Conents: Preface. Introduction: India’s Idea of the East. 1. Waves of History: Ancient to Pre-Independence Era. 2. The Nehru Wave (1927–1964): Hopes Belied. 3. After Nehru: Did India Get Distanced?. 4. Look East Policy (1992–2014): Streamlining and Restructuring Engagement. 5. Act East Policy (2014–): How Different, How Successful?.6. Prospects: Challenges of Deeper and Wider Engagement. 7. Annexure A: Exchange of Visits. 8. Annexure B: India’s Trade with ASEAN and Its Dialogue Partners. 9. Annexure C: India’s Exports to ASEAN. 10. Annexure D: India’s Imports to ASEAN. 11. Annexure E: FDI Inflows and Outflows between ASEAN and India. 12. Annexure F: Military Exercises. Index. India’s Eastward Engagement: From Antiquity to Act East Policy presents India’s engagement with its extended eastern neighbours from ancient times to the present. It argues that this engagement has been long rooted in India’s geographical location, its civilizational evolution and historical transformations. The book critically examines all the important phases—Nehru and Post-Nehru periods, and Look East and Act East policies. It exposes the widely entertained myths about India’s eastward engagement and also underlines the prospective directions in which the Act East Policy may unfold in the years to come.