Energy Security and India’s Look East Diplomacy

　　ABSTRACT: This paper attempts to present an interpretation of the motivation and objectives of India’s “Look East” strategy from the standpoint of energy security. Utilizing research methods from international political economy, the paper finds that the Indian government, Indian state energy companies and related actors are securing energy interests in the region of focus of “Look East” diplomacy through a number of measures and policy tools. At the same time, energy security has become a critical objective of “Look East” diplomacy, and as India’s domestic energy supply deficit continues to grow, energy security concerns will continue to rise in importance. By considering India’s Look East diplomacy from the standpoint of energy security, we can gain an initial understanding of how India plans to achieve energy security overseas: India will follow a basic logic of promoting and linking its political diplomacy and energy cooperation, and follow a pattern of economic realism in guaranteeing its energy security.