UPSC Prelims 2011·GS1·polity-and-governance·social justice and international relations

With reference to “Look East Policy” of India, consider the following statements: 1. India wants to establish itself as an important regional player in the East Asian affairs. 2. India wants to plug the vacuum created by the termination of Cold War. 3. India wants to restore the historical and cultural ties with its neighbours in Southeast and East Asia. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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  1. A1 only
  2. B1 and 3 onlyCorrect
  3. C3 only
  4. D1, 2 and 3

Explanation

The Look East Policy was launched in 1991 during the P.V. Narasimha Rao government to shift Indias focus from the west toward the booming economies of Southeast and East Asia. Statement 1 is correct because a primary goal was to increase Indias strategic and economic influence in East Asian affairs, establishing it as a key regional power. Statement 2 is incorrect because the policy was not intended to fill a vacuum. Instead, it was a response to the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, which forced India to diversify its foreign policy and seek new economic partners. Statement 3 is correct because the policy explicitly aimed to revive ancient civilizational, cultural, and religious links specifically Buddhism that India shared with Southeast and East Asian nations. Therefore, only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
polity-and-governance: With reference to “Look East Policy” of India, consider the following statements: 1. India wants to establish itself as
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