New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) Thirty early-career faculty members from universities and research institutes across India joined a two-week capacity building programme on “Geopolitics in the 21st Century: Global Trends, Regional Dynamics, and Implications for India”, at the Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday, an official said.

“The programme inaugurated at the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Academy of International Studies is sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and aims to cover a wide range of themes, including maritime geopolitics and geoeconomic,” an official statement said.

The programme is being organised jointly by Professor Mujib Alam, MMAJ-AIS Course Director; and Professor Sujata Ashwarya, Co-Course Director for JMI’s Centre for West Asian Studies.

“The 12-day programme was inaugurated by Professor Zubair Meenai, Dean of JMI’s Faculty of Social Sciences,” the statement said.

Talmiz Ahmad, former Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE, delivered the Inaugural Lecture as the Guest of Honour.

Professor Ajay Darshan Behera, MMAJ Academy of International Studies Director, chaired the session.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Meenai highlighted the importance of ICSSR’s investment in capacity building for early-career academics and emphasised the interdisciplinary relevance of geopolitics for social science scholarship.

Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad, drawing on his distinguished diplomatic career spanning over three decades, offered insights into the evolving contours of global geopolitics and India’s role in the changing world order.

The programme, running from May 4 to 16, 2026, brings together 30 early-career faculty members from universities, colleges, and research institutes across India.

“Over 12 working days, participants will attend 36 sessions covering a wide range of themes, including maritime geopolitics, geoeconomics, energy politics, counter-terrorism, nuclear geopolitics, cultural diplomacy, the geopolitics of West Asia, Africa, Europe, Eurasia, and the Americas, as well as India’s strategic positioning in the contemporary global order,” a statement said.

In line with ICSSR guidelines, the programme also features dedicated sessions on research methodology, the use of quantitative data in social science research, academic writing, library and e-library resources, Indian Knowledge Systems, and decolonial frameworks in social science research.

The programme features more than 25 distinguished resource persons from leading institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Aligarh Muslim University, Jadavpur University, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Banaras Hindu University, Doon University, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, South Asian University, the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, the Vivekananda International Foundation, O.P. Jindal Global University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

“The valedictory address on May 16 will be delivered by Arvind Gupta, Vivekananda International Foundation Director and former Deputy National Security Advisor of India,” the statement added.

–IANS

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