Foreign Policy of India in Southeast Asia

India's historical and cultural relations with Southeast Asia have the potential to realize security and strategic purposes. The earliest sustained contact between India and Southeast Asia was through Southern and Eastern coastal states of India during the Chola and Kalinga empires. If connection through the North-Eastern states is vital for economic development of the region, integration through the Southern and Eastern coastal states of India is crucial for the promotion of larger maritime security and strategic interests. The ports and naval bases in Southern and Eastern coastal India and the strategic locations of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are of vital significance. Despite having one of the largest merchant fleets in the developing world, Indian ports have a limited number of direct calls with ASEAN ports. The biggest challenge for India in the region is managing its relationship with China. China's assertiveness in maritime territorial disputes in South China Sea and expanding presence in East Asia and the Indian Ocean has reinforced the relevance of an enhanced role for India and its Asia-Pacific partners in these regions.