TOURISM AS SOFT POWER: REFRAMING INDIA-ASEAN RELATION IN THE ACT EAST POLICY ERA

Abstract

 The importance of tourism has become vital in the global arena, as it offers a range of advantages, including economic growth, job creation, cultural exchange, infrastructure development, and more. Tourism has also become an integral part of soft power diplomacy, especially in the context of India-ASEAN relations in the Act East policy era. This paper explores how tourism operates as a diplomatic tool in reshaping relations between India and ASEAN member states under the Act East Policy. Drawing on Joseph Nye’s concept of soft power, this paper explores how cultural heritage, gastronomy, festivals and connectivity initiatives contribute to people-to-people engagement between the two regions. This paper shall also argue that tourism, in the light of the Act East policy, is not merely symbolic but strategically embedded within India’s broader strategy to enhance regional influence and strengthen partnerships.