India-East Asia Integration: A Win-Win for Asia

Abstract

This paper argues that Indias unilateral liberalization policies since the early 1990s, and purposeful and strategic pursual of its Look East Policy has resulted in considerably greater integration with the rest of Asia than is commonly realized or acknowledged. Moreover, the enabling conditions for greater economic integration among major Asian economies have been laid. If Asia is to increase its economic and political weight in the world affairs, Indias involvement would have to be an integral part of the Asia-wide cooperation. It is in this context that closer cooperation among Japan, ASEAN, South Korea, India, and China would provide considerable win-win opportunities and will have far ranging implications for the world.