Speakers:

Ann Linde is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden. Ms. Linde belongs to the Swedish Social Democratic Party. Her focus is on areas of democracy and human rights, foreign and security policy, and international law. Previously, Ms. Linde was Minister for Foreign Trade, with responsibility for Nordic affairs (2019) and Minister for EU Affairs and Trade (2016-2018).

Constantino Xavier is Fellow in Foreign Policy & Security Studies at Brookings India and the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Previously, he was Fellow at Carnegie India. He has previously worked at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., as a media correspondent in South Asia, and as an advisor to the Embassy of Portugal in New Delhi during its presidency of the European Union. Dr. Xavier has also held fellowships at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). His research focuses on India’s foreign and security policies in South Asia, in terms of regional security, connectivity and democracy, as well as EU-India relations.

Khalid Shah is an Associate Fellow at Observer Research Foundation (ORF). His research focuses on Kashmir conflict, Pakistan and terrorism. Shah was previously associated with leading news channels of India, including as Correspondent in Srinagar with WION News, reporting extensively on conflict in Kashmir. Previously, he was a Senior Reporter for Republic TV.

Lalitha Kumaramangalam is an Indian politician who is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She is former chairperson of the National Commission for Women (2014-2017). Previously, she was the National Secretary of the BJP. Smt. Kumaramangalam has extensive experience in working towards the empowerment and advancement of women from the vulnerable and underprivileged sections of society. She has worked on a range of issues, such as healthcare and HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as the rights of sex workers, LGBT community, migrant and construction workers, SHGs and urban slum women.

Shamika Ravi is Director of Research at Brookings India and a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies Program, at Brookings India and the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. She leads the Development Economics research vertical at Brookings India, where the focus is on growth and entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, health, gender inequality, and urbanisation. Dr. Ravi is a visiting professor of Economics at the Indian School of Business and is affiliated with the Financial Access Initiative of New York University. Previously, she was a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India.

Shruti Pandalai is an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). Her research focus is on issues closely related to India’s national security and foreign policy. Attached with the Centre for Military Affairs, she has worked on projects requiring research and recommendations for the National Security Council Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs. India’s strategic thought and practice, its military history – the wars of 1962 and 1965 and their impact on contemporary foreign policy, emerging challenges to national security and forecasting and scenario projection are some of the research areas she has worked on at IDSA.

Yamini Aiyar is the President and Chief Executive of Centre for Policy Research (CPR). Her research interests are in the field of social policy and development, in areas including social accountability, elementary education, decentralisation and administrative reforms. Aiyar founded the Accountability Initiative at CPR. Under her leadership, the Accountability Initiative has produced significant research in the areas of governance, state capacity and social policy. It pioneered a new approach to tracking public expenditures for social policy programs and is widely recognised for running the country’s largest expenditure-tracking survey in elementary education. Aiyar is a founding member of the International Experts Panel of the Open Government Partnership. She has also been a member of the World Economic Forum’s global council on good governance.

Delegation from Sweden:

Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin, Head of Asia and Oceania Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Gautam Bhattacharyya, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden

Lena Skoglund, Deputy Director & Coordinator for Minister Linde, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Klara Linder, Press Secretary to Minister Linde, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Emilie af Jochnick Savén, desk officer for India, Asia and Oceania Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

The European Union (EU) Initiative under Foreign Policy & Security Studies, Brookings India conducts research on converging public policies of the world’s two largest democracies. It also promotes exchanges and dialogues between scholars and policy-makers in New Delhi, Brussels and across EU and Indian states. The Initiative focuses on how the EU and India can address common political, economic and geostrategic challenges under the rule of law, multilateralism and other shared values.