India-Philippine Relations in the Context of India's Look East Policy

Abstract

Drawn primarily from the information gathered through interviews as well as archival and library researches, this thesis argues that the re-energised India-Philippine relations represent the third phase of India?s `Look East? policy (LEP). The policy was implemented by the Indian government in 1992 as a rapprochement with Southeast Asian countries that were benignly neglected during the Cold War years. The increasing pressure of regionalisation, and the need of fresh sources of foreign direct investments to salvage an ailing economy also triggered India to reorient its foreign and economic policies with the said countries including the Philippines. This thesis also examines the factors why the Philippines responded only to India?s LEP in the beginning of the 21st Century.