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India's Act East Policy: PM Modi Visit to Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and Strategic Shift Since 2014

Intl. RelationsPolitySecurity & DefenceHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
13 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:2014 (12th ASEAN-India Summit)Look East Policy (1991)SAGARIPOIMAHASAGARQuad
Bodies:ASEANQuad
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What This Article Covers

1.PM Modi declared the shift from 'Look East' to 'Act East' Policy at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit in 2014, expanding India's engagement beyond Southeast Asia to the wider Indo-Pacific.

2.The policy incorporates both hard and soft power, with initiatives like SAGAR, IPOI, and MAHASAGAR addressing non-conventional threats (IUU fishing, piracy, trafficking).

3.Key challenges include political instability in neighbouring countries (Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka) and inadequate infrastructure in Northeast India as a gateway to East Asia.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

PM Modi's visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand highlights India's Act East Policy, a strategic shift from the earlier Look East Policy (1991). The policy aims at economic cooperation, cultural ties, and strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, facing challenges like neighbourhood instability and infrastructure gaps in Northeast India.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Policy Shift Year2014 (12th ASEAN-India Summit)
Previous PolicyLook East Policy (1991)
Key Initiative (India's maritime vision)SAGAR, IPOI, MAHASAGAR
Countries Visited by PMIndonesia, Australia, New Zealand

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Policy Shift Year: 2014 (12th ASEAN-India Summit)
  • ›Previous Policy: Look East Policy (1991)
  • ›Target this Data: Shift from Look East to Act East Policy occurred at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit in 2014.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the nodal ministry for the Act East Policy.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: No specific legal provision mentioned, but policy is linked to India's foreign policy framework and strategic doctrines (SAGAR, IPOI, MAHASAGAR).

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Under which ministry does the implementation of India's Act East Policy primarily fall?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding India's Act East Policy:

1. The Act East Policy was announced by PM Modi at the 12th ASEAN-India Summit in 2014.

2. The policy focuses only on economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries.

3. The policy includes both hard and soft power aspects of foreign policy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

At which ASEAN-India Summit did PM Modi announce the shift from 'Look East Policy' to 'Act East Policy'?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective of India's Act East Policy as described in the article?

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