Session 4.2 South Asia in the light of current global trends

On the sidelines of the I international conference “Globalization in contemorary Asia”, a discussion was held on the political and socio-economic processes in South Asia.

The report made by A. Kupriyanov dedicated to SAGAR project arose the great interest of the listeners.

The topic concerning the development of India’s naval forces and keen rivalry of the leading sea powers in the Indian Ocean provoked an intensive discussion among the present. During the discussion, the key issues of sea shipping in the Indian Ocean and the ways of their solutions were specified. The Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Dayan Jayatilleka and A. Kupriyanov discussed the main difficulties of building the modern ports and the revolution in container traffic in South Asia and came to the conclusion that the crisis in this region is being gradually overcome.

No less interesting was the report of T. Shaumyan, Head of the Center of Indian Studies of RAS Institute of Oriental Studies about the growing Indian presence in the Arctic. The topic of climate change and the impact of the melting of Arctic ice on the change of monsoon rains in India caused a heightened emotional response of the public.

A. Safronova, Head of the Department of South Asian History of the Institute of Asian and African Studies of the MSU focused on the issues of the comparative studies of the modern socio-political problems. The special attention was given to inter-university communications and the issues of expanded relationships with Indian universities and cooperative research into key challenges of Indian-Russian cooperation.