South Asia and Global Trade: A Decade After Realignment

June 15-17, 2025

Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj, India

In June 2025, the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies will convene an international conference to explore South Asia and global trade a decade since realignment. The international economic operating environment has begun to adjust to domestic realities while positioning South Asia more and more as a global economic operating exchange.

This interdisciplinary conference welcomes scholars, policymakers, and experts from within the region to evaluate the current response and future incurrence relevant to trade liberalization; regressive and progressive multilateral overrides, sectoral or otherwise; bilateral agreements; and regional integration entering new efforts like BIMSTEC and SAARC.

Digitized trade expansions, remapped supply chain networks, and further trade/diplomatic integration in South-South exchanges are possibilities and on the agenda. Keynote speaker Dr. Helena von Strauss is expected to engage participants with insightful discourse stemming from her recent publication on major global players—namely, the EU—expanding their digital trade efforts. In addition, Dr. Ibrahim Farooq will present his in-the-works analysis comparing expected changes to recent changes in economic relationships observed recently within South Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East.

Proposed panels include:

• Inter-state supply chains increasingly connected transnationally.

• New technologies supporting opportunities for trade facilitation.

• Trade policy for inclusive growth opportunities transnationally, both in and outside of South Asia.

• The geopolitical economy of trade—from regionalism to strategic autonomy based on trade.

Prior submission preferred but not required; attendance welcomed to engage and theorize how South Asia will be part of the conversation and how South Asia will be viewed in realigning international socio-economic and geo-political equity over the next decade.

To Register By: June 1, 2025. Space is limited; register early.

Regional Security and Peacebuilding: Lessons from South Asia’s Conflicts

Dates: May 5-7, 2025
Location: Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj

The Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies announces an international interdisciplinary academic conference, Regional Security and Peacebuilding: Lessons from South Asia’s Conflicts, to be held from May 5-7, 2025. This is an important investigation into security and peacebuilding efforts in South Asia and beyond and provides opportunities for scholars, diplomats, policy analysts, and peace practitioners to contribute.

Conflicts characterize the South Asia region—Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Myanmar—all in need of peace. This proposed conference attempts to analyze the precarious position of these areas through case studies presented via archival/field research and theoretical engagement. As such, we will pay attention to the nature of international mediation, regional agencies and efforts, intranational forces, and peace efforts to determine what has worked and failed thus far in the peace process. At the same time, we seek to question complicating factors that work against successful peace efforts—state fragility, increasing sectarianism and geopolitical tensions, and expanding webs of transnational terrorism.

Dr. Rajiv K. Menon’s keynote address seeks to answer whether regional agencies can engage in active conflict prevention once the wheels are set in motion through proactive cooperatives as seen with SAARC and BIMSTEC. Dr. Andrew Hyunwoo Kim’s featured presentation attempts to explore whether metaverse realities via digital governance may render effective security sector reform in impermanent and vulnerable states.

Workshops will train students and professionals in conflict resolution via simulation over three days, culminating in a morning roundtable on day three to attempt solutions toward normative frameworks and policy recommendations for sustainable peace in this volatile region.

Registration: Open until April 30, 2025; limited space makes early registration encouraged.

The Future of Digital Education in South Asia: Innovations and Challenges

April 10-12, 2025
Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj, India

Join scholars, technologists, educators, and policymakers at this international conference to evaluate the future of digital education in South Asia. As internet access and mobile availability rapidly increase across the region, South Asia will serve as a testing ground and early adopter for digitally mediated learning channels.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Sunita Rao, an advocate for the exploration of digital pedagogy, and Dr. Isaac S. Sato, focusing his research on bridging systemic gaps in digital access across rural and underprivileged areas. Each keynote will set the stage for broader discussions throughout the conference, focused on equitable access to educational equity in a digital world.

Concurrent sessions include the presentation and discussion of recent findings regarding emergent technologies and tools already integrated into traditional classroom settings, mLearning ecosystems operating efficiently in the field with students and teachers alike, and predictive analytics focused on and assessed through AI technologies that foster responsive and personalized learning experiences for all. Panels will discuss the need for enhanced policy and efforts to regulate digital opportunities comparable to what’s available today in analog environments and various infrastructure challenges that could inhibit large-scale implementation; adjustments in pedagogy that will need to be adopted to support such widespread infiltration will also be discussed.

By the final day of the conference, a collaborative consensus will form on a beneficial policy brief and pathways to success for implementation and scaling efforts for sustainable digital education across South Asia.

Registration will open December 1, 2024, and remain open until April 1, 2025. Limited spaces are available—register early!

Transforming South Asia’s Healthcare Systems: Challenges and Solutions

Dates: March 12-14, 2025 Location: Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies

Come collaborate with your peers, scholars, and development professionals at a seminar that evaluates the challenges facing diverse healthcare systems throughout the South Asian region. This seminar will include a collaborative multidisciplinary assessment of systemic change in health delivery for sustainable, equitable access for everyone.

The Keynote Address will be presented by Dr. Ravi Iyer, Professor of Social Policy and Public Health, who will speak on the increasing demand for public health systems in post-global pandemic worlds and climate change-driven health emergencies. There will also be several panels—one dedicated to responsible technological advancement in the post-COVID world—that include messaging on the incorporation of telehealth resources, increased availability of mental health professionals and treatments, and the shifting face of health-related employment in disadvantaged rural and peri-urban communities.

Cross-disciplinary researchers will present findings and field case studies conducted throughout India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, with opportunities for hands-on workshops and facilitated group discussions from which policy recommendations may emerge blending hypothesized research realities and practical application.

All panels and workshops will be recorded for registered attendees to access at their convenience after the seminar has ended. The Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies would like to foster an inclusive, sustainable approach through findings, which is why this seminar is transformative.

International Conference on Innovative Climate Adaptation: Connecting Science to Policy

February 20-22, 2025
Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj, India

With climate disruptions plaguing South Asia and rapidly accelerating in recent years, this international conference will convene leading scientists, policymakers, and development practitioners within the region for a conference that promises to address an ongoing disconnect between climate science and policy.

For three full days, experts and scholars will present on empirical studies of climate adaptation that align with current regional needs. From innovative climate-resilient agriculture and integrated water resource management for sustainable development and planning of infrastructure to compounded geographically discussed solutions to policy-based action, this conference will bring together like-minded professionals to one venue with one goal in mind: assisting vulnerable communities in adapting to the increasingly unpredictable realities of climate change.

Confirmed keynote speakers include Dr. Anjali R. Kapoor, Professor of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development here in the United States, who will present on the best practices surrounding community-driven adaptation efforts, while Dr. Lars Müller, an international expert on adaptive climate processes, will allow attendees insight into how scientifically driven assessments of climate change repercussions can be not only avoided but also the realization behind effective climate adaptation in a nation’s existence.

Additional opportunities include interdisciplinary panels focused on the urban heat island effect for burgeoning megacities and anticipatory flooding efforts for low-lying coastal communities, as well as policy alignment for adaptation efforts for regional endeavors synonymous with the SDGs. The final day will include a policy roundtable where recommendations relevant to the context will be curated for future regional climate action plans.

The conference will generate a platform for teams between research and the implementing community to create interdisciplinary networks for engaging climate adaptation activities beyond the scope of the conference.

Registration is open until February 10, 2025. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited.

Dates: March 18—20, 2025
Venue: Sundar Singh Institute Auditorium, Prayagraj, India

The 2025 Annual Conference on South Asian Health Policy and Innovation invites scholars in public health, policymaking, and medical research/innovation to review the state of health care in South Asia. This interdisciplinary conference presents research about new innovations to combat urban health disparities, potentials for telehealth applications that can transform the state of care, and developments in community health pursuits in rural and peri-urban populations.

Keynote presentations, a policy roundtable, and case studies that inform best practices emerging in the field will occur over three days. For example, keynote speaker Dr. Ravi Iyer will present “The Future of Health Access: Leveraging Technology for Equity and Scale,” which explores how digital access to delivery systems is reforming the approach of primary care for low-resource populations.

Furthermore, attendees will gain valuable contacts for networking as many scholars bridge sectors, and public health policymakers often align with the medical community and civil society for common goals among populations.

Registration: Early registration strongly encouraged due to limited space. Registration due March 1, 2025.

Upcoming Academic Workshop: Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Regional Stability

Dates: February 25–26, 2025
Location: Online (Virtual Platform)

The Institute will host a two-day virtual workshop on Cross-Cultural Communication and Regional Stability in South Asia. This conference invites scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to critically analyze the potential of intercultural awareness in peace processes and successful regional collaboration.

Keynote speakers are to be announced; however, confirmed presenters include Dr. Min-seo Kim (Seoul Center for Policy Studies) and Dr. David A. Chatterjee (Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies) who will discuss cultural diplomacy, interreligious pluralism, educational exchanges, etc., as potential catalysts to diffuse regional tensions.

Furthermore, breakout rooms and roundtable discussions will allow all participants the opportunity to present intervention strategies on inter-ethnic and interreligious tolerance, awareness, and empathy efforts in their regions—especially those plagued by conflict.

This virtual workshop aims to establish an academic and practical community of like-minded scholars and experts who champion peace through intercultural efforts in South Asia.

Registration is open until February 15, 2025.

Upcoming Event Announcement: South Asia Economic Equity Conference

Dates: February 8–10, 2025
Venue: Sundar Singh Institute Conference Hall, Ewing Christian College, Prayagraj
Organized in partnership with: Asia Development Research Forum

The South Asia Economic Equity Conference, February 8-10, 2025, is a multidisciplinary forum to examine the persistent challenges of economic equity in the broader South Asia region. Academics, practitioners, and policymakers will meet to assess realistic possibilities for inclusive growth, poverty elimination, and equity in resources and opportunities. Expected programming includes a keynote address by Dr. Priya Deshmukh exploring the nexus between economic access and digital equity in developing nations. Dr. Ahmed Panjabi will facilitate a debate surrounding the effectiveness of microfinancing in poverty elimination—realized results vs. the inability to actualize—across varying geopolitical arenas. Qualitative peer-reviewed working papers will evaluate inequitable income disparity between urban/rural settings, gendered treatment to employment, and net feedback of geopolitical policymaking within the region.

Collaborative group workshops and policy labs will foster brainstorming efforts for institutional change proposals and intrastate collaboration. Ultimately, this conference aspires to create a multidisciplinary, cross-funding conversation to apply theoretical research to established practices for equitable policymaking for economic access in the broader South Asia region.

Registration Deadline: January 15, 2025
Early registration is recommended due to limited space.

Symposium on Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development

Date: January 12–14, 2025
Location: Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj

The Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies will sponsor an International Conference on Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in a South Asian Context, January 12-14, 2025. This conference brings together the region’s leading academics, policymakers, environmental scientists, and practitioners to evaluate integrative solutions at the intersection of betterment and climate resilience for the South Asian region.

Among the keynote speakers are Dr. Anjali Kapoor, a specialist in environmental equity and environmental policy, with years of practical experience and governance in the public policy sector; and Dr. Lars Müller of the Berlin Institute of Environmental Policy, whose publications on climate justice have influenced United Nations regulatory approaches to change. Along with keynotes are workshops and empirical case study discussions of resilience efforts that are already flourishing, including a high-level roundtable on transboundary water governance—one of the greatest challenges in the South Asian region with climate resultant stressors.

Finally, the conference will cultivate an interdisciplinary atmosphere for research presentation, fieldwork sharing, and reliable policy solutions that not only feed into the growing literature surrounding resilience efforts but also take theoretical approaches and collaborate for action.

Registration will remain open until December 20, 2024. Early registration is strongly encouraged due to limited capacity.

South Asia 2050: A Vision for Sustainable Development

Dates: October 15–17, 2024
Location: Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, New Delhi

The Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies will host a game-changing international conference: South Asia 2050: A Vision for Sustainable Development, to be held October 15-17, 2024, in New Delhi. This interdisciplinary conference will unite scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to address the necessary aspects of inter- and intraregional collaboration to envision sustainable, equitable, resilient solutions for the future of South Asia in the long term.

Keynote speakers include:

Dr. Amina Rao—Economist with worldwide impact who developed sustainable pathways for the Global South-oriented multilateral development and organizational responses; and

Dr. Lars Müller—Environmental historian whose literary contributions combine transnational and postcolonial pathways facilitating climate change.

Confirmed panels include:

new climate-resilient models for the South Asian region;

decentralized and equity-driven renewable energy innovations; and

urban design efforts for the inclusion of environmental and social vulnerabilities.

In addition to keynote addresses and thematic panels, the conference will also offer workshops and a final roundtable session to generate a policy agenda that encompasses assessments and regional needs through interdisciplinary dialogue.

Registration will remain open until September 30, 2024.
As seats will be limited due to the participatory nature of the program, early registration is strongly recommended.