Executive Summary

India’s Act East Policy (AEP) was launched in 2014 to continue and expand the Look East Policy from the early 1990s. The AEP aims to enhance economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and strategic ties with Asia-Pacific countries, particularly ASEAN nations. The policy has successfully elevated some of India’s relationships with ASEAN countries to a strategic level. However, India’s maritime security engagement with ASEAN countries, whilst growing, still remains limited.

The political landscape in the region faces challenges due to China’s assertion of the nine-dash line in the South China Sea (SCS).  These Southeast Asian countries, with their limited economic and military capabilities, rely on international law (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982) and international support to address these challenges. Despite legal measures finding against China’s actions and promises of a Code of Conduct (CoC), effective resolutions remain elusive.

India also shares some of the same territorial concerns with Southeast Asian countries about China’s recent actions. Specifically, the border conflict with China has become more tense in recent times, as shown by the military conflicts at the border that occurred between the two countries in 2014 and 2017, but especially since 2020. In addition, China’s military presence is also more clearly present in the Indian Ocean, an area considered to be India’s backyard, through a larger naval and maritime presence associated with the BRI initiative [1].

In recent years, India has become more robust in its support for the rule of law in the SCS and also in broader maritime and security cooperation with key claimant states. This policy brief argues that India must strengthen its security partnerships with littoral and island nations of the SCS, especially key countries in the dispute, the Philippines and Vietnam, in order to secure its broader regional interests. The policy brief will assess the similarities between India and Southeast Asian countries in their relations with China, the challenges India has faced in implementing the AEP, and propose shifting the focus of the AEP toward security and defence links with Vietnam and the Philippines.

What Is India’s Current Relationship with ASEAN After The 10-Year Endourse Of AEP?

The AEP policy is becoming a central pillar of India’s foreign relations, guiding its approach to the Indo-Pacific. This region spans the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including many key economies and strategic sea routes. Under this policy, India has expanded its relationships with Southeast Asian countries as its core objective. These ties have deepened across various sectors, such as healthcare, education, agriculture, trade and investment, technology, green energy, and cultural exchanges [2].

India has established growing ties and become a strategic partner to several Southeast Asian countries. For instance, India has a comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam and a strategic partnership with the Philippines. Nonetheless, the impact of India’s relationship with ASEAN countries is still somewhat limited. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS, India ranks 9th as a preferred strategic dialogue partner of choice for ASEAN countries, as well as 9th in both Vietnam and the Philippines [3].