In the first 100 days of Modi 3.0, India is hell bent on disturbing China’s sleep, understand the meaning of emphasis on Act East

New Delhi: In the initial phase of Modi 3.0, India’s ‘Act East’ strategy has gained momentum. This is indicative of India’s committed effort towards enhancing relations with South-East Asian countries. The active participation of key leaders including the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister underlines the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation with ASEAN countries. There have been significant diplomatic outreaches in the last hundred days. President Draupadi Murmu’s visits to Timor-Leste, Fiji and New Zealand clearly show how seriously India is pursuing the mission of strengthening regional relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Malaysia in New Delhi before embarking on his/her own diplomatic visits to Brunei and Singapore. Notably, Modi’s visit to Brunei was the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister since independence. Apart from this, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made a brief visit in 2013 for the ASEAN-India Summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased outreach to Southeast Asian countries during his/her third term. This reflects his/her intent to prioritise diplomatic relations and development initiatives through the ASEAN framework. Moreover, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s interactions with counterparts from Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, and his/her visits to Laos and Singapore reflect a strong diplomatic agenda within the region.

The visit to Brunei was particularly strategic, aimed at strengthening the close ties between the two countries and addressing any concerns about India’s level of engagement with Southeast Asia. Defence cooperation between India and Brunei is also notable, emphasising shared interests in security. Modi’s visit to Singapore was equally important, coinciding with the recent appointment of PM Lawrence Wong.

The two leaders spent a lot of time together, reflecting a commitment to deepening bilateral ties. Singapore real estate company CapitaLand took a timely step to announce an increase in its investment in India, thereby strengthening economic ties. Additionally, the MoU on Semiconductor Ecosystem is an example of cooperation to address key industry concerns.

The semiconductor sector was clearly a focus of Modi’s mission, given Singapore’s substantial contribution to the global semiconductor market. Singapore accounts for nearly 10% of global production. It hosts several leading semiconductor companies across various sectors of the industry. Moreover, Singapore has already valued several industrial parks and smart cities in India, indicating a readiness to invest.

With the upcoming ASEAN summit in Laos, India is set to strengthen its maritime security and partnerships with Southeast Asian nations. For countries like Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, India presents itself as a reliable partner devoid of economic pressure, which clearly aligns with Modi’s vision for a collaborative future in the region.