JNU’s School of International Studies to mark 70 years with Aravalli Summit

The two-day summit will provide a platform for academics, policymakers and practitioners to deliberate on India’s evolving role in the world

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)’s School of International Studies (SIS) will mark its 70th anniversary with the Aravalli Summit on October 6–7, 2025, featuring alumnus and external affairs minister S Jaishankar as the keynote speaker. JNU chancellor ambassador Kanwal Sibal is also expected to attend.

Since its founding in 1955 and subsequent merger with JNU in 1970, SIS has sought to combine academic rigor with policy relevance, training generations of diplomats, policymakers and scholars.(JNU)

“From pioneering area studies to shaping national debates on nuclear policy, regionalism and global governance, SIS has nurtured generations of scholars and policymakers who have strengthened India’s voice in the global south and beyond,” the university said in a note.

Amitabh Mattoo, dean of SIS, traced the institution’s origins: “The school began its journey in 1955, when India was barely a decade old. Its leaders had the foresight to realise that diplomacy could not be sustained on instinct alone. India needed an institution to train minds capable of interpreting the world, not just mimicking it. Thus was born the Indian School of International Studies under the Indian Council of World Affairs.”

Since its founding in 1955 and subsequent merger with JNU in 1970, SIS has sought to combine academic rigor with policy relevance, training generations of diplomats, policymakers and scholars.

The two-day summit will provide a platform for academics, policymakers and practitioners to deliberate on India’s evolving role in the world as the country approaches the centenary of independence in 2047, while also reflecting on SIS’s legacy.

“This conference seeks to generate a high-level intellectual and policy-oriented dialogue on India’s journey toward 2047 and its ramifications for the evolving world order. It will combine the ‘inside-out’ perspective of Indian thought leaders with the ‘outside-in’ reflections of distinguished international scholars. Over the two days, the aim is to stimulate a forward-looking discourse on how India can shape and be shaped by the contours of a just, resilient and inclusive global future,” said Sandip Kumar Singh, assistant professor at SIS.

Key discussions will centre on India’s economic growth, technological innovation, global footprint, civilisational identity, sustainability initiatives and strategies to expand its influence on the world stage.