India's Look/Act East Policy and the Northeast Region: A Critical Perspective
Abstract
India's Look East Policy (LEP) signifies a strategic shift in its international political, economic, and military relationships. Regional integration of its Northeast Region (NER) with the countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia may potentially generate economic dividends to the region. However, there are formidable challenges in realising the potentials. The proposed infrastructure projects, if completed with no further delay, will go a long way in improving connectivity with the neighbouring countries. However, improving connectivity within the region and with the rest of the country is also very important. Further, it would require a comprehensive long-term plan with well-defined projects for developing industries and services including education, health and tourism. Building infrastructure, ensuring socio-political stability and ecological balance, and improving the quality of institutions would be a major part of this plan.
Keywords
Look East Policy (LEP), Act East Policy (AEP), India's Northeast Region (NER)
References
Barua, A., Das, S. K. 2008. Perspectives on Growth and Development in the Northeast: The Look East Policy and Beyond. Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research 2: 4, 327-350.
Baruah, S. 2004. Between South and Southeast Asia: Northeast India and the Look East Policy. CENISEAS Papers 4.
Bezbaruah, M. P., Sarma, A. 2009. Industry in the Development Perspective of North East India. Dialogue, Volume 10, No. 3 (March).
Bhaumik, S. 2007. Explaining India's silence over Burma. BBC News, 26 September (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7013975.stm, accessed on Friday, September 1, 2017)
Bhaumik, S. 2014. ‘Look East through Northeast’: Challenges and Prospects for India. Observer Research Foundation Occasional Paper # 51 (June).
Das, G. D. 2012. Security and Development in India's Northeast. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Guha, P., Mohapatra, R. 2016. Intensity and Pattern of Border Trade in India’s Northeast. Foreign Trade Review 51(3): 248-265
Haokip, T. 2011. India’s Look East Policy: Its Evolution and Approach. South Asian Survey, Vol. 18, No. 2, 239-257.
Hill, H. Is There a Southeast Asian Development Model? University of Freiburg Department of International Economic Policy Discussion Paper Series No. 26.
Ladwig III, W. C. 2009. “Delhi’s Paciï¬c Ambition: Naval Power, ‘Look East,’ and India’s Emerging Role in the Asia Paciï¬c,†Asian Security, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 98–101.
Moral, D. 1997. "North-East India as a Linguistic Area" (PDF), Mon-Khmer Studies, 27: 43–53
Panagariya, A. 2001. India’s Economic Reforms What Has Been Accomplished? What Remains to Be Done? EDRC POLICY BRIEF NO. 2. Asian Development Bank.
Radelet, S., Sachs, J., Lee, JW. 1997. “Economic Growth in Asia.†Background paper for the Asian Development Bank’s Emerging Asia study. HIID Development Discussion Paper No. 609, November 1997
Rahman, S. Y. 2013. The North-East India’s Look East Policy. InPEC Magazine, May.
Seshadri, S. 2017. India’s North East Opens: The Gateway to Prosperity, The Masterbuilder, June 19. https://www.masterbuilder.co.in/indias-north-east-opensthe-gateway-prosperity/, accessed on Friday, September 1, 2017)
Shrivastava, S. 2013. North East India and India’s Look East Policy. The World Reporter, June 18
Strachan, A.L., Kang, H. K., Sinha, T. 2009. India’s Look East Policy: A Critical Assessment (Interview with Amb. Rajiv Sikri). Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCC) Special Report, October.