phases--Nehru and Post-Nehru periods, and Look East and Act East policies. It exposes the widely entertained myths about India's eastward engagement and also underlines the prospective directions in which the Act East Policy may unfold in the years to come.

India's Look East policy opened up a new strategic dimension to Indian foreign policy. India had significant cultural and diplomatic linkages with the Southeast Asian nations. But India's non-aligned diplomatic position created a distance between India and Southeast Asia. The adoption of the Look East Policy led to the establishment of economic and strategic ties with Southeast Asia. The policy was revised in the form of the Act East Policy in 2015 in the face of China's increasing influence in South and Southeast Asia which posed a threat to India's security. Moreover the Sino-Pakistan liaison necessitated the strengthening of India-Southeast Asia relations. This book is an attempt to trace the development of the Look East Policy, its transition into Act East Policy and its aftermath. These changing parameters will show the decisive impacts on the transformative phases of India's foreign policy.