1990年代初期，隨著印度推動「東向政策」（Look East Policy），加速印度與東協經濟合作關係。1992年，印度成為東協部門對話夥伴（sectoral dialogue partner），逐漸發展多元經貿合作體制；1995年，印度成為東協完全對話夥伴（full dialogue partner），經濟合作趨於制度化，雙邊關係質量均有所提升；1997年，金融風暴加速雙邊經濟合作的進程；2002年，東協與印度召開首屆高峰會，為雙邊政治經濟關係的發展立下新的里程碑；2003年，東協與印度簽署《全面經濟合作架構協定》（ASEAN-India Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation），以成立自由貿易區（Free Trade Area）為目標；2009年，印度與東協簽署《自由貿易商品協定》（Free Trade Agreement of Goods, FTAG）；2012年，印度與東協完成服務及投資貿易協定（ASEAN-India Trade in Services and Investment Agreement）談判進程，同時，印度升級為東協的「戰略夥伴」（strategic partnership）。印度與東協經濟合作的制度化，被視為印度東向政策的重大成果。印度與東協經濟合作的發展，與國際政治、經濟情勢的變化息息相關，雙邊關係從對話夥伴提升至戰略夥伴，於經濟合作及政治外交等各方面相輔相成。印度與東協經濟合作的擴大與深化，蘊含經濟利益、地緣及區域安全的戰略思考，體現於印度「東向政策」的內涵，東協成為印度「東向」的起點及連結亞太的據點。本文旨從印度推動東向政策之進程，檢視印度與東協經濟合作發展的歷程如何呈現出兩造戰略利益的交會。

For-two decades, India and ASEAN see a significant progress in bilateral economic cooperation, in terms of quality as well as quantity. The positive development continues into nowadays global economic dynamics. This paper will review and explore the evolution of the expanding economic relationship between the two potential economy entities. India's launch of ＂Look East Policy＂ will be greatly addressed, which played a driving role in reshaping India's economic policy, which is integrated into one whole national comprehensive -security strategy as the world order has been tremendously transformed with the termination of US-USSR rivalry. Through the realization of ＂Look East Policy＂ initiated by Prime Minister P. V. N. Rao in early 1990s, continuing into twenty-first century, it will be understood that why ASEAN came to the first place on India's external economic and political agenda. As the newly-tailored policy cannot be coined as economic policy only, India-ASEAN economic development cannot be regarded as a unitary matter of trade and investment boost. Economic cooperation has been chased and driven by political and diplomatic dialogue and cooperation since India built up partnership with ASEAN by early nineties. This paper will present a holistic analytical perspective to see how India looks for the strategic interests from the economic development with ASEAN nations in order to make a success of her ＂Look East Policy.＂