Cultural tourism as a tool of soft power: A study of India’s engagement with Southeast Asia since 2014

Since the end of the Cold War, the influence of soft power in determining political dynamics in international relations has increased significantly. The same can be seen in regional power politics, and Southeast Asia is not different. With the formation of ASEAN, competition between major powers to influence the region has increased manifold. India, which has had long historical-cultural relations with Southeast Asia since ancient times, has also tried to build stronger diplomatic ties after the Cold War. Along with other strategies like financial and infrastructural support, cultural cooperation, particularly cultural tourism, has been used as a tool to increase its regional influence. The paper focuses on India’s initiatives of cultural tourism and its role in establishing soft power in the Southeast Asian region. Historical-cultural ties and growing connectivity provide ample scope for strengthening diplomatic relations with Southeast Asian nations. The paper considers various elements related to cultural tourism and the steps taken by the Indian government since 2014. With the replacement of the Look East Policy (LEP) with the Act East Policy (AEP) in 2014, a major focus has been kept on establishing cultural cooperation with Southeast Asian nations. The paper builds on the above propositions, primarily focusing on cultural tourism and soft power diplomacy.