Sep 12 2025 to Sep 12 2025 6:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

The world is in an era of great power competition, and the battle lines are both shifting and hardening, forcing India to reassess its choices. The old frameworks of partnership are under strain, with the US imposing tariffs and the Trump administration appearing to prioritise short-term gains over long-term ties. At the same time, China remains India’s immediate neighbour. The India-China relationship is riddled with a history of trust deficit. China presents a security challenge but also an economic opportunity. So what’s the best pathway for India to maximise its interests?

This conversation will be held in the Purva Paksha format, which is an ancient Indian tradition of logic and debate. The aim of Purva Paksha is to understand the opposing viewpoint and expand knowledge rather than winning an argument. It is a philosophical and logical tradition in Indian thought, particularly in Indian logic and debate, where one deeply familiarises oneself with an opponent’s perspective or argument before presenting a counterargument. This rigorous method involves a comprehensive study of the opposing viewpoint, to fully understand its nuances and develop a well-reasoned response.

In collaboration with:

Speakers

Manoj Kewalramani
Chairperson, Indo-Pacific Studies, Takshashila Institution
Manoj Kewalramani is Fellow-China Studies and the Chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution. He is a Senior Associate (Non-resident), Freeman Chair in China Studies, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (US) and a Senior Associate Fellow at MERICS, Germany. Manoj has been a Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute (Singapore), and is also an alumnus of the US Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). His research interests range from Chinese politics and great power competition to addressing questions of how India can work with like-minded partners to deal with the challenges presented by China’s rise.

He is the author of Smokeless War: China’s Quest for Geopolitical Dominance (Bloomsbury, 2021) and Taming the Dragon: A Manifesto for a New Modus Vivendi with China (Rupa, 2026). Manoj writes a daily newsletter tracking Chinese political and policy discourse in the People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s flagship newspaper. He is also the host of a leading International Relations podcast: The Great Power Show. He has testified before the US Congress’ US-China Economic and Security Review Commission as an expert witness in 2022 and 2024.

Pranay Kotasthane
Chairperson, High-Tech Geopolitics, Takshashila Institution
Pranay Kotasthane is Chairperson of the High-Tech Geopolitics at the Takshashila Institution. He is a co-author of a new book, “When the Chips Are Down: A Deep Dive into a Global Crisis”. Pranay co-hosts the popular Hindi podcast Puliyabaazi. Before Takshashila, Pranay worked as a chip design engineer.