The School of International Relations and Politics (SIRP) at Mahatma Gandhi University on December 19 hosted a thought-provoking lecture by internationally acclaimed Indo-Canadian scholar Prof. T.V. Paul on India’s struggle for major power status. His new book, “The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi,” challenges conventional narratives about India’s rise on the global stage. At the event, inaugurated by Vice Chancellor Prof. C.T. Aravindakumar, Prof. Paul who is a Distinguished Professor at McGill University Canada and a Visiting Professor at SIRP, argued that despite being the world’s most populous nation and fifth-largest economy, India continues to face significant hurdles in achieving great power status. While India has made impressive strides in space technology and economic growth, persistent challenges such as grinding poverty, income inequality, and governance issues have dulled its global aspirations. He also warned about the potential negative domestic implications of the unfulfilled international status quest under the conditions of hyper-nationalism. The event also marked the release of a special issue of the Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs (SAGE), co-edited by Prof. Paul and Prof. C. Vinodan, featuring international perspectives on Indian foreign policy. The lecture and discussion, chaired by Prof. KM Seethi and concluded by Dr. Jojin V. John, sparked engaging debates about India’s future role in the evolving global order.
About the Speaker
Prof. T.V. Paul is the Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, Montreal, Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is the Founding Director of the Global Research Network on Peaceful Change (GRENPEC). Paul is the author or editor of 24 books, co-editor of 4 special journal issues, and author of over 85 scholarly articles/book chapters in the fields of International Relations, International Security, and South Asia. For more, see.
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