Second Deccan Youth Conclave examines India’s foreign policy in a world in flux

The Deccan Centre for International Relations (DCIR) in collaboration with Guru Nanak College and the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras, organised the Second Deccan Youth Conclave on ‘India’s Foreign Policy in a World in Flux’ on Tuesday. The conclave brought together distinguished diplomats, strategic experts, academics, young scholars, and students to examine key dimensions of India’s foreign policy amid a rapidly evolving global order.Amb. T.S. Tirumurti, IFS (Retd.), former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, New York, and chair, Steering Committee, Deccan Centre for International Relations, delivered the welcome remarks. M. Uma Maheswari, head, Department of Politics and Public Administration in the University of Madras, and Manjit Singh Nayar, professor and general secretary and correspondent, Guru Nanak College, delivered a special addresses. O. Nirmala, assistant professor and head, Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, and dean, School of Humanities, Guru Nanak College, delivered concluding remarks.Subsequent sessions featured Amb. Gopal Baglay, IFS (Retd.), former High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Australia in conversation with C. Balasubramanian, senior advisor, Deccan Centre; Amb. Sunjay Sudhir, IFS (Retd.), former Ambassador to the U.A.E. and High Commissioner to the Maldives; Air Marshal Anil Khosla, PVSM, AVSM, VM (Retd.), former Vice-Chief of Air Staff; Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai, NM (Retd.); Namrata Hasija, research fellow, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy; and Sridhar Krishnaswami, visiting professor and scholar-in-residence, Sai University.The programme featured four thematic sessions covering India’s neighbourhood, multi-alignment, and strategic autonomy with major powers, the impact of conflicts in West Asia and East Asia/Northeast Asia, and the changing nature of warfare and geopolitics, including hybrid, grey-zone, information warfare, and emerging technologies. The second conclave in the series continues the Deccan Centre’s efforts to bring domain expertise to south India and encourage critical thinking among students, young scholars, academics, professionals, and strategic enthusiasts on evolving geopolitical realities and India’s foreign policy choices. Published - September 22, 2026 08:03 pm IST