The new emphasis on culture and higher education does not imply that India’s Look East policy is turning sentimental. It is based on a hard-headed assessment that reclaiming India’s Asian past is necessary for establishing its role in the continent’s political future.

The main contestation in Asia today is whether its new institutions should be exclusive or inclusive. The former (exclusive) defines the ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan and South Korea) as the core of a new Asia. The latter (inclusive) will put the EAS — with additional participation of India, Australia and New Zealand — in the driver’s seat.

If India does not rise to the occasion, Asia will inevitably drift towards a Sino-centric future. An India that seizes its opportunities will help anchor Asia in its richer and more diverse past.

The writer is a Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore