GNC organised a national conference on Evolving Indo-Pacific Maritime Order: Perspectives on Security and Stability
The Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at Guru Nanak College (Autonomous), a socially-inclusive educational institution in Chennai, organised a national conference on Evolving Indo-Pacific Maritime Order: Perspectives on Security and Stability on Thursday, bringing together military veterans, strategic experts, academicians and students to discuss regional security dynamics and India’s role in the Indo-Pacific.
In a press statement, Guru Nanak College says that the conference, which was addressed by senior officials of the Indian Army and the Indian Navy, was attended by over 800 students and faculty members from colleges and universities across Tamil Nadu. The event included inaugural, keynote and technical sessions focussing on maritime power competition, regional stability and emerging security frameworks.
Manjit Singh Nayar
Also Read: Squash World Cup winner Abhay Singh honoured by Guru Nanak College
The statement adds that Manjit Singh Nayar, General Secretary and Correspondent of the college, delivered the welcome address, referring to increasing military presence in the Indo-Pacific and competition over sea routes and marine resources.
In her address, O Nirmala, Head of the Department, spoke on the growing prominence of the Indo-Pacific in global strategic discussions.
According to the statement, the inaugural address was delivered by Lieutenant General Michael A J Fernandez, Commandant, Officers Training Academy (OTA), who spoke on India’s strategic relevance in the region and encouraged students to engage with experiential learning. Commodre R S Vasan (Retd), Director General of the Centre for China Studies (C3S) and Regional Director of the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), Tamil Nadu, delivered the special address.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr G S Khurana, Indian Navy (Retd), former Professor at the Naval War College, Goa, who outlined current maritime challenges and cooperation models in the Indo-Pacific.
The technical sessions focused on the strategic architecture of the Indo-Pacific and the evolving balance of maritime power. Other speakers included Lieutenant General Anil Malik (Retd), Commodore Abhay Kumar Singh (Retd) from the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Major General Murali Gopalakrishnan, (Retd), Colonel Jerome Prince (Retd), and Group Captain R Srinivasan (Retd), Editor-in-Chief of the E-Journal of Social and Strategic Studies.
Also Read: Guru Nanak College, Chennai again in Top 100 colleges of India in NIRF 2024 rankings
Discussions at the conference centred on strategic rivalries, maritime deployments, and regional security postures, followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, says the statement.
The valedictory address was delivered by Commodore Amitav Mookherjee, Senior Instructor (Indian Navy) at the Defence Services Staff College, who spoke on the need for stronger maritime cooperation and India’s increasing responsibilities in the region.
The organisers said the conference aimed to promote academic engagement on Indo-Pacific security and reinforce the college’s focus on defence and strategic studies.