Emergent Geopolitical Trends: A View from New Delhi

On May 5, Foreign Policy at Brookings hosted former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran for a discussion of the Indian perspective on emergent geopolitical trends. In his remarks, Saran also addressed India’s relations with China and the United States.

Shyam Saran has had a distinguished diplomatic career, spanning 34 years with service in China, Japan, Switzerland, Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal, as well as at the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. He served as foreign secretary from 2004 to 2006, when he helped negotiate the path-breaking U.S.-India Nuclear Agreement. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh subsequently appointed Saran to be his special envoy for Indo-U.S. civil nuclear issues. He has also served as the Prime Minister’s chief negotiator on climate change. Saran is currently a member of the Indian National Security Council’s National Security Advisory Board, chairman of Research and Information System for Developing Countries and a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research.

Brookings President Strobe Talbott provided introductory remarks. Following Saran’s remarks, Brookings Senior Fellow Jonathan D. Pollack offered commentary and moderated the discussion. After the program, panelists took audience questions.