By Venkatachari Jagannathan
Six Indian experts will participate in the 12th edition of Russia’s premier Primakov Readings International Forum, themed ‘World Without Rules: Power Game?’ to be held in Moscow on June 23-24.
The Indian participants are Manjit Kripalani, Director, Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations; Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation (ORF); Shishir Priyadarshi, President, Chintan Research Foundation (CRF) and former Director at the World Trade Organization (2007-2022); Pankaj Saran, Convenor, NatStrat and member of the National Security Advisory Board; Arvind Gupta, Head, Digital India Foundation; and Lt Gen Dushyant Singh, Director General, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).
To discuss global security, trade and AI
The Indian experts will participate in sessions covering global ramifications of regional conflicts, global order scenarios for the mid-century, barriers and risks to global trade and investment, Eurasian security in the context of Russia’s Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) chairmanship, AI and digital platforms, and the new round of military-technological competition.
According to the organisers, the event will bring together around 50 experts from 20 countries, including India, the US, the UK, Switzerland, China, Turkey, Qatar, Iran, South Korea and Uzbekistan. The Indian contingent will be the largest foreign delegation at the forum.
Top Russian leaders to attend
The two-day event, to be held at the Radisson Blu Leninsky Prospect Hotel in Moscow, will be addressed by Sergey Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The forum will also be attended by Yuri Ushakov, Aide to the President of Russia; Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council; and leading Russian and international experts in international security, global politics and economics, alongside representatives of public organisations, political leaders and diplomats.
Focus on emerging world order
The programme of the International Scientific and Expert Primakov Readings Forum is centred on discussions around key challenges confronting global politics and the economy.
The spotlight will be on the global consequences of regional conflicts, the domestic dimension of US foreign policy, the evolving conflict in the Middle East, emerging world order scenarios, barriers and risks in global trade and investment, Eurasian security, AI-driven international competition and a new phase of military-technological rivalry.
Experts are also expected to examine prospects for de-escalating conflicts in the Middle East, the possibility of establishing a new regional security architecture and the role of non-Western countries in stabilising the region.
The consequences of the termination of the New START Treaty, risks arising from the collapse of arms-control mechanisms and the impact of emerging military technologies on strategic stability amid an accelerating arms race will also feature prominently in the discussions.
Over 400 participants expected
More than 400 representatives from Russian and international scientific and expert communities, government agencies, political institutions and business organisations are expected to participate in the forum.
The annual event, which coincides this year with the 70th anniversary of IMEMO, is organised by the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO) and the Evgeny Primakov Center for International Cooperation.
Liberal world order has faded: IMEMO chief
IMEMO President Alexander Dynkin said the rules-based liberal world order has come under increasing criticism globally and has effectively ceased to exist.
“The ‘rules-based’ liberal world order has faced harsh and fair criticism in Russia and globally. Between 2022 and 2026, it ultimately faded into history. We are witnessing a breakdown, an obvious fragmentation of the global political and economic architecture and an almost complete dictate of force in the sphere of international security,” Dynkin said.
About the Primakov Readings
The Primakov Readings is an annual international scientific and expert forum that brings together leading specialists in international relations and the global economy. First held in 2015, the forum is named after the renowned Russian scholar and statesman Evgeny Maksimovich Primakov.
Primakov served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1998 to 1999 and also held positions including Foreign Minister, Speaker of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union and Chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service. An Academician and Arab studies specialist, he was also a member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com)