Paper Title
The Evolving Trends and Developments in India’s Act East Policy: A Critical Assessment

Abstract
India’s ‘Act East’ policy (AEP) is a diplomatic effort to strengthen the country’s ties to the wide Asia-Pacific region on economic, strategic, and cultural fronts. It is regarded as the updated version of the ‘Look East Policy’ (LEP) that was first implemented in 1991. The Act East Policy of India is centred on the Asia-Pacific region’s broader neighbourhood. In addition to its economic roots, the strategy has taken on political, strategic, and cultural components, such as the creation of new channels for official communication and collaboration. The nature of China’s rise, the shortcomings of the regional security order in Asia, and India’s own expanding capabilities, profile, and commitments all contributed to the inevitable development of the AEP out of the LEP. However, the AEP’s limitations and confrontational attitude have prevented the strategy from reaching its full potential, so the enhanced outreach has not been nearly as effective as intended. This article examines the gaps between the Look East Policy and Act East Policy through the use of the aforementioned scenarios. In addition, the policy’s recent developments and goals, which are grounded in economic and strategic pillars, will be critically analysed. Keywords - Look East, Act East, ASEAN, Asia-Pacific, Indo-Pacific, Security, Economic Cooperation.