Takshashila and the Consulate General of France in Bangalore to launch the Takshashila India-France Dialogue
The Takshashila Institution and the Consulate General of France in Bangalore are partnering to host a discussion series titled, Takshashila India-France Dialogue. It will involve a series of online events and podcasts exploring various facets of the strategic relationship between India and France. The discussions will feature diplomats, scholars and practitioners from both countries.
The online events will cover a range of issues that reflect a growing convergence between the two countries. These include maintaining the global order, maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, defence cooperation, collaboration in space exploration and situational awareness, and governing digital platforms.The podcasts will cover these and other topics of interest to both Indians and the French, including their historical connections going back centuries.
The series will begin on Thursday, 11 February 2021 at 1800 IST with a webinar titled, Exploring New Frontiers in the Strategic Partnership. It will feature Amb. Jawed Ashraf, Ambassador of India to France, Amb. Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India and Lt. Gen. Prakash Menon, Director, Strategic Studies at the Takshashila Institution. Subsequent sessions will focus on specific areas.
Speaking on the collaboration between Takshashila and the Consulate General of France in Bangalore, Nitin Pai, Co-founder and Director of the Takshashila Institution said, “At a time when the international order is being reshaped, the common constitutional values that India and France share can form the basis of new arrangements for global governance, international security, managing climate change and human development. Takshashila is excited to start an intellectual conversation between scholars from the two countries.”
Dr. Marjorie Vanbaelinghem, the Consul General of France in Bangalore, said, “It made perfect sense, as the diplomatic relationship between India and France is so good and friendly and the collaboration so multifaceted and strategic, to explore their frontiers, and it was only natural to do it with Takshashila, a think tank as diverse, dynamic and progressive as the city of Bangalore itself."