New Delhi, July 8 -- India's Act East Policy, launched in 2014 as an upgrade to the earlier Look East approach, has steadily matured into a strategic framework that anchors New Delhi's engagement with the Indo-Pacific. At its core, the policy reflects India's recognition that its economic growth, maritime security, and geopolitical leverage are inseparable from developments east of the Bay of Bengal.

The Indo-Pacific is the world's most dynamic economic corridor, but it is also the arena of intensifying competition, particularly with China's expanding footprint. For India, "Act East" is not a slogan but a necessity: it is about securing sea lanes, diversifying supply chains, and building coalitions with democracies that share concerns ab...