Venue: Hotel Holiday Inn, A Junction, 33/1739, National Highway Bypass, Chakkaraparambu, Vennala, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala 682028

ICA National Conference at Kochi

The Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, in collaboration with The Asia Foundation (TAF)-India, is organising a two-day national conference at Kochi, Kerala on 21, 22 August 2025, titled, “Addressing Priorities and Challenges in the Indian Coastal Region from Environmental, Economic, and Geopolitical Perspectives.” The conference is part of the project to form a grouping, the Indian Coastal Alliance (ICA), which aims to address challenges and capitalise on opportunities in the Indian coastal region.

The conference aims to create a formalized and active network of Indian coastal think tanks and research institutions, so as to foster collaboration and information exchange, to enhance the capacity for collaborative research and sharing of expertise, and to undertake joint initiatives among member organizations leading to more robust and multi-faceted analyses. The conference also seeks to develop data-driven policy recommendations for governments, security agencies, and other stakeholders.

What is the Indian Coastal Alliance (ICA)?

The Indian Coastal Alliance (ICA) aims to create a network of think tanks and research institutions focusing on India’s coastal region from geopolitical, geoeconomic, geospatial and environmental perspectives to jointly research and address challenges in the region. This first-of-a-kind coastal alliance of experts and research institutions in India is dedicated to addressing challenges in the Indian coastal region from regional and national perspectives yearly.

The ICA hopes to create a platform for regular interaction and dialogue between think tanks, research institutions, government bodies, security agencies, academic institutions, coastal communities, and other relevant organizations. The research produced by the ICA in the form of reports and research papers will add invaluable reference materials for governments and various stakeholders.

This new frontier opens opportunities for informed decision-making and awareness creation, fostering policy recommendations and data generation crucial for attracting investments, infrastructure developments, and ensuring resilience in the region. These efforts will also contribute to the development of new literature and interventions critical not only to the Indian subcontinent but also to the global community.

ICA Objectives:

• Consolidate and guide research from coastal think tanks and institutions to broaden India’s ocean-led economy by identifying key regional opportunities and challenges.
• Share expertise, insights, and research findings with governments, security agencies, communities, and organizations to support informed decision-making and effective action.
• Facilitate evidence-based research that addresses national security and socio-economic development, as well as geospatial issues affecting coastal states.
• Foster people-to-people dialogue platforms between neighbouring countries to collaboratively resolve maritime challenges through open communication.

AGENDA

Thursday, 21 August 2025

11:00 a.m. — Registration Opens

12:00 p.m. — Inaugural Ceremony

• • Welcome Remarks: Dr D Dhanuraj, Chairman, CPPR
  • Opening Remarks: Ms Nandita Baruah, Country Representative, India, The Asia Foundation
  • Inauguration & Keynote Address: Shri D V Swamy, IAS, Chairman, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Kochi
  • Special Remarks: Ms R Anitha Nandhini, IFS, Regional Passport Officer, Kochi
  • Special Remarks: Prof (Dr) G B Reddy, Vice Chancellor, National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi
  • Special Remarks: Dr Shine Kumar C S, Director, National Institute of Fisheries Post Harvest Technology and Training (NIFPHATT), Kochi
  • Unveiling of the Indian Coastal Alliance (ICA) Logo
  • Launch of Research Compendium and Policy Brief
  • Vote of Thanks: Dr Dhritishree Bordalai, Senior Associate, CPPR

1.30 p.m. — Lunch

2.15 am — Presentation by Dr Dhritishree Bordalai, Senior Associate, CPPR

2.30 p.m. —  Session 1: Meet the Authors—Securing the Coastline: Fisheries, Tourism, Climate and the future of Coastal Economies

Moderator: Ms Nandita Baruah, Country Representative, India, The Asia Foundation

Panellists:

• • Mr Mihir Bhatt, Director, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI), Ahmedabad
  • Dr P Krishnan, Director, Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP-IGO), Chennai
  • Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor, Department of Geopolitics & International Relations, MAHE, Manipal
  • Dr Shriji Kurup, Programme Director, Centre for Environment Education (CEE) & National Operator, Blue Flag India, Ahmedabad
  • Ms Nayana Udayashankar, Senior Programme Officer – Communities and Resource Governance, Dakshin Foundation, Bengaluru

3:30 p.m. — Tea Break

3:45 p.m. — Session 2: Insights from the Mangrove Man—Mr T P Murukesan, Vypin

Chair: Dr D Dhanuraj, Chairman, CPPR

4.45 p.m. — Session 3: Panel Discussion—An Overview of India’s Coastal Challenges

Moderator: Dr Vijay Sakhuja, Former Director, National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi; Professor and Head, Center of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies, REVA University, Bengaluru; Hon. Distinguished Fellow, CPPR

Panellists:

• • Ms Manjeet Kripalani, Executive Director, Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, Mumbai
  • Dr Dattesh D. Parulekar, Assistant Professor, School of International and Area Studies (SIAS), Goa University, Goa
  • Dr Ramu C M, Senior Advisor – Strategic Risk, APAC Assistance, Singapore

5.45 p.m. — Presentation by Adithyan P V, Research Consultant, CPPR

6.00 p.m. — Session 4: Coastline Chat—Navigating India’s Coastal Priorities with Vice Admiral Ashok Kumar AVSM, PVSM, VSM (Retd)

Chair: Dr D Dhanuraj, Chairman, CPPR

6.45 p.m. — Day 1 Concludes

Friday, 22 August 2025

9:00 a.m. — Registration opens

9.30 p.m. — Session 5: Meet the Authors—Advancing Maritime Domain Awareness, Port Infrastructure, Blue Economy, Energy, and Coastal Security

Moderator: Ms Atiya Gopinath, Research Consultant, The Asia Foundation-India

Panellists:

• • Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, Former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar and Mexico; Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House, Mumbai
  • Dr A Subramanyam Raju, Professor, Centre for South Asian Studies & Coordinator, UGC Centre for Maritime Studies, Pondicherry University, Puducherry
  • Dr Arnab Das, Founder & Director, Maritime Research Centre (MRC), Pune
  • Dr R P Pradhan, Professor, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Goa Campus
  • Dr Monish Tourangbam, Senior Research Consultant, Chintan Research Foundation, New Delhi

10:30 a.m. — Session 6: Panel Discussion—Existing Policies and Institutional Mechanisms in Coastal Governance

Moderator: Vice Admiral M P Muralidharan AVSM & BAR, NM (Retd.), Former Director General, Indian Coast Guard; Hon. Distinguished Fellow (Maritime & Defence Studies), CPPR

Panellists:

• • Professor Mahendra Lama, Senior Professor, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
  • Dr Shreya Upadhyay, Assistant Professor, Christ University, Bangalore

11.30 a.m. — Coffee Break

11.45 a.m. — Session 7: Panel Discussion—Voices from the Coast

Moderator: Dr Harisankar K Sathyapalan, Associate Professor, National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore

Panellists:

• • Father Churchill, General Secretary, South Asian Fisherman Fraternity (SAFF), Kanniyakumari
  • Mr K A Shaji, Senior Assistant Editor, Outlook India, Trivandrum
  • Mr Pradip Chatterjee, President, National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF), Kolkata
  • Ms Usha Sadasivan, Pallipuram Community Development Society (CDS) Chairperson, Kudumbashree, Kochi

12.45 p.m. — Session 8: Expert Talk with Prof (Dr) Prabhakaran Paleri —“Whose Responsibility? Accountability in Shipping Disasters”

Chair: Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor, Department of Geopolitics & International Relations, MAHE, Manipal

1:30 p.m. — Lunch Break

2.15 p.m. — Session 9: Policy Recommendations and Way Forward by Ms.Nandita Baruah (Country Representative, India, The Asia Foundation) and Dr. D. Dhanuraj (Chairman, CPPR)

3.10 p.m. — Vote of Thanks by Kalyani S K, Research Associate, CPPR

3.15 p.m. —  Evening Tea and Snacks; Day 2 Concludes