Aravalli Summit at JNU: Minister S Jaishankar to speak at 70-year celebrations of SIS

NEW DELHI: The School of International Studies (SIS) at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here will celebrate its 70th anniversary with the Aravalli Summit on October 6-7, featuring alumnus and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as the keynote speaker and Chancellor Ambassador Kanwal Sibal in attendance. The summit is part of the SIS@70 celebrations, marking seven decades of academic excellence and intellectual independence.

A notification from the university said the SIS has been at the forefront of area studies and has shaped national and global debates on nuclear policy, regionalism and governance.

"SIS has nurtured generations of scholars and policymakers who have strengthened India's voice in the Global South and beyond," it said. The two-day summit will provide a platform for scholars, policymakers and practitioners to deliberate on India's evolving role in the world, particularly as the country approaches the centenary of Independence in 2047.

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JNU: Key discussions

Key discussions will focus on India's economic growth, technological innovations, civilisational identity, sustainability initiatives and strategies to enhance its global influence.

"The SIS has been one of the earliest centres of learning for international politics in the Global South. The school, in the last 70 years, has been a pioneering institute for scholars and practitioners alike in the field of diplomacy and world affairs. It is a milestone to celebrate such an institute, which marks its 70th year of foundation in independent India," Sandip Kumar Singh, Assistant Professor, SIS, said.

Since its founding in 1955 and merger with the JNU in 1970, the SIS has combined academic rigour with policy relevance, training generations of diplomats, policymakers and scholars. Its contributions include shaping India's foreign policy, multilateral engagement and discourse on the Global South.

The Aravalli Summit and the 70th anniversary celebrations are expected to reinforce the legacy of the SIS as a hub of intellectual independence and global engagement, while fostering forward-looking dialogue on India's trajectory in global affairs.