Amity University Visits Operationalizing the “Indo-Pacific oceans initiative” (IPOI)

Name of Event: Operationalizing the “Indo-Pacific oceans initiative” (IPOI)

Date of the Event: November 23rd, 24th, 25th, 2022

Location of the Event: Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi

Attendees: Naval staff, Think tanks, Students, journalists.

Sponsoring Organization: National Maritime Foundation

Conference Summary

IPRD-2022 was conducted in physical format in New Delhi, through six professional sessions

that spreaded over a three-day period covering the 23rd, 24th and 25th of November 2022. The

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) organized by National Maritime Foundation, is the

Indian Navy’s apex-level international dialogue at the strategic level that aims at generating

fresh ideas for regional cooperation based upon the shared interest. IPRD- 2022 focused on

specific themes of multilateral options in ‘holistic’ maritime security cooperation, building

maritime connectivity, capacity-building and capability enhancement, developing a regional

blue economy, and disaster risk-reduction and management. Speakers from across 17

participating nations emphasized on leveraging the physical and social scientific approach for

capacity building, encouraging intellectual discourse on maritime matters.

The first session of the IPRD was termed as the ‘Margdarshan’ session’ in which Admiral R Hari

Kumar, the Chief of the Naval Staff emphasized that the IPRD represented the Samvad or

‘Dialogue’ aspect of the 5 Ss– Samman, Samvad, Sahyog, Shanti, and Samridhi – enunciated by

the Hon’ble Prime Minister. On the first day of commencement the distinguished speakers were

Shri Bhupender Yadav, the Hon’ble Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and

Shri Ajay Bhatt, the Hon’ble Minister of State for Defence. Panelists from India also specifieed

India’s aspirations and strategies to cope with transnational challanges, ranging from climate

change to coping natural disasters, piracy of contraband materials, terrorism and cooperative

management of maritime resources.

During the three day event, insightful discussions were held on the issues of contemporaneous

relevance across the length and breadth of the Indo-pacific. Eminent speakers from within and

across the borders illuminated the three day seminar with the highest standards of intellectual

excellence, providing invaluable insights to policy makers, not just in India, but in the

constituent countries of the region and to all maritime powers that operate within it.

The final day of the session commenced with the keynote address from the hon’ble Raksha

Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh. The concluding day of the IPRD was enriched by the intellectual

presence of prolific International speakers who spoke on the Indo-Pacific perspectives from

Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Maldives and France. The IPRD 2022 culminated with the closing

address by Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. The event witnessed a

remarkably active participation by the members and staff of the National Maritime Foundation

(NMF), members of the Indian Navy and veterans, active citizens, international and national

delegates, Students, journalists and various think tanks.

Jharkhand Samman Awarded to Dr Neha Sinha

AIIS family wishes their heartiest congratulations to Dr. Neha Sinha, Assistant Professor II for being awarded the Jharkhand Samman by Jharkhand Parivartan Sangh and also for being invited as a Guest of Honor on the 22nd Jharkhand Foundation Day Celebration held on 18th November 2022 at Shri Shivaji Mandir in Mumbai. Her presence has established a stronger relationship between Jharkhand and Maharashtra. 

Dr. Neha Sinha is a PhD from the School of International Studies (SIS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. She has pursued her MPhil from Center for African Studies (CAS), SIS JNU. She did her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science from Delhi University (DU). She has worked as an Associate Fellow with the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), New Delhi. 

After working as a Research fellow with the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi, Dr. Neha Sinha is currently a Faculty in the Amity Institute of International Studies (AIIS), Amity University. She is also working as the Editor-in-Chief with the ‘Diplomacy and Beyond Plus Journal’ of Foreign Policy and National Affairs (ISSN: 2581-8929), and is in the Editorial Committee of Africa Review Journal (published by Taylor and Francis). 

Dr. Neha Sinha has presented papers at various national and international academic conferences and has a considerable volume of publications. She has traveled widely to several countries for her academic pursuits.