Centre for Southeast Asian Studies- Act East Policy & the Importance of Myanmar & Northeast India

Описание: In recent times, ‘Act East Policy’ has become a defining feature of India’s foreign policy. It is credited with portraying India’s geo-political aspirations as well as countering the growing Chinese influence in the region. As part of its twin objective of security and development, Myanmar and Northeast India region become central to successfully realizing and implementing the policy. In order to contribute to the pool of growing discourse on the subject, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs, organized a panel discussion on ‘Act East Policy and the Importance of Myanmar and Northeast India on 27 September 2018. The main themes of the discussion centered around the issues of greater connectivity with ASEAN states, energy security, countering China’s influence in the region, investment and trade, as well as the significance of soft power with specific reference to Buddhist diplomacy and cultural ties in bridging the gap between India and Southeast Asia. The panel comprised of Vikram Doraiswami, Joint Secretary (Ministry of External Affairs) for Myanmar and Bangladesh; Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies Programme at Gateway House and former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar (2002–2005); Dr. G. Vijayachandra Naidu, Professor, Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Dr. Temjenmeren Ao, Research Fellow on Southeast Asia at the Indian Council of World Affairs; and Gautam Mukhopadhaya, former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar (2013-2016). The discussion was chaired by Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen, Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs.