India

India’s influence in Southeast Asia is less than might be expected given its size and the existence of decades-long policies to promote engagement with the region (for example, Look East, renamed Act East in 2014). India ranks just 11th for overall influence, behind South Korea and Australia and even regional middle powers such as Malaysia and Indonesia. India’s presence is most substantial in Myanmar, where as a neighbouring country it exerts significant influence through defence and economic ties. It is also more prominent in the maritime countries of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia than in mainland Southeast Asia or the Philippines. Overall, India’s economic influence is very concentrated in Singapore and Malaysia, and is driven by outward investment from these countries into India. Indian defence diplomacy is more substantial than practical cooperation, which remains focused on discrete activities such as equipment sales.