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Kolkata reclaimed its place as a hub of global intellectual exchange on Tuesday as diplomats, scholars, journalists and students gathered for an International Conference on the Indo-Pacific, jointly organised by the Tagore Institute of Peace Studies (Tips) and the Public Policy & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

In his inaugural address, former diplomat Ambassador Anil Wadhwa, IFS (Retd.), said that the Indo-Pacific had moved from being a borrowed strategic phrase to becoming the central framework shaping India’s security outlook, economic aspirations and global engagement. Tracing India’s evolving foreign policy, he recalled how the early 1990s “Look East” policy had focused largely on trade and cultural ties with ASEAN, but had gradually transformed into the more assertive and security-conscious “Act East” approach as China’s rise and the eastward shift of global power became more pronounced.

The day-long seminar drew around 100 delegates and observers from the United States, China, France, Japan, Bangladesh and the Philippines, along with academics from the University of Calcutta, Presidency University, Jadavpur University, Adamas University, ISI and Globsyn Business School, besides representatives from leading think tanks, editors, journalists and students of international relations.

Welcoming the gathering, Sitaram Sharma, President and Founder Chairman of Tips, described the event as a milestone for the city. “The Indo-Pacific transcends mere cartography; it is the crucible where 21st-century power dynamics will be forged,” he said, adding that Kolkata was once again emerging as an intellectual crossroads of Asia. He underlined the centrality of the Indo-Pacific to India’s maritime interests, trade ambitions and its goal of becoming a $10 trillion economy by 2030. Ensuring an open, rule-based maritime order, he noted, would require “smart diplomacy” and a stabilising Indian role in regional affairs.

Shifting the conversation to domestic challenges with international consequences, senior journalist and commentator Sunanda K. Datta-Ray warned that deep economic inequalities within countries could undermine regional stability. Citing economist Thomas Piketty’s findings, he pointed out that in India the richest 10 percent control about 60 percent of income and the top one percent own over a fifth of national assets. “Such imbalance breeds unrest and social tension,” he said, asking how societies marked by such disparities could contribute to a balanced regional order.

Delivering the plenary address, Prof. Saugata Roy, President of the West Bengal Federation of the United Nations, emphasised the Indo-Pacific’s importance to peace, security and development. He said India was well placed to contribute to regional stability by helping maintain a balance of power and ensuring safe, secure sea lanes for trade and freedom of navigation. Quoting former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, he recalled that “a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region is crucial for India’s own progress and prosperity.”

As discussions unfolded through the day, the seminar reflected not only the growing global focus on the Indo-Pacific but also Kolkata’s renewed role as a forum for ideas shaping Asia’s future — where diplomacy, economics and social justice intersected in a shared search for stability and cooperation in a rapidly changing world.  BE Bureau