VIF Interaction with RCDS Delegation

A delegation from the prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), London, comprising senior defence and civil service officers from countries including UK, France, Germany and Brazil etc. visited VIF on May 09, 2011.The visiting RCDS delegation was welcomed and briefed on contemporary global and regional issues. Shri Satish Chandra, former Deputy National Security Advisor and Distinguished Fellow VIF, briefed the visiting delegates on India’s perspective of global and regional settings, with specific references to countries in India’s neighbourhood, Southeast Asia, West Asia and the United states. Shri Bibek Debroy, eminent economist and VIF Executive Council member, presented his views on India’s economy – current and future prospects. While emphasizing peaceful co-existence and non-interference as constants in India’s foreign policy, Shri Satish Chandra admitted that emerging multi-polarity in the global order presented complex challenges to India’s foreign policy. In his presentation, Shri Bibek Debroy stressed that core strength to India’s future economic success lay in inbound growth, entrepreneurship, young population and availability of cheap labour etc. India’s strong democratic credentials however remained a net asset for India’s future economic growth. Their addresses were followed by an interaction with faculty members of VIF.

Members of the RCDS delegation quizzed the VIF faculty about perceived lack of strategic culture in India, growing international responsibilities of India as a rising power, and the potential roadblocks to sustained economic growth. Issues relating to inclusive growth, governance, delivery mechanism and corruption figured during the discussion. While there existed commonality of vision and interests in large areas, perceptional differences with the West on few issues were also discernible.

Mr Desmond Bowen, a former Civil Servant and the leader of RCDS delegation, deeply appreciated the frank exposition of views by the VIF faculty and also thanked the foundation for hosting the event.