India-ASEAN Relations and Act East Policy Notes for UPSC

Southeast Asia is India's eastern neighbour by sea and land, and India's Act East Policy is built around the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The region is important for trade, for security in the Indo-Pacific and for the development of India's north-east. For the UPSC, the Prelims asks about the ASEAN structure, the related forums and India's agreements and projects, and the Mains asks about the Act East Policy, the South China Sea and the role of the north-east as a gateway. This note explains ASEAN, India's relations with it and the key partners in simple language, with tables and a Mains structure.

What Is ASEAN?

ASEAN was set up on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by five countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei joined in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997 and Cambodia in 1999, which made ten members. Timor-Leste has been admitted as a new member in 2025, so students should check the latest membership. The ASEAN Secretariat is in Jakarta. The ASEAN Charter (in force from 2008) gave the group a legal personality. ASEAN works by consensus and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of the members, called the "ASEAN Way". The ASEAN Community has three pillars: the Political-Security Community, the Economic Community and the Socio-Cultural Community.

ASEAN-Led Forums

From Look East to Act East

India's Look East Policy was launched in 1991 under Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao after the end of the Cold War and the economic reforms, to build economic links with Southeast Asia. India became a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992, a full dialogue partner in 1996, and began holding summit-level meetings from 2002. In November 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Act East Policy at the India-ASEAN Summit in Myanmar. It shifted the focus from economic engagement to a broader strategic role, including defence, connectivity, culture and the Indo-Pacific, and widened the region to include East Asia and the Pacific, with a stronger role for the north-eastern States of India.

Economic Relations

ASEAN is one of India's largest trading partners, and the bilateral trade is above 100 billion US dollars. The India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) is under review, since India has a large trade deficit with the group and wants a fairer rules of origin and more access. India's exports include petroleum products, machinery, pharmaceuticals and agricultural goods, and the imports are electronics, palm oil, coal and machinery. India left the RCEP in 2019 because of the concern about the trade deficit with China and the effect on farmers and small industries.

Connectivity Projects

• India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway: A road of about 1,400 km linking Moreh in Manipur with Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar; parts are still incomplete.
• Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project: Links Kolkata with Sittwe port in Myanmar by sea, then by river and road to Mizoram, giving the north-east an access to the sea.
• Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (2000): A forum of India, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam for cooperation in tourism, culture, education and transport.
• BIMSTEC: A regional grouping of the Bay of Bengal countries, which links South and Southeast Asia.

Key Bilateral Partners

Strategic Dimension: Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea

India sees the Indo-Pacific as a free, open and inclusive region and promotes the principle of ASEAN centrality. The vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region, 2015) and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (2019) cover maritime cooperation, and ASEAN has its own Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (2019). In the South China Sea, where China's claims overlap with those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, India supports the freedom of navigation, peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for UNCLOS, and welcomed the 2016 arbitral award that favoured the Philippines. India also takes part in naval exercises with the ASEAN states.

Soft Power and Cultural Links

The links of culture are old: Buddhism and Hinduism spread to Southeast Asia, the Ramayana is performed as the Ramakien in Thailand and as the Ramayana ballet in Indonesia, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia was built as a Hindu temple. Today, India uses education scholarships, the Nalanda University project, the Indian diaspora and the Buddhist circuits to strengthen these links.

The North-East as the Gateway to Southeast Asia

The north-eastern States share long borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh and are physically closer to Southeast Asia than to the rest of India. The Act East Policy therefore treats the north-east as a bridge and not as a periphery. Roads and rail lines, the Land Customs Stations, the Integrated Check Posts such as Moreh, border haats and the plan for new airports and waterways are part of this vision. When the connectivity improves, the region can gain from trade, tourism and investment, and this can also reduce the sense of isolation and help the peace process. But the success depends on the stability of the border areas, the security situation in Myanmar and the support of the local communities.

Challenges and Way Forward

The main challenges are the rising influence of China in the region through the Belt and Road Initiative and trade; the trade deficit; the delays in the connectivity projects; the instability in Myanmar; and the limited presence of India in the regional supply chains. The way forward includes completing the Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan project, reviewing the trade pact to improve market access, developing the north-east as a trade and logistics hub, strengthening the defence and maritime cooperation, and increasing people-to-people links. A balanced engagement with ASEAN also supports India's goal of a multipolar Asia.

Mains Angle: Why Is ASEAN Important for India?

A complete answer can give four reasons. Economic: a large market, a source of investment and a part of the supply chains. Strategic: the sea routes through the Strait of Malacca carry a large part of India's trade and energy, and ASEAN is central to the Indo-Pacific order. Political: ASEAN-led forums give India a seat in the regional security talks and balance the influence of China. Developmental: the connectivity links develop the north-east. You should also add a short criticism: the economic gains have been uneven, the projects are delayed and ASEAN itself is divided on the South China Sea. A balanced conclusion would call for deeper trade ties, speedy completion of projects and a clear Indo-Pacific vision.

Practice Questions

• Q1. Where is the ASEAN Secretariat? Answer: Jakarta.
• Q2. In which year was the Act East Policy announced? Answer: 2014.
• Q3. Which project links Kolkata with Mizoram through Myanmar? Answer: The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project.
• Q4. When did India withdraw from RCEP talks? Answer: 2019.

Read it along with our notes on global groupings and India-China relations.

Quick Revision

• ASEAN: 1967, Bangkok; HQ at Jakarta; 10 members; the ASEAN Charter of 2008.
• Look East 1991 (Narasimha Rao); Act East 2014 (Modi).
• AITIGA 2010; services FTA 2015; Comprehensive Strategic Partnership 2022; RCEP exit 2019.
• Trilateral Highway, Kaladan project, Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When was ASEAN founded?

ASEAN was founded on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok.

Where is the ASEAN Secretariat?

The ASEAN Secretariat is in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Who were the founding members of ASEAN?

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand were the founding members.

What is the ASEAN Way?

It is ASEAN's approach of decision by consensus and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

When was India's Look East Policy launched?

The Look East Policy was launched in 1991 under Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao.

When was the Act East Policy announced?

The Act East Policy was announced in November 2014.

What is the East Asia Summit?

The East Asia Summit, started in 2005, is the leaders' forum of ASEAN and its partners, of which India is a founding member.

Why did India withdraw from RCEP?

India withdrew in 2019 because of concerns about the trade deficit, especially with China, and the effect on farmers and small industries.

What is the Kaladan project?

It is the multimodal project linking Kolkata with Sittwe port in Myanmar and further to Mizoram.

What is the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway?

It is a road project linking Moreh in Manipur with Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar.

What is the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation?

It is the 2000 forum of India and five Mekong countries for cooperation in tourism, culture, education and transport.

What is India's position on the South China Sea?

India supports the freedom of navigation, peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for UNCLOS.