Iran War and the Global Economy

Chair: Amb. K.P. Fabian, Professor, Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi and Symbiosis University, Pune

Discussants: Amb. Dammu Ravi, Former Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA); Prof Gulshan Dietl, Former Professor, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi

The war on Iran initiated by Israel and the United States on 28 February continues to have serious repercussions on the global economy, particularly in the areas of energy security, agriculture and fertiliser supply chains. The discussion will examine the wider geopolitical and economic consequences of the conflict, while addressing the urgent need for a negotiated settlement in the interest of global stability and humanity. The Global South, in particular, continues to bear a disproportionate share of the economic burden arising from the crisis.
 

India-Africa Partnership - The Way Forward

On the Eve of the 4th India Africa Forum Summit
 

Inaugural Address: N. N. Vohra, Life Trustee IIC

Keynote Address: Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (ER) MEA

Moderator: Suhas Borker, Convener Working Group on Alternative Strategies & Editor, Citizens First TV (CFTV)

Speakers: Gurjit Singh, former Indian Ambassador to the African Union; H. E. Mohamed Malki, Dean African Diplomatic Corps; Ambassador Kingdom of Morocco; H. E. Anisa Kapfi Mbega, High Commissioner United Republic of Tanzania; Cedrick Charles Crowley, Deputy High Commissioner Republic of South Africa; Ruchita Beri, Senior Fellow, Vivekananda International Foundation & former President African Studies Association of India (ASA)

(Collaboration: Working Group on Alternative Strategies (WGRAS)

Book Discussion Group

The Quiet Correspondent: There’s a thin line between a journalist and a spy

by Shyam Bhatia (Juggernaut, 2026)

Moderator: Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow MP IDSA

Discussants: Col. D.P.K Pillay, Research Fellow, MP IDSA; Vartika Shukla, Former Chairman and Managing Director Engineers India Limited; Shyam Bhatia, Author of the book

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Kapila Jnanagarbha: Knowledge Unfolding Wisdom – Offerings in Memory of Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan
edited by Advaitavadini Kaul (Dev Publishers, 2026)

Discussants: N N Vohra, Former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir & Life Trustee, IIC; Shyam Saran, President, IIC; Prof Radhavallabha Tripathi, scholar of natyasastra & sahityasasrta, former, Vice Chancellor, Central Sanskrit University, Delhi; Prof. Bettina Sharda Bäumer, scholar of non-dualistic Kashmir saivism, Indian aesthetics & comparative mysticism; Prof. Shashi Prabha Kumar, scholar of classical Indian philosophy (Vaisesika) and Chairperson, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla; Prof Aditya Malik, scholar of anthropology, history, religious studies and professor, Plaksha University; Dr. Advaitavadini Kaul, editor of the book
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Asterkali: 101 poems
by Roopali Sircar Gaur (Sabre and Quill Publishers, 2025)

Discussants: Prof Swati Pal, Principal and Professor, Janki Devi Memorial College, University of Delhi; Nibedita Sen, Poet, Author & Artist; Mandira Ghosh, Poet, Author and Researcher; Satbir Chadha 
Poet & Author, Dr. Roopali Sircar Gaur, Author of the book

Chair: Dr Amarendra Khatua, Poet & Former Secretary, MEA & DG, ICCR
 

India’s Bioethanol Pathway to 2047: Aligning Energy Transition, Sustainability, and System Realities

Moderator: Siraj Hussain, Former Union Agriculture Secretary

Presentation on ‘India’s Bioethanol Programme Progress and Emerging Issues’ by Pulkit Khatri, Lead-Capabilities & Strategy, Arcus Policy Research

Discussants: Vijendra Singh, President – All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA) and Executive Director & Dy CEO, Shree Renuka Sugars; P.S. Ravi, Director – Downstream, Federation of Indian Petroleum Industries; Shweta Saini, Agri-Economist and CEO, Arcus Policy Research

This policy dialogue will examine the future of India’s ethanol programme through a 2047 lens, moving beyond past achievements to assess its long-term role in an evolving energy landscape.

(Collaboration: Arcus Policy Research)
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

General Brasstacks: The Sundarji Story
by Probal DasGupta (Penguin Viking, 2025)

Moderator: Barkha Dutt, Journalist and Founder-Editor, Mojo Story
 

Discussants: Amb. T C A Raghavan, Former High Commissioner to Pakistan; Lt. Gen Rakesh Sharma, Distinguished Fellow at VIF; Probal DasGupta, Author of the book

 

India and the Kurdish People: Re-Starting a Civilizational Dialogue

Chair: K.N Shrivastava, Director, IIC

Moderator: Kallol Bhattacherjee, Journalist at The Hindu

Discussants: Miloon Kothari, Visiting Professor, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva; Arif Rhein, Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)

The cultures of India and West Asia are deeply interwoven. The millennia-old values and customs of the 60 million Kurds in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria resemble those of the Indian subcontinent in many ways. How can this historical bond be transformed into practical relations today? What opportunities for cultural exchange exist?
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Footsteps on the sands of Time
by Anil Golani (Notion Press, 2025)

Discussants: Dr. Usha Mujoo Munshi, Chief Librarian, IIC; Prof. Payal Nagpal, Poet & Professor, Dept of English Literature, Janki Devi Memorial College, University of Delhi; AVM Anil Golani, Director General, Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies and Author of the book

Chair: Amb Dinkar P. Srivastava, Former Ambassador to Iran and Distinguished Fellow, Vivekanand International Foundation

(Collaboration: Poetry Society of India)
 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

The Alphabets of Africa
by Abhay K. (Vintage Classics, 2026)

Discussants: Author, Abhay K will be in conversation with Prof. Siddharth Mallavarapu, Professor at the Department of International Relations and Governance Studies at Shiv Nadar University.