Opinion | Modi 3.0 Is Leaving Nothing To Chance With Southeast Asia

As India steps into its third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, Southeast Asia has emerged as a central focus of its foreign policy. The region plays a crucial role in the Indo-Pacific theatre and has become pivotal to India's strategic, economic, and diplomatic interests.

Recent high-level engagements, such as Modi's visit to Singapore and Brunei in early September, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's articulation of India's stance on the South China Sea, and the visits of Vietnamese and Malaysian Prime Ministers to India, signal a continuity in the strategic significance of Southeast Asia to India's foreign policy vision.

The central government's "Act East Policy," an evolution from the previous "Look East Policy," signifies a more proactive engagement with Southeast Asian nations. Under Modi, this policy has become a cornerstone of India's Indo-Pacific strategy, which promotes a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based order.