The School of Governance and Public Affairs, XIM University organised the 7th Edition of the Policy Analysis & Action Series (PAAS) on 16–17 January 2026. The two-day academic programme provided a rigorous platform for engaging with contemporary debates on global governance and foreign policy under the themes “Global Governance for International Peace and Security” and “Positioning Odisha in India’s Foreign Policy: Leveraging Global Trade, Strategy and Governance.”
Policy Seminar on Odisha and Indian Foreign Policy
The first day of the series focused on the evolving challenges confronting the international order and global governance institutions. The event started with our Hon’ble Vice Chancellor ,Dr. Fr. K. S. Casimir, SJ delivering the inaugural address and setting the context for the deliberation. Dr. Stanly Johny, Foreign Affairs Editor at The Hindu, offered a historically grounded analysis of conflicts in West Asia, emphasising the role of colonial legacies, external interventions, and systemic failures of global governance. His session critically examined the selective and interest-driven nature of international engagement and its implications for institutional credibility. Complementing this perspective, Prof. Biju Abraham, Professor of Public Policy and former Dean at IIM Calcutta, analysed global instability through the lens of geopolitical risk, technological decoupling, and economic fragmentation, highlighting structural vulnerabilities in the global economic system and pathways for resilience. Adding a normative and institutional dimension, Dr. Soumita Basu, Associate Professor of International Relations at South Asian University, Delhi, discussed the relevance of international organisations and argued for institutional reform, inclusivity, and greater representation of the Global South in strengthening global governance frameworks.
The series successfully bridged theoretical frameworks with practical policy insights, encouraging critical and interdisciplinary engagement among students and faculty. Overall, PAAS 7th Edition emerged as a meaningful academic initiative that deepened understanding of global governance challenges while foregrounding the importance of regional agency in shaping national and international policy outcomes.
Policy Seminar on Odisha and Indian Foreign Policy
The second day of the PAAS focused on the connections between global governance and foreign policy from a sub-national perspective. Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra, former Professor and Pro-Vice Chancellor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and Founder Director of the Kalinga Institute for Indo-Pacific Studies, delivered an insightful lecture on Odisha’s role in India’s foreign policy. Drawing on historical, economic, and strategic dimensions, he highlighted Odisha’s maritime legacy, resource potential, port infrastructure, and leadership in disaster management and climate resilience, positioning the state as a key contributor to India’s Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific engagement as well as contributing to India’s leadership in Global Governance.
