Ways to Improve

If India wants its Act East Policy to be successful it needs to take a number of further steps:

Build and Maintain Infrastructure: India must strengthen important infrastructure projects such as the trilateral highway linking India–Myanmar– Thailand, etc. India should enhance its connectivity with ASEAN instead of dragging its feet. Connectivity through road, rail, maritime and air can foster trade integration between ASEAN and India.
Promoting Diaspora: India needs to utilise its diaspora more effectively. So far, it has engaged only with the Indian diaspora in Singapore, Malaysia and to some extent Thailand. India needs to pay greater attention to the Indian community in Myanmar.
Enhance Engagement with other Countries: There is scope for greater engagement with countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. There is immense potential for strengthening India–Indonesia relations.
Make States Key Stakeholders: A large number of Indian states are beginning to engage with Southeast Asian countries, especially Singapore and Malaysia. While it is logical to make north eastern states key stakeholders in the Act East Policy, it is also important to rekindle ties between other Indian states and ASEAN countries.

ASEAN-Indian Rising Bonhomie

India rolled out a red-carpet welcome to leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to mark 25 years of New Delhi’s ties with the ASEAN bloc, as part of India’s “Act East” policy.
All 10 heads of states from ASEAN (comprising of Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos and Brunei) were invited as chief guests at India’s 69^th Republic Day celebrations.

Background

India and ASEAN observed 25 years of their Dialogue Partnership, 15 years of Summit Level interaction and 5 years of Strategic Partnership throughout 2017 by undertaking a wide range of activities, both in India and through the Missions in ASEAN Member States, which culminated in a Commemorative Summit on the theme “Shared Values, Common Destiny” on 25 January 2018.

Significance for India

The celebration was preceded by the Delhi Declaration, which (among other things) called for deepened counter terrorism ties between India and ASEAN. The Delhi Declaration underlines specific concerns about cross-border terrorism and freedom of navigation that commits them to an early implementation of various agreed projects, including their Plan of Action 2016-2020.
The enhanced ties between the two entities follow a convergence of interests on various issues connected to the Asia-Pacific region. These include regional stability, maritime security, prevention of terrorism, increased connectivity via sea, land and air, and amplified trade between the nations involved.

Engage in Trade: For a big leap, India must move up the manufacturing and technology frontier, with greater propensity and capacity to export products like electrical machinery, nuclear reactors, iron and steel, and vehicles.
Reduce Bottlenecks: Alongside, India must focus on encouraging and adopting trade facilitation measures like simplification and harmonisation of trade procedures, setting regional single windows for custom clearance, recognition of custom transit documents and proper coordination between border authorities.
Increase People to People Contact: Indian cities that share a common history and heritage with countries in ASEAN can deepen relations on the basis of religious history. For instance, the Buddhist site of Sarnath near Varanasi receives a large number of tourists, many from Thailand.

ASEAN-India Summits and East Asia Summits: Past, Present and Projected (Since 2002)
Year	Venue (ASEAN)	East Asia Summit (EAS)	Host & Venue (EAS)
2021	Brunei	-	-
2020	Vietnam	15th EAS	Vietnam
2019	Thailand	14th EAS	Thailand
2018	Singapore	13th EAS	Central Area, Singapore
2018	New Delhi
2017	Manila, Philippines	12th EAS	Pasay, Philippines
2016	Vientiane, Laos	11^th EAS	Vientiane, Laos
2015	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	10^th EAS	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2014	Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar	9^th EAS	Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar(Burma)
2013	Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei	8^th EAS	Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
2012	New Delhi
2012	Phnom Penh, Cambodia	7^th EAS	Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2011	Bali, Indonesia	6^th EAS	Bali, Indonesia
2010	Hanoi, Vietnam	5^th EAS	Hanoi, Vietnam
2009	Thailand	4^th EAS	Cha-am & Hua Hin, Thailand
2007	Singapore	3rd EAS	Singapore, Singapore
2007	Cebu, Philippines	2nd EAS	Mandaue, Philippines
2005	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	1st EAS	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2004	Vientiane, Laos
2003	Bali, Indonesia
2002	Phnom Penh, Cambodia