The Indian presence in Southeast Asia is set deep down in history. There are innumerable accounts of traders, preachers and adventurers who ventured into the high seas and influenced the eastern part of the world, to the extent of ‘Indianizing’ it socially, culturally, religiously and in many other ways. However, it was during the colonial period that government sponsored migrations in the form of labourers, officials and service providers started, which later resulted into permanent settlements. The diasporic consciousness emerged as the settlers became integral part of economic and political lives of the receiving societies, while continuing to be connected with the motherland. This article aims to trace the presence of Indians in Southeast Asia from the early to the present times. The article also makes an attempt to critically analyze the impact of India’s diaspora and the Look East policies on ethnic Indians in Southeast Asia.1
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