Almedalen: Why India is Important to Europe
Listen in about India - an emerging power in today's foreign affairs climate on our latest podcast.
India is currently the fastest growing economy in the world, representing a market of 1.25 billion people, and an emerging global power. Since the late 1990s India has slowly shifted its foreign policy priorities in order to further its emergence as a prominent actor in global affairs. This shift was not easy after decades of great reluctance to act internationally. India is now increasingly pursuing a security and foreign policy that aims at actively shaping regional relations and institutions. How can India shape regional dynamics in ways that promotes its interests, while keeping its strategic autonomy intact?
Panel 1: India: an emerging power – implications for Asia and beyond
The strategic environment in Asia is changing. New US priorities, an active China, and India’s rise have contributed to new bilateral and multilateral partnerships taking shape. Current developments in Asia have global implications and will also affect Europe. How does the EU and individual member states approach India strategically? And is Europe a factor in Indian strategic thinking?
Speakers
Constantino Xavier, Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings India
Shada Islam, Friends of Europe
Hans Dahlgren, State Secretary for International and EU Affairs to Prime Minister Stefan Löfven
Henrik Chetan Aspengren, The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI)
Panel 2: Doing business in India – has Modi really improved the climate?
In 2014 India ushered in a new administration and ambitions for the future. Today, the world’s largest democracy is fast approaching general elections in 2019. How has the business and political climate developed in the country? Based on cross-industry interviews with leading Swedish firms and studies from others, Six Year Plan will present its report and conclusions on the present status.
Speakers
Ulrika Sundberg, Consulate General of Sweden to India, Mumbai
Jenny Eklund, SVP Client Executive and Area Manager South/South East Asia, SEB
Johan Henningsson, Head of Sustainability, SEK
Aticka Chona, Managing Director India, Six Year Plan
The seminars were organized in cooperation with SASNET, Lund University and Six Year Plan.