THE RAISINA DIALOGUE

The Ministry of External Affairs’ biggest annual foreign policy event, Raisina Dialogue, organised in collaboration with Observer Research Foundation (ORF) which otherwise would have been an extravagant event was preceded by the following statement: “The organizers of Raisina Dialogue 2021 have decided to host this year’s edition as a fully digital event, instead of the hybrid event planned earlier that envisaged both online as well as in-person speakers and delegates.” However, the excitement still prevailed greatly given the high profile presence of different heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, accompanied by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia. Read on to know more about India’s most premier and prestigious annual conclave.

The Raisina Dialogue, India’s most premier and prestigious annual colloquium on geopolitics and geoeconomics, was hosted virtually from 13th to 16th, April 2021. It essentially endeavours to discuss the most challenging contemporary issues confronting international peace, tranquillity and stability. Leaders from different realms of life including politics, business, media, and civil society convene in New Delhi to deliberate upon the state of the world and traverse possibilities for cooperation on a comprehensive array of subjects. The arrangement of the Raisina Dialogue is notably novel as it is a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral conversation. The presence of different heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, accompanied by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia, adds to the event’s elegance, making it a particularly unprecedented display in the international circuit.

Observer Research Foundation, an independent global think tank, in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, GoI hosts this highly intellectual event. Additionally, the purpose is backed by various institutions, organisations and individuals, who are committed to the mission of the conference.

Created on the lines of Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue, Raisina Dialogue has rapidly evolved since its very inception in 2016. It continues to endure on the equivalent skyward trajectory. Named after Raisina Hills, which boasts of being the seat of the Government of India, this dialogue is India’s augmentation to global endeavours to recognise opportunities, discover solutions and provide stability to this momentous 21st century.

Held virtually this year due to the raging pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the sixth edition of the Raisina Dialogue on April 13, 2021. The theme for the 2021 Edition was “#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control”. The digital event witnessed 50 sessions with the participation of 150 speakers from 50 countries and various multilateral institutions. President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen joined the Indian PM in the inaugural session as the chief guests. Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, US Special envoy for Afghan peace process, Zalmay Khalilzad, Australian Foreign Minister, Marise Payne, French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Afghan National Security Advisor, Hamdullah Mohib, Secretary-General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, were among many more key personalities who articulated their views at the dialogue.

The event resonated with powerful views from the very people who wield power in Geopolitics. Thus, the event effectively provided a crystal clear reflection of the roadmap of how events would shape in the upcoming time. Ranging from the US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and the challenges ahead to reconstructing the UN and beyond, the convention tried to trace all significant advancements.

The earlier editions of Raisina Dialogue too have witnessed tremendous success. The 2016 conclave focussed on “Asia: Regional and Global Connectivity“. The event attended by 100 speakers from over 35 countries, embellished on Asia’s physical, economic, human and digital connectivity and attempted to discover opportunities and challenges for the region.

The 2017 edition discussed the theme, “The New Normal: Multilateralism with Multipolarity”. Whereas the theme for the 2018 Conference was “Managing Disruptive Transitions: Ideas, Institutions and Idioms”. The 2019 Dialogue featured “A World Reorder: New Geometries; Fluid Partnerships; Uncertain Outcomes” as its theme. The fifth edition of The Raisina Dialogue in 2020 focussed on the theme “21@20 Navigating the Alpha Century“.

In the brief compass of six years, the Raisina Dialogue has set standards and earned an enviable global profile. It has established itself among leading global fora by consolidating the best strategic thinkers of the world. Raisina Dialogue’s synergies and collaborations effectively embody India’s deliberative ethos, simultaneously showcasing its thriving international credibility, stature and convening power. The Raisina Dialogue has evolved along with India’s growing diplomatic stature and will incubate the tone for its accelerated diplomatic engagement for many years to come.

Gaurav Chakraborty is a student pursuing Economics from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited by: Samra Ejaz

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.