A one day National Seminar on “India’s Foreign Policy in the Changing International Order: the Emerging Maritime Narrative” was organized in collaboration with the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), KIIT School of Law and KIIT International Relations Office, at Biotech Auditorium, KIIT Campus 11 on 18th January, 2020.
This discourse was well attended by over 450 participants including distinguished speakers from ICWA, Berhampur University, NALCO, Vidyasagar University, National Archives (Eastern Zone, Odisha), Madhusudan Das Research Chair-KISS, School of Law-KIIT and students of law along with their mentors.
Prof. Dr. Sashmita Samanta, Pro-VC, KIIT opened the Seminar by laying focus on international relations and its value for students of law. On this occasion, the Pro VC-KIIT and Deputy Director-General of ICWA also signed a MoU between ICWA and KIIT for facilitating and coordinating Government Agencies, Universities and academic institutions, various corporate entities in undertaking studies on selected topics of common interest and exchanging information and working on joint publications.
The three sessions of the seminar distinctly divided for the intellectual discourse covered (a) India’s Foreign Policy and the Evolving International Patterns, (b) India and her neighborhood – Ancient Encounters and impact on Contemporary Relations and (c) India Rebuilding the Maritime Connect.
The speakers outlined the historical underpinnings of Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and past maritime trade relations with neighboring countries, the vicissitudes through which Indian Foreign Policy transformed over the years, India’s relations with China, regional mechanisms like ASEAN, BIMSTEC and other neighbors in the Indo-Pacific Region, the dynamics of armed power build-up in the region and its impact on economies, newer mechanisms like Asia-Africa Growth Corridor and prospects for foreign policy.
Following the papers submitted by the speakers, IRO will be preparing and releasing the proceedings of the Seminar.