The East Asia Institute, in partnership with Indian Embassy, hosted a roundtable session with a delegation from the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) on Tuesday, May 29th. The ICWA delegation was led by Ambassador Nalin Surie, a seasoned diplomat who has served in foreign service roles throughout Asia. The major topics for discussion included India-China relations, political security in the Asian region, and South Asia. President Sook-Jong Lee raised the potential for India to provide an alternative to the China model for the region, and a lively discussion was held regarding the opportunities and possible issues that the dual rise of India and China holds for the Asian region as a whole. The impact of Chinese foreign investment throughout Southeast Asia was discussed as well. Amb. Surie highlighted issues within the South China Sea as well as India-China border disputes as areas for concern. All scholars present reached a consensus on the value of deepening India-ROK ties as both countries are strong regional democracies. The Indian Council of World Affairs was established in 1943 by a group of Indian intellectuals as a think tank. It is devoted exclusively to the study of international relations and foreign affairs.
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