India’s Foreign Policy: Act East Policy and Look East Policy

Launched in 2014.
It is the upgraded version of India’s Look East Policy.
Aim – To promote economic cooperation, cultural ties, and developing a strategic relationship with countries in the Indo-Pacific region with a proactive and pragmatic approach and thereby improving the economic development of the North Eastern Region (NER) which is a gateway to the South East Asia Region.
Focus Areas – Connectivity, trade, culture, defence and people-to-people-contact at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

The Look East Policy is a foreign policy doctrine adopted by India in the 1990s aimed at strengthening its relations with countries in East Asia.
Objectives
- Economic cooperation: Promoting economic cooperation with countries in East Asia through trade, investment, and technology transfer.
- Security cooperation: Strengthening security cooperation with countries in the region to address common challenges, such as terrorism and piracy.
- Cultural exchange: Fostering cultural exchange and people-to-people ties with countries in East Asia.
- Regional integration: Promoting regional integration in East Asia through initiatives such as the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement.