18th All India Conference of China Studies Concludes at IIM Indore

18th All India Conference of China Studies Concludes at IIM Indore

The eighteenth edition of the All India Conference of China Studies (AICCS) concluded today at the Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore). Hosted in collaboration with the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), New Delhi, the three-day conference brought together scholars, policymakers, diplomats, and business leaders to deliberate on China’s evolving role in trade, technology, and sustainability.

Prof. Himanshu Rai, Director, IIM Indore, expressed delight at the successful conclusion of the conference. Reflecting on the past three days, he said that the discussions had been rich, diverse, and deeply engaging, covering everything from current discourses in Chinese Studies to global trade, technology, and sustainability.

Prof. Rai noted that understanding China is central to India’s strategic and developmental thinking and that such conferences play a crucial role in deepening that understanding through rigorous research and dialogue. “True learning lies in questioning, revisiting, and refining one’s understanding – and moving ahead on a journey in pursuit of truth”, he said. He emphasized that this year’s AICCS embodied that same spirit of inquiry, collaboration, and openness that academia must continue to nurture. Prof. Rai also commended the convenors, faculty, volunteers, and participants for making the 18th AICCS a success.

The Valedictory Address was delivered by Mr. Seshadri Chari, Member, Governing Council, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). He highlighted China’s growing strategic and economic significance in an increasingly multipolar world. He emphasized the need for India to strengthen its understanding of China through research-based engagement, stressing that informed dialogue and scholarly collaboration are vital for shaping balanced, future-oriented India–China relations in the global arena.

Ms. Alka Acharya, Director, ICS, offered special remarks, commending IIM Indore for hosting a thought-provoking conference and reiterating ICS’s commitment to advancing China Studies in India. Prof. G. Venkat Raman, Faculty, IIM Indore, and Convenor of the 18th AICCS, presented the Convenor’s Report, summarizing the key themes and takeaways from the conference. He noted that the event had served as an intellectual bridge between academia and policy, making a significant contribution to the evolution of China Studies in India.

The special and thematic panels at the 18th All India Conference of China Studies (AICCS) at IIM Indore offered deep and diverse reflections on China’s place in a rapidly changing world. Scholars, practitioners, and business leaders examined how trade dynamics, technological innovation, and shifting global alliances are transforming the India–China relationship. The discussions highlighted the importance of moving beyond binaries of competition and cooperation to embrace a more layered understanding of interdependence, policy, and culture. By linking questions of economy, governance, and society, the panels reaffirmed the value of dialogue and scholarship in navigating an increasingly complex global order.

The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Mr. Aravind Yelery, Co-Convenor and Faculty, JNU, who acknowledged the efforts of all organizers, speakers, and participants.

The session concluded with remarks by Prof. Ishani Naskar, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, who appreciated IIM Indore and ICS for their successful collaboration and extended an invitation to the 19th AICCS to be hosted next year.

The 18th AICCS reaffirmed its role as India’s premier platform for dialogue and research on China, encouraging meaningful exchange on the intersections of trade, technology, and global governance.