DEVELOPMENT OF NORTHEAST INDIA WITHIN INDIA'S ACT EAST POLICY AND INDO-PACIFIC VISION

India’s Northeast Region (NER) occupies a pivotal position in India’s Act East Policy (AEP) and its broader Indo-Pacific vision. Positioned strategically, the NER is set to benefit from India’s efforts to enhance connectivity with Southeast Asian nations, both under AEP and wider Indo-Pacific Oceans (IPOI) initiative. Over the past decade, there has been a discernible global pivot towards the Asian economy, shifting away from the western led economy. This shift brings with it the potential economic development in the region, dependent on regional integration. The effective implementation of India’s connectivity goals with Southeast Asia is linked to the development of the NER, which has emerged - though unintentionally - as a central node in these initiatives. This paper explores the connectivity projects within the NER and their implications for India-Southeast Asia engagement. While undergoing projects have the potential to boost the economic growth of the NER, their success remain heavily dependent on the regional socio-political stability. Persistent challenges such as security concerns, issue of illegal immigration, internal unrest, and political turmoil in neighbouring countries continue to impede any progress in bringing peace in the region; consequently hampering the economic development in the region.