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Strategic Vision vol. 7, no. 39 (August, 2018)
India Looks East Modi’s visit to Southeast Asia reflects India’s growing interest in the region Manoj Kumar Panigrahi
photo: Government of India Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inspects an honor guard during a ceremonial reception in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
M
ay 2018 ushered in a new chapter in India’s Act East policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a tour through Southeast Asia with stops in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. This not only added up to another push for Indian engagement in Southeast Asia, but it also showed a renewed interest by the three countries toward the growing Indian market. Modi’s visit comes at a time of growing uncertainty in the region about the militarization of the South China Sea (SCS). A Sanskrit mantra, Vasudhaiva
Asia since ancient times. In more recent history, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s Non-Aligned Movement counted Indonesia’s former President Sukarno as an important supporter. Despite having such strong bonds, India and Southeast Asia have not been able to live up to expectations. The 1962 border war with China and nuclear tests by India reduced India’s standing among Southeast Asian nations: India began to be seen as a country with expansionist ambitions. Right after coming to power, Modi rebranded the
Kutumbakam, which means, “the world is one family,” has been used by Modi to deliver his message to the region. Being home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, India has maintained links to Southeast
previous Look East policy, initiated by PM Narasimha Rao in 1991, into the Act East policy, demonstrating a fresh approach from the Indian side toward Southeast Asia. India has since been trying to play an active part
Manoj Kumar Panigrahi is a PhD candidate in the International Doctoral Program in Asia-Pacific Studies at National Chengchi University in Taipei. He can be reached at into---mankupani@gmail.com