Category Archives: Event Reports
Conference Report: Armed Conflict, Peace Audit and Early Warning
NIAS-KAS Conference on “Armed Conflict, Peace Audit & Early Warning: Decennial Review 2016”
J.R.D. Tata Auditorium, NIAS, June 9-11, 2016
International Strategic and Security Studies Programme (ISSSP), National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bangalore organized a conference on June 9-11, 2016. The conference analysed armed conflicts and peace processes in the region during the last ten years. Leading scholars, former practitioners and media professionals took part in the three-day conference held at NIAS campus in Bangalore.
The focus of discussions included Afghanistan, Pakistan, multiple conflicts and peace processes within India (J&K, Northeast and Naxal), Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The findings are likely to be published in early 2017. The conference was organised by the NIAS in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
The event report has been prepared by Adarsh Vijay, Albertina Nithya B, Anu Abraham, Nazrin Hussain, Sanjal Shastri & Sourina Bej.
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Lecture Report: India and NSG
Dr. N. Ramamoorthy, Retired as Associate Director (International Collaboration & Technical Coordination), BARC, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
NIAS Public Lecture, July 5, 2016
The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) came into being following India’s peaceful nuclear experiment (PNE) performed in May 1974. Since their first meeting in November 1975, during the next four years, the group held a series of meetings under different nomenclatures (for example, “London Club” “London Group” and “London Suppliers Group”). There was a long gap thereafter, and they met again only in 1991.
India prepared a huge document (330 pages) for its application to the NSG and submitted it in May 2016 explaining its qualification and eligibility to be included in the NSG. The NSG preparatory meeting for annual plenary planning was held in Vienna during 9-10 June 2016, and the NSG Annual plenary was held in Seoul, during 23-24 June 2016. The latter meeting discussed, despite certain opposition, India’s case for entry into the NSG. On India’s membership to the NSG, there is currently more uncertainty, than probability or feasibility. China is likely to remain as a main factor in determining India’s entry. Outside China, the US Presidency change later this year may have an impact on this process. While it is difficult to predict, it would be a pleasant and welcome surprise, if India is admitted as PG in NSG later this year.
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Are the Indian Fishermen ‘Carefully Careless’? Fishing Conflicts In The Palk Bay
M. Mayilvaganan, Assistant Professor, NIAS
NIAS Wednesday Meeting, June 29, 2016
Dr. M. Mayilvaganan, Assistant Professor, ISSSP, NIAS presented his research on the tensions between India and Sri Lanka over fishing in the Palk bay on June 29, 2016 at the NIAS Wednesday Discussion Meeting. The already troubled waters of the Palk Bay were further muddied with the arrest of eleven fishermen during the first week of June 2016 and confiscation of their trawlers by the Sri Lankan navy over illegal fishing.
This contentious and flammable issue not only makes headlines in the local and foreign media, but also been a serious issue in Tamil Nadu. From time to time, it stirs the resentment of the fishermen folk and political parties in Tamil Nadu, leading to demonstrations and even violent protests. Above all, it often boils into a major political controversy with the national and state political parties blaming each other for the crisis besides bringing the government of Tamil Nadu directly against the Centre.
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Blue Economy: A Maritime Strategy for India’s Growth
Adarsh Vijay, ISSSP Intern
NIAS Wednesday Meeting, June 15, 2016
Mr. Adarsh Vijay, intern at the ISSSP, NIAS presented his initial research findings on June 15, 2016 at the NIAS Wednesday Discussion Meeting. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has been witnessing dramatic shifts at the economic and strategic levels. Blue economy as conceived by Gunter Pauli is capable of delivering manifold benefits for India. Apart from the achievement of a healthy ocean with higher productivity, it has serious implications at the foreign policy level. Blue economy signifies a strategy for ocean exploitation by incorporating the principles of social inclusion, environment sustainability with innovative and dynamic business models. It embraces organic and renewable inputs as catalysts for the blue model. In short, it strives for greening the ocean economy. India is yet to have a sound policy on the prospects of blue economy.
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Rising Radicalisation in India’s Neighbourhood: Bangladesh and Myanmar
Sourina Bej & Albertina Nithya, ISSSP Interns
NIAS Wednesday Discussion Meeting, June 8, 2016
Ms. Sourina Bej & Ms. Albertina Nithya interns at the ISSSP, NIAS presented their initial research findings on 8 June 2016 at the NIAS Wednesday Discussion meeting. A worker at a Hindu temple, a Hindu priest, a Buddhist monk, a Christian tailor and wife of an anti-terrorism police official: all murdered in June 2016. These killings, now at 20 since 2013, are part of violence unleashed against religious minorities, liberal activists and bloggers. What started as hacking of bloggers, who were critical of Islam, has now expanded to include an LGBT magazine editor, an Italian and Japanese aid worker. This picture indicates not only a rising intolerance but at the same time collective failure of State to ensure justice for the dead and protection for the living.On Bangladesh’s east, also bordering India, there is another situation relating to radicalization; in Myanmar, there is wide-spread persecution of Rohingya Muslims ongoing. Anti-Muslim sentiments seems to be rampant throughout Myanmar along with the rise of Buddhist radicalism.
