India Look East Policy : Part 1

Indian gave a new thrust to it's relationship with  ASEAN and other East Asian  countries with advent of Look East policy. Primarily Look East policy was aimed at ASEAN nation and improving economic ties with them .  India had neglected it's relationship with it's south east Asian neighbour. It will be better to understand into the reason that parted India ways from South East Asian countries. 

India’s neglect of South East Asia Countries

·         When ASEAN was being formed in the 1967s, countries of ASEAN were keen to have India as a member. But India had been reluctant to join it.    Reason can be enumerated as follows

o    Philippines, Thailand had joined SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Organization) and of pro western attitudes. India thought it would be pro western organization aiming to use it against communist block.

o    Indonesia supported Pakistan during 1965 Indo-Pak War and had  new order under General Suharto  after 1965(after fall of President Sukarano). India thus apprehensive of Indonesia’s motto

o    It would hamper India NAM(Non alignment movement) position if would have joined a organization considered to be pro western.

 ASEAN, which is a geo-political and economic organization with 10 member countries, was formed in August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, the membership has expanded to include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Viet Nam.

·        Drift and Mistrust:

• The signing of the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Co-operation by India in 1971, the ASEAN states were suspicious of the USSR’s role in determining India’s  foreign policy towards the region in general,
• After Viet Nam’s military intervention in Kampuchea in December 1978, India, by its decision to recognize the Heng Samrin regime in Kampuchea backed by Viet Nam forfeited whatever little goodwill it enjoyed in the ASEAN region at that time.
• India support of USSR policy in Afghanistan and recognition  of Soviet Pro Government 
• Results was that Indian being viewed as USSR surrogate and India viewed ASEAN as imperialist surrogate of USA
• India’s decision not participate as a dialogue partner in 1980 was a further setback.India military intervention in Maldives (Operation Cactus), Seychelles and peace keeping force in SriLanka further created suspicion among  South East Asian nation of India’s intention.
• Also With India’s obsession towards Pakistan and with its preoccupations with China, the South East Asian region did not figure much in its foreign policy till the early 90s
• Also India has western orientation and look on West and USSR . ASEAN countries that time was economically backward .

Author :
Pawan Ghildiyal