Geopolitical Importance Of India’s Act East Policy Towards The Southeast Asian Region: Challenges And Prospects

Abstract

This paper aims to contextualize India’s “Act East Policy” within the geopolitical dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region. Focusing on greater strategic importance and the new strategic outlook in India’s eastward engagement. so considers the China factor in India’s strategic calculus and its implications for the Act East Policy. The emerging “Indo-Pacific” concept, the article explores its complimentary nature to India’s Act East policy and how it fits within the policy’s theoretical framework. Additionally, it observes India’s geostrategic approach in the Asia-Pacific. Overall, the article examines the strategic dimensions of the Act East Policy, Regional mechanism its implementation, and the related challenges considering India’s growing geopolitical engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.