Delhi Dialogue IX

The ninth edition of Delhi Dialogue was hosted on 4-5 July 2017 in New Delhi. The theme for Delhi Dialogue IX was "Charting the course for India-ASEAN relations for the Next 25 Years”.The Event was significant as ASEAN-India celebrated 25 years of Dialogue Partnership, 15 years of Summit Level interaction and 5 years of Strategic Partnership, coinciding with ASEAN's own golden jubilee. The 9th edition, in itself a significant commemorative event, saw deliberations on the nature, direction and priorities of ASEAN-India engagement over three sessions- Ministerial, Business and Academic, spanning two days and endeavored to prepare a roadmap for the Golden Jubilee of ASEAN India relations.

Partners from ASEAN Member States include the Institute of South Asian Studies, Singapore (ISAS); the SAEA Group Research, Singapore; the Institute of Strategic and International studies, Malaysia (ISIS); ASEAN-India Center, New Delhi; the Economic Research Institute of ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Jakarta; and the Institute of Security and International Studies, Thailand.The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM); All India Association of Industries (AIAI), Mumbai.

External Affairs Minister H.E (Smt.) Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the Ministerial Session on 4th July, 2017which was also attended by Foreign Ministers/Senior Officials, Chief Ministers of North Eastern States of Indiaand the Permanent Representatives of ASEAN countries.A panel discussionswas held in this session on ‘Waters of Asia: Cultural, Social and Political Ties’. An important event at the inaugural session was the Electronic Launch of India-ASEAN Women Business Forum by Indian and ASEAN Dignitaries.

The Joint Business and Academic Session was inaugurated by Secretary (East) on 5th July, 2017. The Business Session included five panel discussions on (i) International Economic trends and their impact on India and ASEAN, (ii) India-ASEAN Trade Relations, (iii)India – ASEAN Partnership: Building Regional Network to promote SMEs and Women’s Empowerment, (iv)India-ASEAN Infrastructure Investments:

Current Scenario and the Way Forward, (v)Trade& Tourism through Connectivity – Focus North East & East.

The Academic Session on 5th July, 2017 had four panel discussions on (i) Regional Geopolitics: Great Power Politics in the Asia-Pacific, (ii) New Connectivity Paradigms in the Asia-Pacific, (iii)Technology, Innovation and Big Data, and (iv) Socio-Cultural Engagement and Diaspora Links.

The event included a Cultural programme and a concluding session.