India and Asean Foreign Policy Dimensions for the 21st Century

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"For long, India hardly regarded the countries of Southeast Asia and South Pacific as priority areas despite the latters cultural, political, economic and strategic significance. The long spell of mutual alienation understandably gave way to mutual distrust and suspicion. This dark period in Indias relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and South Pacific was, however, brought to an end following the reshaping and reorientation of Indias foreign policy, manifest in the vigorous pursuit of Look East policy since the last decade of the previous century. Positive factors such as the pursuit of ASEAN and Australias Look West policy coinciding with the adoption of Look East policy by India, had already registered impressive progress in the field of economy, strategy and cultural relations between India and ASEAN. The leading specialists have critically examined the fruitful synergy in the relations between India and the countries of Southeast Asia and South Pacific."