Look East Policy India - Malaysia Strategic Cooperation

India launched the Look East Policy in early 1990 aimed at fostering bilateral economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. India views the economy of Southeast Asia as a virtually untapped market, which is up for grabs by major regional economic entities such as India, China, Europe and the USA. However, the early stage of the policy did not progress well due to the post- cold war dilemma that India faced and the Southeast Asian countries did not realize the full potential of India as another power besides
China. India decided to revisit the Look East Policy in early 2000 aimed at revitalising the economic linkages as well as strategic partnership with ASEAN. Phase two of India’s Look East Policy sees a greater opportunity in terms of economic expansion and determining security and stability
in this region. Maritime security cooperation is among the important strategic issues that India and ASEAN countries are actively engaged with.