A two-week Capacity Building Programme titled “Geopolitics in the 21st Century: Global Trends, Regional Dynamics, and Implications for India” kicked off today (May 7, 2026) at the MMAJ Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).
Sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), it runs from May 4–16, 2026, targeting 30 early-career faculty from universities, colleges, and research institutes across India.
Key Inauguration Highlights
- Chief Guest: Prof. Zubair Meenai, Dean of Social Sciences at JMI, stressed ICSSR’s role in building academic capacity and geopolitics’ interdisciplinary value.
- Guest of Honour: Ambassador (Retd.) Talmiz Ahmad (ex-Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE) gave the inaugural lecture,
- He shared 30+ years of diplomatic insights on global shifts and India’s position.
- Chair: Prof. Ajay Darshan Behera, Director of MMAJ Academy.
- Organizers: Prof. Mujib Alam (Course Director, MMAJ-AIS) and Prof. Sujata Ashwarya (Co-Director, Centre for West Asian Studies, JMI).
Programme Details
Over 12 days, participants join 36 sessions led by 25+ experts from top institutions like JNU, AMU, Jadavpur University, BHU, IDSA, and VIF.
Topics span:
- Core geopolitics: Maritime, geoeconomics, energy, counter-terrorism, nuclear issues, cultural diplomacy.
- Regions: West Asia, Africa, Europe, Eurasia, Americas.
- India’s strategy in the global order.
- ICSSR-mandated skills: Research methodology, quantitative data, academic writing, libraries/e-resources, Indian Knowledge Systems, decolonial approaches.
Valedictory: Dr. Arvind Gupta (VIF Director, ex-Deputy NSA) speaks on May 16.
This event boosts social science research skills with a sharp India-centric lens—great for academics eyeing geopolitics. Are you attending, or interested in similar programmes?
