Webinar “Geopolitics and unsustainable environment. Experiences from China, India, and Singapore”
The world is shaped by global, transboundary problems that require collective action of state and non-state actors, and geopolitical rivalry that challenges these actors’ capabilities to cooperate with each other. The webinar examines this tension through prisms of broader geopolitical shifts as the ongoing war in Ukraine and regional dynamics of addressing shared climate and economic challenges. How do China, India and Singapore respond to the two countervailing trends of cooperation and conflict? Are India’s and China’s policies always on the collision course mirroring their geopolitical interests in Asia and beyond? Has the war in Ukraine exposed a new strategic triangle between China, Russia and India? What is the role of small states such as Singapore in this unsustainable environment?
To address these questions, this webinar includes the following panels and a round table:
- India-China relations: border dispute and climate change;
- New strategic triangle Russia-China-India;
- Geoeconomics, unsustainable environment and role of innovations;
- Geopolitics and unsustainable environment. Experiences from China, India, and Singapore.
Webinar takes place on April 12 and 13 from 9AM (EEST) until 12PM (EEST) (from 2 pm till 5 pm SGP time) and is organised by University of Tartu Asia Centre. Please register through this link - https://forms.office.com/e/f38cpxLGaQ
In case of questions, don't hesitate to contact Elo Süld (elo.suld@ut.ee) or Anastasia Sinitsyna (anastasia.sinitsyna@ut.ee).
The event is part of project "Analysis of geopolitical developments in South Asia after the war in Ukraine in cooperation with Singaporean researchers" funded by Estonian Research and Development Council.
Day 1 - April 12
EEST time (SGP time)
9:00 - 9:05 am (2:00- 2:05 pm) Introduction Elo Süld, Head of the University of Tartu Asia Centre
9:05 - 9:20 am (2:05- 2:20 pm) Keywords - TBC
9:20 - 10:20 am (2:20- 3:20 pm) First Panel “India-China relations: border dispute and climate change”
Moderator: Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska, Research Fellow, Asia Centre
India and China are two of the world's largest and most populous nations, with a long and complex history of interaction. The increasing security tension affects all other areas of cooperation between the two countries. The territorial conflicts between China and India have been ongoing since the start of the post-colonial era, first marked by a 1962 border war. However, India and China both, otherwise rivals, have recognized the importance of cooperation in matters of climate change. Despite the regional and global rivalry, both nations recognize the importance of cooperation at the intersection of issue-specific interests as highly important to take center stage in policy and research. Therefore, this panel will focus on such positive and negative results leading to the partnership between the two giants and will discuss how the two countries balance their rocky relationship in finding cooperation in climate concerns under the ongoing border disputes.
- 9:20- 9:40 am (2:20- 2:40 pm) Prof. Christer Ljungwall (NSS Water Enhancement Technology, University of Gothenburg)
- 9:40- 10:00 am (2:40- 3:00 pm) Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram (Manipal University)
- 10:00- 10:20 am (3:00- 3:20 pm) Dr. Kikee Doma Bhutia (University of Tartu)
- 10:20 - 10:40 am (3:20- 3:40 pm) Questions and Answers Session
Moderator: Agnieszka Nitza-Makowska, Research Fellow, University of Tartu Asia Centre
10:40 - 10:55 am (3:40- 3:55 pm) Break
10:55 - 11:55 am (3:55- 4:55 pm) Second Panel “New strategic triangle: Russia-China-India?”
Moderator: Lelde Luik, Juniour Research Fellow, University of Tartu Asia Centre
The war in Ukraine has unravelled much of the existing international order, but also arguably consolidated the liberal democracies globally. In this context, China’s and India’s responses have been evaluated ambiguously. While China has argued to not take any sides, the official response has mirrored the existing geopolitical rivalry with the U.S. Meanwhile, India has attracted a disappointment from its Western partners by avoiding directly condemning Russia, while maintaining a more strategic approach to the war. Considering the long-term conflict between China and India and their relatively close relationship with Russia, this panel seeks to outline potential scenarios of a new strategic triangle in the context of the war in Ukraine, and its consequences for the broader international order.
- 10:55- 11:15 am (3:55- 4:15 pm) Assoc. Prof. Sriparna Pathak (Jindal School of International Affairs
- 11:15- 11:35 am (4:15- 4:35 pm) Prof. Urmas Varblane (Asia Center, University of Tartu, School of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu)
- 11:35- 11:55 am (4:35- 4:55 pm) Dr. Yogesh Joshi (Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore)
- 11:55 - 12:15 am (4:55- 5:15 pm) Questions and Answers Session
Moderator: Lelde Luik, Juniour Research Fellow, University of Tartu Asia Centre
Day 2 - April 13
EEST time (SGP time)
9:00 - 9:05 am (2:00- 2:05 pm) Introduction, Elo Süld, Head of the University of Tartu Asia Centre
9:05 - 10:05 am (2:05- 3:05 pm) Third Panel “Geoeconomics, Unsustainable environment and Role of Innovations”
Moderator: Kikee Doma Bhutia, Research Fellow, University of Tartu Asia Centre
The rapid industrialization and economic growth in countries like China, India, and Singapore have had significant environmental impacts, leading to issues such as air and water pollution, deforestation, and resource depletion. Geoeconomics plays a crucial role in shaping the policies and strategies adopted by these countries to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. The current panel aims to bring into the discussion the practices and experiences of China, India, and Singapore on how to reconcile economic development with environmental protection.
Moderator: Kikee Doma Bhutia, Research Fellow, University of Tartu Asia Centre
- 9:05- 9:20 am (2:05- 2:20 pm) Dr. Chen Gang (East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore)
- 9:20- 9:35 am (2:20- 2:35 pm) Dr. Outi Luova (Vice-Director of the Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku)
- 9:35- 9:50 am (2:35- 2:50 pm) Dr. Hermann Aubie (Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku)
- 9:50- 10:05 am (2:50- 3:05 pm) Dr. Amitendu Palit (Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore)
- 10:05 - 10:25 am (3:05- 3:25 pm) Questions and Answers Session
10:25 - 10:40 am (3:25- 3:40 pm) Break
10:40 - 11:40 am (3:40- 4:40 pm) Round table “Geopolitics and unsustainable environment. Experiences from China, India, and Singapore”
Moderator: Prof. Tiit Tammaru, Centre for Migration and Urban Studies, University of Tartu
The roundtable addresses the existing patterns of geopolitical rivalry and collective action in tackling global crises of unsustainable environment. What are the key experiences and trends that China, India and Singapore have exhibited in this regard? What are the key differences and similarities in their approach to critical geopolitical, climate and economic crises? Most importantly, this roundtable aims to explore how these approaches interplay within a broader regional and international order.
- Prof. Kanti Bajpai (Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore)
- Dr. Robert Weatherley (Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge)
- Dr. Lina Gong (S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University)
- Assoc. Prof. Anit Mukherjee (S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University)
- 11:40 - 12:00 am (4:40- 5:00 pm) Questions and Answers Session
12:00 - 12:10 pm (5:00- 5:10 pm) Closing remarks: Elo Süld, Head of the University of Tartu Asia Centre
