India in the South China Sea: Act East Policy and the quest for strategic relevance

The South China Sea has emerged as a critical geopolitical arena with far-reaching implications for global trade, security and environmental sustainability. This paper examines India’s strategic relevance regarding this vital waterway as it is inextricably linked to India’s economic prosperity and security as a rising Indo-Pacific power. However, China’s belligerence, along with the overarching United States–China power dynamics and involvement of other major players in the region, poses significant challenges to India’s interests in positioning itself more effectively as an emerging security and development partner to Southeast Asian states. In the context of rebranding the ‘Look East’ approach as the ‘Act East Policy’, this article discusses India’s strategic calculus in the South China Sea, focusing on the geopolitical context of Southeast Asia, the evolution of India’s perception, interests and involvement in the South China Sea, and the role of the United States in shaping the India–South China Sea dynamic.