Look East Policy of the Country

The ‘Look East Policy’ of the Government has been evolving since the early 1990s and has significantly deepened India’s engagement with the countries of East and Southeast Asia. India’s trade and Investment with that part of the world has been enhanced significantly. India had signed a ‘Trade in Goods’ agreement with ASEAN in 2009, which became operational from 1 January 2010. India has concluded a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is also being implemented from 1 January 2010.

India and China have established a Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity and have enunciated a Shared Vision for the 21st Century. There are regular high-level political contacts between the two countries. The two sides have established a dialogue architecture to discuss the entire range of bilateral relations. The functional cooperation between the two countries is expanding in all areas. During the visit of Commerce and Industry Minister to China in January 2010, the two countries signed a MoU on Expansion of Trade and Economic Cooperation. An Agreement on the Establishment of the Direct Secure Telephone Link between the Prime Minister of India and the Chinese Premier was signed during the visit of the External Affairs Minister to China in April 2010. Both sides have agreed that they are committed to resolving outstanding differences, including on the Boundary Question, through peaceful negotiations, while ensuring that such differences are not allowed to affect the positive development of bilateral relations.