Keynote Lecture: India’s Civilizational “Exceptionalism” in a Multipolar World

On April 17, 2025, as part of the Oriental Studies section of the XXV Anniversary Yasin (April) International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development (YAС), the School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University) organized a keynote address by Archana Upadhyay, Professor at the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The lecture attracted significant interest from participants of the Yasin Conference, including T. Shaumyan, Head of the Center for Indian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS); E. Vanina, Head of the History and Culture Sector and Lead Research Fellow at the Center for Indian Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS; O. Solodkova, Head of the South Asia Research Sector of the School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University); B. Volkonsky, Associate Professor at the Institute of Asian and African Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University and Head of the Asia Sector at the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies; D. Yefremenko, Head of the School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University); A. Baklanov, Head of the Middle East Sector of the School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University); I. Kolgushkina and E. Zeegofer from the Indo-Pacific Center at the IMEMO RAS; as well as M. Antasheva and A.L. Esteves, lecturers at the School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University).

O. Volosyuk, Academic Supervisor of the School of Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University), noted that the session was held as part of the school’s priority research theme: “Asian Countries on the Path to a New World Order.” D. Yefremenko, O. Solodkova, B. Volkonsky, M. Antasheva, T. Shaumyan, I. Kolgushkina, and E. Zeegofer engaged in a discussion of the topics raised in the lecture and addressed questions and comments to the speaker.