PIC to host its 5th Pune Dialogue on National Security (PDNS) on Nov 8 and 9
Pune, November 6, 2019: Pune International Centre (PIC), in association with the Policy Perspective Foundation (PPF), New Delhi, The Tribune Trust, Chandigarh and Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies (CASS), Pune, will organize the 5th annual Pune Dialogue on National Security (PDNS) on Friday, November, 8 and Saturday, November 9, 2019.
PDNS is the flagship National Security dialogue of PIC to ideate, discuss and bring to focus the imperatives of providing security to India and its 1.4 billion citizens. The forum looks at military affairs and also encompasses issues that have a bearing on the country’s security, such as water, food, health, energy, technology, employment opportunities, internal unrest and geo-strategic developments. The purpose of PDNS is to identify such security challenges and the policy measures to ameliorate them. The outcomes of the conference are compiled into a report and shared with the Government of India and the concerned government departments and agencies.
The theme for the first day of the event on November 8 is ‘Indo – Pacific.’ This theme picks up from the thread initiated by Prime Minister Modi’s address at the Shangrila Dialogue where he defined Indo-Pacific as a region stretching from the ‘shores of Africa to the Americas’. He emphasised that it stands for having a free, open and inclusive region embracing all nations within the geography, towards the common pursuit of progress and prosperity. He stressed on the need for a ‘rule based international order’ towards ensuring security and prosperity in the region. The theme for the second day on November 9 is ‘Economic and Climate Security’ and will involve looking at the issues of Rural Distress, Unemployment and the Climate Change and their impact.
The attendees at the conference will include distinguished experts such as economists, scientists, technocrats, diplomats, scholars, security analysts, and serving and retired officers of the armed forces, foreign services and various government agencies.
Some of the prominent dignitaries attending the 5th PDNS are Admiral (Retd) Arun Prakash, Former Naval Chief, Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik, former IAF Chief, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Bhopinder Singh, former Lt. Governor of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar, Shrinivas Sohoni (IAS), former secretary to the President of India and former Special Advisor to the office of the President of Afghanistan, Gautam Bambawale, former Indian Ambassador to China and former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr. Nitin Desai, renowned economist, Dr. Shubhashis Gangopadhyay, managing trustee of India Development Foundation, P. C. Haldar, former director, Intelligence Bureau, Prof. Amitav Mallik Padmashree & former advisor to the National Security Advisory Board, Satish Magar, CMD, Magarpatta Township Development & Construction Ltd.
The Valedictory address will be delivered by Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary of India and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Shamsher Singh Mehta, Trustee PIC, will be the Convener of the 5th PDNS.
The conference is only for invitees.