Aimed at exploring the future of India’s northeastern region within the broader framework of the nation’s foreign policy, the 2nd Nagaland Economic Association (NEA) Conference cum National Seminar was held at Dimapur Government College on October 25, 2024, with the theme “Prospects and Constraints of India’s Act East Policy with Special Reference to North East Region (NER).” The event brought together prominent scholars, policymakers, and students to discuss the dynamic interplay between economic strategies and regional development. It was organised by the Department of Economics, Dimapur Government College (DGC), in collaboration with the Nagaland Economic Association (NEA), and sponsored by ICSSR-NERC, supported by IQAC, DGC.
The Chief Guest for the Inaugural Session of the National Seminar was Prof. B. Panda, Director, ICSSR-NERC, Shillong, who is also the President of the North East Economic Association. The Valedictory Guest was Mr. Neidilhou Keditsu, Director, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Nagaland, and the Patron was Prof. Dr. Sanjay Sharma, Principal, DGC, who delivered the welcome address.
Setting the tone of the seminar was the Inaugural Session, where Prof. B. Panda spoke on the macro strategies integral to developing the relationship between ASEAN countries, even as the policy shifts from ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East Policy Plus.’ He also touched on a very integral component of the ‘Act East Policy,’ which is ‘entrepreneurship,’ the success of which largely depends on overcoming what is known as ‘Rent Seeking,’ a term in economics that refers to the act of gaining wealth through the manipulation of economic and legal systems rather than through productive trade and wealth creation, and which involves an entity or individual seeking to increase their wealth without creating any benefits to society.
This was followed by the thematic keynote address delivered by Prof. T. Zarenthung Ezung, Dept. of Economics, NU, Lumami. He brought insights from India’s Act East Policy as a diplomatic approach to boost economic, strategic, and cultural ties with the vast Asia-Pacific at different levels, moving on to the larger prospects and the myriad constraints confronting the context and locale of the policy. A key component in his address was the challenges presented by artificial intelligence, as well as the importance of data correctness and reliability.
The technical session was conducted in blended mode with parallel sessions in three halls and two online platforms, through which 34 papers were presented, including presenters from a wide array of fields, including teachers, research scholars, and students.
The one-day national seminar was held under the convenorship of Dr. I. Moakala Jamir, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Economics, DGC, and under the advisory of Prof. B. Kilangla Jamir, Prof. & Head, Dept. of Economics, NU, and Prof. T. Zarenthung Ezung, Dept. of Economics, NU. The national seminar concluded with the valedictory session, while the NEA Conference concluded with a Business Hour.
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