National Security

Pune Dialogue on National Security
(Annual Conference of Pune International Centre policy research think tank)

The Pune Dialogue on National Security (PDNS) is an annual conference hosted by the Pune International Centre (PIC) in association with Policy Perspectives Foundation (PPF), New Delhi, The Tribune Trust, Chandigarh and the Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies (CASS), Pune. The PDNS ideates, deliberates upon and brings into focus the imperatives of our national security. The forum discusses a wide range of issues, such as defence preparedness, water, food, health, energy, technology, disasters, pandemics, and geo-strategic developments.

1st PDNS, October, 2015: The aim of this PDNS was to provide inputs for formulating a comprehensive National Security Policy. For the first time, NITI Aayog had been tasked by the Government to include national security in its mandate. The conference was inaugurated by NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman, Prof. Arvind Panagariya. About 80 experts from different domains and from different parts of the country took part in the deliberations in six sessions on different aspects of the National Security Policy framework.

2nd PDNS, September, 2016: The next year, PDNS 2016 was held on 7th and 8th September, 2016. The issues discussed at this conference were: National Security Policy Framework, External Dimensions to India’s Security, Federalism and National Security (Internal Dimensions), Impact of National Resources on National Security, New Technologies and the Emerging Perspective for National Security and the Fourth and Fifth Estates. The discussions during PDNS 2016 centered on India’s Nuclear Deterrence and Doctrine; Challenges and Opportunities in Cyberspace; Maritime Security; Countering Radicalisation and Violent Extremism, River Basins and Sharing of Water, and Civil – Military Relationship.

3rd PDNS, September, 2017: The third PDNS was held in 2017 on 15th and 16th September, 2017. The theme was ‘India and the Emerging World.’ The conference had both closed-door (only invitees) and open sessions. Topics deliberated upon included the Emerging World Order; Extremist Trends in Islam and India; and India and rising China.

4th PDNS, October, 2018: The fourth annual conference, PDNS 2018, was held on 21st and 22nd October, 2018. The deliberations at this conference revolved around the theme, ‘Challenges of Governance.’ The topics discussed included Governance: Challenges and Imperatives, Reforms in Policing, Criminal Justice System and Disruptive Technologies and Impact on National Security.

5th PDNS, November, 2019: The fifth annual conference, Pune Dialogue on National Security, 2019 (PDNS 2019) was held in Pune on 8th and 9th November, 2019. There were two separate themes for each day. ‘The Indo-Pacific’ was discussed at length on the first day. The topics included, The Indo-Pacific: Geo-Strategic Perspectives; The Indo-Pacific: Economic Dimensions; and Building Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. For the second day, the theme was ‘India: Economic Security,’ under which discussions took place on Rural Distress and Way forward; Unemployment; and Impact of Climate Change.
No conference was held in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

6th PDNS, October 28, 29, 2021: The sixth Pune dialogue on National Security 2021 (PDNS 2021) was held on 28th and 29th October, 2021. The theme for the conference was ‘National Security Preparedness in the Age of Disasters and Pandemics.’ Experts and eminent speakers from various fields expressed their views on National Security against the backdrop of the Covid-19 Pandemic and past disasters. The dialogue was held on a virtual platform. This conference was inaugurated by the National Security Adviser, Shri Ajit Doval with the Keynote Address by Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organisation and the Valedictory Address was delivered by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman, NITI AAYOG. 
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