The Act East Policy launched at ASEAN summit at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar is aimed to strengthen ties between India and the ASEAN countries. Changed geopolitical realities necessitated India to reach out to its ASEAN neighbors with shared historical, cultural, and civilisational linkages. Post-1990’s, tremendous strides in Indo-ASEAN relation were made, from India becoming a sectoral partner of ASEAN in 1992 to entering summit partnership in 2001. However, in the decades after that, the momentum somewhat fizzled out. Given the scheme of things, West Bengal and North Eastern India by default occupy an important position in the successful realization of India’s Act East Policy. Taking this discourse forward, The Dialogue, with the support from British Deputy High Commission, Kolkata, organized the 2nd Young Thinkers’ Conference in Kolkata titled “UK, West Bengal & Eastern India – Shared Prosperity for a Shared Future”. Over 150 young delegates, senior government representatives and emerging startups actively participated in the 2nd edition of the British High Commission’s Young Thinkers’ Conference in Kolkata, to co-create a new collaborative growth model.
On the sidelines of the conference, a roundtable discussion was organised with elected representatives and energy experts on creation of green jobs through innovative low carbon and climate resilient models. The objective of the conference was to bring together experts and young thinkers to discuss the role of West Bengal and East India as a trade and investment hub
in South Asia and the potential to trade with the UK.
