The third International Conference on India and her Neighbours: Revisiting Relations with Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives hosted by Manipur University, Canchipur kicked-off on Friday at the senate hall of the University.

The conference was organized by Jadavpur International Relations (JAIR) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), North Eastern Regional Centre (NERC) and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Kolkata.

The inaugural function was attended by Ranjan Mathai, India’s foreign secretary, Pinak Ranjan Chakrabvarty, special secretary, public diplomatic division, Union ministry of external affairs, Daw Yin Yin Mynt, director general Training, Research and Foreign Language, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, Mahhub Hassan Saleh, deputy high commissioner for People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Manipur education minister M. Okendro and Manipur commerce and industries minister K Govindas among others.

Speakers at the inaugural function stressed on the need for a road map to have greater cooperation between India and her neighbours.

The political scenario in south Asia involving India and her immediate neighbours has transmuted over the past decade, observed Ranjan Mathai in his speech as chief guest of the inaugural function, asserting that many of these small states have experienced wide ranging transformation in their domestic political, economic and social spheres.

However, he added, while there transformation have been extensive for the countries experiencing them, they found little place of interest in global politics due to the over arching geo-strategic predominance of the larger neighbours such as China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Considering the need for India to engage and develop mutual relations with small states such as Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives, the international conference has been organized to deliberate and contribute to constructive engagements with these states, the Ambassador feels. The conference seeks to serve as a platform for reviewing and revisiting India’s role with respect to these nations.

Imankalyan Lahiri, general secretary of JAIR said in his key address of the conference.
With its members of experts and practitioners specializing on south and Southeast Asia as well as domestic and foreign diplomats, the association was poised to provide a forum for reflections and tangible inputs on the same.

Considering this, Lahiri said, the sessions of the conference have been structured to focus upon an investigation of current events and their impacts on India and her neighbours, an appraisal of India’s foreign policy with respect to these countries and an exchange of ideas among the representatives of these nations relating to the opportunities and prospects for international cooperation, exchange and generate popular discourse.