The "Scholars in Residence Program," organized by Asian Confluence in partnership with Australian Awards, the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, and the Australian Consulate in Kolkata aims to foster deeper India-Australia relations, particularly in the Bay of Bengal region. The program, running from May 28 to June 5, 2024, featured two Australian scholars: Dr. Pradeep Taneja, Deputy Associate Dean, Melbourne University, and Dr. Costas Laoutides, Associate Professor, Deakin University who engaged in activities designed to enhance understanding and collaboration between India and Australia.

The program began with a field visit to the Agartala-Akhura Integrated Check Post at the India-Bangladesh border. The scholars observed the dynamics of cross-border trade. Later a roundtable at Tripura University, was organised discussing the Bay of Bengal's connectivity from a Northeast India perspective. This discussion emphasized realistic expectations for regional trade and security concerns. The profound discussion was continued at Roundtables in North Eastern Hill Univeristy, Shillong, and in Guwahati, Assam with the title ‘Indo-Pacific and the Northeast; Connecting the Dots’ before heading out to New Delhi on the final day. To wrap up the program the scholars interacted with the esteemed members of the Governing Council of Asian Confluence, which included senior bureaucrats, and diplomats.

Recommendations from the program included promoting Indian and Australian engagement through institutional collaboration, leveraging scholarly engagement through annual dialogues, and focusing on maritime and terrestrial issues. These efforts aim to strengthen academic and diplomatic ties between the two nations.     

Check out Dr. Costas experience: Link 

News Coverage: Link

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