International Relations GS 2 In the news 7 times

India's Act East Policy

The Act East Policy, upgraded from the earlier Look East Policy (1991), was formally announced in November 2014. It aims to deepen India's engagement with ASEAN and the broader Indo-Pacific region across economic, strategic, and cultural dimensions. India became an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 1992, a full Dialogue Partner in 1996, and a Summit-level Partner in 2002. The ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) came into effect in 2010. India also engages the region through the East Asia Summit, ADMM-Plus, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

Key details

Look East Policy: Launched 1991 under PM Narasimha Rao
Act East Policy: Upgraded November 2014 under PM Modi
India-ASEAN Dialogue Partnership: Since 1996; Summit-level since 2002
ASEAN-India FTA (AIFTA): In effect since 2010
India-ASEAN trade (2024-25): Approximately $130 billion
Key connectivity initiatives: India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project

In the news

● Tracked since February 07, 2026 · last seen July 03, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

03 Jul '26

Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand

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03 Jul '26

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20 May '26

India, South Korea agree to deepen defence ties during Rajnath Singh’s Seoul visit

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06 May '26