The Act East Policy (AEP) is a diplomatic strategy and concept of the Government of India, announced in November 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit in Myanmar. It is an upgrade of the earlier Look East Policy (LEP), which was initiated in 1991 by Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. The LEP was created to solve the problem of India's economic isolation following the 1991 economic crisis and the end of the Cold War, focusing primarily on economic cooperation with Southeast Asian nations.
The AEP works by expanding the scope of engagement from the original focus on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the wider Indo-Pacific region, including East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea. The key mechanism of the AEP is its emphasis on the 4 C's: Culture, Commerce, Connectivity, and Capacity Building. Unlike the LEP, which was mainly economic, the AEP incorporates a significant strategic and security dimension to bolster India's standing as a regional power and a counterweight to China's influence. Key provisions include major connectivity projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.
The policy connects to related concepts and institutions such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the informal grouping known as the Quad (India, USA, Japan, and Australia). The AEP also places a heavy focus on developing India's North Eastern Region (NER), viewing it as the gateway to Southeast Asia, a focus that was minimal under the LEP. The policy has changed recently by shifting from a focus on mere engagement to a more proactive, action-oriented approach, with a greater emphasis on strategic partnerships and security cooperation, while the core objective of strengthening ties with the East has stayed the same.