Firstpost Defence Summit 2024 LIVE: Navigating Conflicts in a Multipolar World

Ehud Olmert is the former Prime Minister of Israel. He led the country during the 2006 war with Lebanon. He has also been elected twice as the mayor of Jerusalem.

Djoomart Otorbaev is the former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. He has also worked as a Senior Policy Advisor in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Moderating this session is Palki Sharma, the Managing Editor of Firstpost. She hosts the daily news show, Vantage.

Dr Vivek Lall is the chief executive of General Atomics Global Corporation, the company that makes the MQ 9B ‘Predator’ drones being acquired by India.

Dr. Nidhi Bansal is Scientist “G” and the director of the Technology Development Fund at the DRDO, Ministry of Defence. In years of service, she has had vast experience in fields of CFD, thermal mechanics and electronic cooling.

Dr Subrata Rakshit is Distinguished Scientist and Director General for System Analysis and Modelling, as well as Technology Management at the DRDO. He is also the Director for Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Please welcome him to the panel.

Mr. Manoj Jain is the director R&D of Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronic Limited. In his career, spanning over three-decades, he has served tremendously in the Research and Development sector. Please welcome to the panel.

Moderating the session is Vikram J Singh. He is a senior advisor at the US India Strategic Partnership forum and to the Asia program at the US Institute of Peace. He’s been a leader of innovation in public policy and global affairs at the US Department of Defense.

Dr. Olexander Scherba is the ambassador-at-large, ministry of foreign affairs, Ukraine. He’s been a career diplomat for nearly 3 decades who has spent years working on Ukrainian-European relations.

Mr Yasuhide Nakayama is the former State minister of Defence for Japan. He has previously served as the minister of state for foreign affairs.

Dr. Tariq is a professor and department head at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. He has extensively contributed towards the indigenous growth of defence and nuclear technology.

Dr. Bassant Hassib is associated with the Strategic Technologies and Cybersecurity program at the Middle East Institute. Her areas of expertise include cybersecurity governance in Egypt and the GCC, counter-surveillance, gendered cybersecurity threats among many others.

Moderating this session is Chandra R Srikanth is the Deputy Executive Editor at Moneycontrol. She specialises in tech, startups and new economy.

Threats like terrorism, narcotics smuggling and human trafficking and even the biggest threat of climate change. If any of these threats are there, small country like ours have to make sure to make alliance with countries. The Indian army has always helped us, says Mariya Didi.

For our sake and for the sake of the region, we have to make sure that we maintain peace and stability and maintain friendship with neighbouring countries.

Mariya Didi the former Minister of Defence of the Maldives and was the first woman to be appointed to the position. She is also a former member of the Maldivian Parliament and continues to be a leading human rights activist.

Christopher Clary is an international affairs analyst and an associate professor of political science at the University of Albany, State University of New York.

Renato De Castro is a professor in the International Studies Department, at Manila’s De La Salle University. He is currently the chair-holder of the Dr. Aurelio Calderon Chair in the Philippine-American Relation. He’s also an international relations and security analyst.

Moderating this session is Sriparna Pathak, an Associate Professor at the O.P. Jindal Global University. Her areas of interest are China’s domestic economy, trade and economic relations between India and China and China’s foreign policy and economic linkages with the world.

Rear Admiral RK Shrawat is the Chairman of the Naval Group India. He was also the chairman and managing director of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. and has been awarded for his distinguished service with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

Moderating this session is Professor Harsh V. Pant is the Vice President – Studies and Foreign Policy at Observer Research Foundation.

Our army has always dealt with enemies in a dignified fashion, says Meenakshi Lekhi.

When there is an earthquake in a country like Turkey, Indian personnel are the first to respond and the last to depart the afflicted area.

The Indian Navy has been the net security provider at a time when the security situation on the sea has been so precarious in recent years.

After 2015, we have had huge interactions with the west as well as the Asian regions as well, says Meenakshi Lekhi.

We felt that neighbourhood first and act ease should be applied to military diplomacy, she added.

India is a peaceful nation and we always strive to contain “bad elements” in the region, says Meenakshi Lekhi. The three wings of the military have their own methods of building bridges between our neighbours.

In the last 10 years, there have seen a huge change in the way India has worked in an outwardly fashion and inwardly. One of the biggest changes comes from 2015 when modi went to Mauritius and unveiling of the Sagar policy.

Meenakshi Lekhi is the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India.

She has been a member of Parliament since 2014.

Unless you develop the ability to co-develop your product in the future, develop new technologies to take your defense capabilities to a higher level, will not happen.

Coproduction is a temporary solution, not an answer to becoming self reliant, added Dr Kamat.

We want to be a part of the defence manufacturing story of the country, says Priti Patel is the chairman and managing director of Raspian Enterprises.

When PM Modi made the Make in India call, it was a call to action for us, added Patel.

Neel Mehta is a co-founder of Asteria Aerospace, a prominent drone manufacturer in India with over 400 drones deployed in the field.

Priti Patel is the chairman and managing director of Raspian Enterprises, a women-focused defence manufacturing firm.

Dr. Nguyen Khac Giang is a Visiting Fellow at the Vietnam Studies Programme, as well as a writer and specialist on Vietnamese and Asian issues.

Dr. Samir V Kamat is the Chairman of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation). He is an accomplished scientist and energetic leader who has led the development of several naval systems.

Moderating this session is Professor Harsh V. Pant, the Vice President – Studies and Foreign Policy at Observer Research Foundation. He is an expert on Asia-Pacific security issues and has authored several books.

It is important to be self-reliant and I want amplify that just purchasing is not enough, says General Manoj Pande.

He also added that sustainability is as important and self-reliance helps in this aspect.

He also added that the push for self reliance is a result of the ongoing conflicts as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.