Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post Cold War international scenario. (Not more than 200 words)

India's Look East Policy emerged after the Cold War amid economic reforms, changing power balances and the need to diversify external partnerships. It connected domestic growth with deeper engagement in Southeast and East Asia.

Economic dimensions

• India sought trade, investment, technology, infrastructure links and participation in regional production networks.
• ASEAN engagement created opportunities for goods, services, connectivity and institutional cooperation.
• Land and maritime connectivity through India's northeast and the Bay of Bengal could support border-region development and integration.
• Challenges included infrastructure gaps, limited trade competitiveness, non-tariff barriers and an uneven trade balance.

Strategic dimensions

• Closer relations with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea and other partners increased India's role in the Asia-Pacific and supported a multipolar balance.
• Maritime cooperation, energy security and engagement with the wider Indo-Pacific strengthened strategic options without becoming an alliance commitment.
• The policy also linked northeast development with neighbourhood diplomacy and reduced India's earlier regional isolation.
• In 2014, the later “Act East” formulation signalled greater emphasis on action and connectivity; the 2016 assessment remains rooted in the Look East framework.

Keywords: Look East Policy; ASEAN; post-Cold War; connectivity; Asia-Pacific; strategic autonomy.