The Department of Geopolitics and International Relations of Manipal University, in collaboration with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata, will organise a two-day national seminar on “India’s Foreign Policy Orientations” here on Thursday and Friday.
According to a press release issued by Manipal University here on Wednesday, the seminar will discuss and analyse India’s growing role and influence in world affairs.
“Whether there is going to be continuity or change in the direction of India’s foreign policy will form a major part of the seminar,” said Arvind Kumar, Head of the Department of Geopolitics.
He said the meet will deliberate on a number of important themes impacting India’s foreign policy, which seems to be in transition from a focus on political orientation to one on economics. The evolving contours of economic diplomacy and how India is going to harness its potential and reflecting its interests will be discussed and analysed.
The participants and the resourcepersons will be drawn from the academic, strategic, policy, diplomatic, scientific and technical community. Nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission will inaugurate the seminar. Former ambassador to Nepal and Afghanistan, Rakesh Sood, who was also former special envoy on Non Proliferation and Disarmament, will deliver the keynote speech.
Other important resourcepersons are Chintamani Mahapatra from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), former ambassador to Austria and Secretary General South Asian Association of Regional Co-opration (SAARC), Sheel Kant Sharma, Swaran Singh Chairman, Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament, School of International Studies (SIS), JNU, V. Siddhartha and others. eom
