A two-day international conference was convened in Tetso College, Sovima on November 6 and 7.
Chümoukedima, November 7 (MExN): A two-day international conference convened in Tetso College, Sovima bringing together scholars and policymakers to critically assess India's strategic relationship with Southeast Asia. The event, titled “Rethinking India’s Engagement with Southeast Asia,” was held on November 6 and 7.
The conference was jointly organised by the college’s Department of Political Science and the New Delhi-based Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), stated a press release.
The inaugural session blended academic formality with local tradition. It opened with a performance of the college anthem by music students, followed by a symbolic “Watering of the Tree of Wisdom” ritual.
This ceremony was led by the keynote resource person, Professor Chintamani Mahapatra, founder of the Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies. In her opening remarks, Dr Teshu Singh, a Fellow at ICWA, outlined the council's mandate to foster dialogues on India's foreign policy.
The keynote address was delivered by Professor Mahapatra, who also serves as Editor of India Quarterly. He set the stage for the conference by tracing the deep historical and cultural connections between India and Southeast Asia, using shared architectural and artistic heritage as evidence. He concluded with a central provocation to the attendees, asking, “Why should India rethink its engagement with Southeast Asia?” This question framed the subsequent discussions, pushing participants to move beyond historical ties and focus on contemporary strategic imperatives.
Following the opening, the conference broke into parallel technical sessions where scholars delved into specific themes of modern international relations.
The first day's proceedings concluded with a second keynote address from Dr Pradeep Taneja, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
