Conference Report
International Conference on
“Regionalism, Sub-regionalism and Connectivity: India’s Foreign Policy in the 21st Century”
Aizawl, Mizoram
India
th
19 and 20th August, 2013
The
two
day
International
Conference
on
“Regionalism, Sub-regionalism
and
Connectivity: India’s Foreign Policy in the 21st Century” witnessed stimulating debates
about the current scenario in the Indian subcontinent and other neighbouring countries. It
also offered invaluable insights about the future conditions that may prevail in which these
countries will operate. The Conference has been extremely enriching and pertinent keeping in
view of the fact that its theme has been and remains relevant. The conference highlighted the
importance of the North East India in India’s Foreign Policy. The Conference was attended by
nearly 250 local, national and International participants. The Conference was organised by
The Jadavpur Association of International Relations, supported by The Public
Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Indian Council of
Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of
Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata. The conference was hosted by Mizoram University,
Aizawl, Mizoram. The conference was held at Pachhunga University College in the Aizawl
City.
The conference began with the felicitation of the Chief Guest and the key note speaker,
Ambassador P.S Raghavan, Special Secretary (Development Partnership Administration)
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and other dignitaries who were present on
the day. Professor J.K Patnaik, Convenor of the conference welcomed the participants,
scholars and other delegates from all over India. Pu Lalrinliana Sailo, Hon’ble Trade and
Commerce Minister, Government of Mizoram opened his address by saying that the
development of Mizoram is important for the success of India’s Look East Policy. He talked
about India’s relations with Myanmar and Bangladesh and the challenges India faced vis-a -vis
these countries. He added that the North eastern part of India has the potential to play a
crucial role in terms of hydroelectricity and other investments despite having been neglected
by the rest of the country so far. Professor R. Lalthantluanga, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor,
Mizoram University stressed on the importance of the North East India with respect to the
Look East Policy and hoped that the seminar will aware the local stakeholders about the
importance of the country’s foreign policy. This was followed by remarks by Dr. Surajit C.
Mukhopadhayaya, Vice President, JAIR, who commented on the sociological aspect of
regionalism and sub-regionalism. According to him, various other interdisciplinary aspects are
to be researched and not only just single story of diplomacy. Dr. Shreeradha Dutta, Director,
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS) emphasized on the
importance of student interaction and people to people contact to properly understand the
dynamics of a region. The Conference was also attended by Ms. L.Savithri, Director, Public
Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
The Keynote Address was delivered by Ambassador P.S Raghavan, who opined that the
focus is now on the Look East Policy due to the current demands of geopolitics. While
explaining the functioning of the Public Diplomacy Division he acknowledged the importance
of the role organisations like JAIR is playing. He also stressed on the need of developing better
linkages with the ASEAN countries. He said that the government and the corporate sector are
working hand in hand to promote regional initiatives like the Kunming Initiative and the
Mekong Ganga Cooperation. According to him when all parties feel secure, people to people
contact will automatically increase. He also added that information, misinformation and
disinformation can be transmitted into a degenerated report in the information age easily. As
an optimist he hoped that conference will ensure that the civil society will come up with truth
and imagination. Ambassador Raghavan further said that building on its relationship with
ASEAN countries is the cornerstone of India’s Look East Policy (LEP) and for that the Northeastern States, particularly Mizoram has a key role to play. He said that recent trends show an
easing off of security tensions leaving space for countries to pursue cooperation for mutual
benefits. “Relationships can grow only when all feel secure”, he said. Raghavan called on the
people of the region to come forward and claim “full ownership” of the LEP, which according
to him would usher in an era of development not only for the region but the country as a
whole. He urged the people to discern between information and disinformation. As an
example, he pointed to the Kaladan Multi-Modal Project (KMMP), a major scheme to
geographically link India with Myanmar through Mizoram. Ambassador Raghavan interacted
with the participants and the Press during the session. Prof.J.K. Patnaik concluded the
inaugural session with a vote of thanks.
The First Technical Session of the day included the lectures of H.E. Mahbub Hassan Saleh,
Deputy High Commissioner Bangladesh and Professor. Earnest Bower, Senior Advisor and
Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies and Co-director of the Pacific Partners Initiative at
the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C. H. E. Mahbub Hassan
Saleh began his lecture by giving an overview of Indo-Bangladesh relations so far. He focussed
on the cultural partnership of the two countries saying that the only difference lay in politics
and geographical considerations. The future of the two counties is perpetually intertwined and
keeping this in mind, India should act as a caring elder brother and not as a big brother. He
concluded by saying that all dividing factors are in our minds which must be got rid of and the
elder brother must equip the younger one to take strong, bold, political decisions. According
to Prof. Bower, the U.S and India’s interests in Southeast Asia powerfully converged and thus
India’s Look East Policy is extremely crucial for the U.S. He proposed a roadmap for
cooperation where he suggested the creation of better hard and soft infrastructure. He
emphasized on sustainable development as a priority for the region and recommended greater
people-to-people ties.
In the second Technical Session, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, Dhaka University, emphasized
that without institutions, a strong nation cannot be made. He said that humans are cultural
and psychological beings. War begins in the mind and it is in the mind where structures of
peace have to be established. The second speaker, Ambassador Pramathesh Rath, said that
when one wants to change a situation in the system then he has to control the system. He
pointed out that India-U.S relations will be strong given the importance assumed by the Look
East Policy. The third speaker of the session, Professor P.K. Ghosh, Registrar, Jadavpur
University, reiterated the vital aspects of developing regional and sub-regional cooperation
with emphasis on the economic aspects of congruity. Talking about the impediments of the
Look East Policy, Professor Tridib Chakrabarti, highlighted the China Factor, coalition
politics and the differences of perspectives of the Policy. He also suggested certain means to
augment the Policy such as infrastructural development, railway connectivity, and
coordination of different ministries and so on. He also focussed on the generation of ‘we’
feeling among the North-eastern population.
The post lunch technical session began with Dr. Anindyo Jyoti Majumdar of the
Department of International Relations who in his lecture said that connectivity needs to be
nurtured and modified focussing on specific purposes. He raised the question that how are we
to respect the otherness of the North East and at the same time integrate the” we feeling”.
Observing that a region is a bounded space made for power Dr. Shibashis Chatterjee, Head
of the Department of International Relations, Jadavpur University said that regionalism is
going to uphold giving more autonomy to the units which formed the region. Professor
Sabaree Mitra of JNU, New Delhi spoke about the BCIM forum, emphasising on the Kolkata
to Kunming Car rally, energy sharing and water conservation effort.
In the last session of the first day, papers were presented by young scholars and teachers. Dr. Joseph
K .Lalfakzuala, PhD Scolar, JNU, said that, defining regionalism has never been an easy task.
Regionalism as a concept will have positive impact not only for the national interest but also in the
wider context with its neighbouring countries. Ms. Mousumi Dasgupta, Assistant Professor,
Department of Political Science, Victoria Institution (College), Kolkata, examined a sub-region in the
jargon of International Relations as being both tangible and intangible. She looked at the foreign
policies of China and India which have in their own way contributed to the re(making) of this subregion thereby questioning the preponderance of geopolitics over geo-economics or vice-versa in
the sub-region’s future. Ms.Gargi Adhikari, Department of International Relations, Jadavpur
University, spoke about India’s relation with Japan which remains at the core of India’s drive for
recognition as a key global player. Focusing on an appraisal of the Kunming Initiative, Ms.
Pratnashree Basu, Observer Research Foundation, explored the efficacy of second tier diplomatic
attempts in a world largely characterized by political estimations. The final paper by Ms. Sayantani
Sen Majumdar, MAKAIAS, looked at Northeast regions tourism prospect through the Mekong Ganga
Cooperation, emphasizing on transforming opportunities into advantages.
The second day of the International Conference saw interesting papers on Northeast India as a
Simmering Cauldron revolving around state and community responses to developmental challenges,
asymmetrical federalism, ethnic assertion and conflict and issues of division of tribes. The session
also saw a special lecture by Professor Radharaman Chakrabarti. Professor Chakrabarti spoke about
the various aspects of the India’s Look East Policy as well as the need to explore the other external
factors. The following session looked at issues concerning an Indian perspective on energy security
across the Bay of Bengal presented by Shri Arnab Dasgupta, A.B.N Seal College, Cooch Behar. Ms.
Satabdi Das, of South Calcutta Girls’ College talked about a threat to India’s Northeast due to
climate hazards. Other issues of the session included media and democracy analyzed by Dr. Liani
Tlau, Jamia Milia Islamia College, New Delhi; dimensions of Look East Policy projects in Mizoram
investigated by Dr. S. Haukhanlian Mate, Saitual College, Mizoram; and global dimensions of India’s
energy security, which was explored Dr. S.L.Jangu, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Political Science,
Mizoram University. Dr. Debamitra Mitra, ILEAD, Kolkata, talked about Himalayan sub-regionalism
and Dr. Indrashis Banerjee, Belur Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandir, presented his paper on the
cosmopolitan model of Democracy of India in the 21st century.
The final session of the two day on Regionalism, Sub-regionalism and Connectivity dealt with
prospects and potential of Look East Policy through the eyes of Northeast India by Ms. Garima
Sarkar, Jadavpur University. Ms. Koyel Basu, Jangipur College, Murshidabad explored the China
Factor in India-ASEAN relations in the 21st century. Ms.Somdatta Banerjee, New Alipore College
explained how connecting through Myanmar a crucial ingredient in India’s Look East Policy is.
Ms.Niharika Singh of Mizoram University enumerated opportunities for development in the
northeast. C. Lalengkima, JNU, New Delhi, spoke on enhancing Indo-Myanmar border trade through
connectivity. The session was chaired by Prof. Surajit C. Mukhopadhayaya.
The session on North East India: A Simmering Cauldron was chaired by Prof. Srinibas
Pathi, Dean, School of Social Sciences, Mizoram University and co-chaired by Dr. Shibashis
Chatterjee, Head, Dept. of International Relations, Jadavpur University. Dr. J. Doungel,
Head, Dept. of Political Science, MZU in his paper ‘Significance of the 6th Schedule Area of
Mizoram in India’s Look East Policy’ discussed the issues like strategic location of Mizoram;
presence of various ethnic groups across the border; and traditional trade ties among the
countries of the region. Mr. Pramananda, Asst. Prof. Mizoram Law College, Aizawl presented
a paper titled ‘Development Vs Armed Conflicts Vis-à-vis Development and armed Conflicts: a
case of Manipur. He analyzed the linked between development and armed conflicts and
highlighted the need for mitigation and neutralization of conflicts for speedy development.
Mr. Zarzosanga, Research Scholar, Political Science, MZU in his paper ‘Role of Church in the
process of Peace and Development in Mizoram’ emphasized on community, collectivity and
homogeneity and the role of the Church in the context of reforms, awareness generation,
relief, rehabilitation and peace. Mr. J.C Zomuanthanga, Asst. professor, Dept. of Political
Science, MZU presented a paper titled ‘New Regionalism in India’s Foreign Policy’. Mr. J.B.
Chakma, Research Scholar, Commerce, MZU and Dr. RKPG Singha, Head, Commerce, PUC,
MZU in their joint paper titled ‘Border Trade Opportunities in North East Region of India with
special reference to Mizoram’ discussed the issues and challenges to border trade in Mizoram
in the context of India’s Look East Policy and emphasized on the high potential for export.
The presentations were followed by open house discussion in which delegates and research
scholars participated. The session ended with Chairman’s observations by Prof. Pathi and a
vote of thanks. In the valedictory session, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed delivered the Valedictory
Address. Dr. Imankalyan Lahiri, General Secretary, The Jadavpur Association of
International Relations proposed the Vote of Thanks.
The Conference was successful in adding to the existing dialogue on International Relations
and re-examined the existing opportunities and possibilities that confront our country today.
Advances of knowledge have been at the core of JAIR initiatives and we hope that this
Conference has achieved its aim of providing fresh insights and policy inputs concerning
India’s foreign policy at large.