Spring Term 2025

SOUTH ASIA: Regional Trade & Prosperity

Thursday, 29 May | 3pm UK | 7pm Pakistan | 7.30pm India & Sri Lanka | 7.45pm Nepal

ONLINE

Amidst global developments (newly-introduced tariffs by the US; UK-India trade deal) regional geopolitics (India-Pakistan military tensions) and organisational paralysis (non-functional SAARC), is it possible to think about a regional trade strategy in South Asia? What could it look like, how would it be benefit individual countries, what economic muscle can it muster through mutually supportive trade agreements, and can it make South Asia an economic bloc on the global stage?

SPEAKERS: Dr Salamat Ali (@dr_salamatali) is a trade economist with research expertise on Pakistan; Dr Yurendra Basnett, an LSE alumnus, is a trade expert on Nepal, and is currently Principal Evaluation Specialist at Asian Development Bank, Manila; Dr Pankhuri Gaur (@GaurPankhuri) is Assistant Professor at Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries, New Delhi, with particular focus on India's trade relations; Dr Asanka Wijesinghe (@asanka_lka) is Research Fellow at Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, Colombo, and an expert on trade and regional integration.

DISCUSSANT: Dr Swati Dhingra (@swatdhingraLSE) is Associate Professor of Economics at LSE, an expert on regional trade/policy in South Asia, and currently an external member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

CO-CHAIRS: Naufel Vilcassim is Director, LSE South Asia Centre (@SAsiaLSE) and Professor of Marketing at LSE; Dr Nilanjan Sarkar is Deputy Director, LSE South Asia Centre (@SAsiaLSE).

Image © Kelly Sikkema, 2022, Unsplash.

Please click here to watch a recording of the event.

SRI LANKA: 6 Months On

Wednesday, 14 May | 3pm UK | 7.30pm Sri Lanka

ONLINE

As the 'AKD' government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake marks 6 months, how is Sri Lanka now? This panel will discuss the country's current economic and political situation as it recovers from a period of severe crisis and, looking ahead, what needs to be done in different sectors domestically, regionally and globally for Sri Lanka to emerge as a confident and stable power.

SPEAKERS: Harsha Amarasekera PC is a leading commerical lawyer, and Chairman, Colombo Port City Economic Commission, alongside several other leading positions in the private sector; Farzana Haniffa (@FaraFarout) is Professor of Sociology, University of Colombo, and Member, Human Rights Commission, Sri Lanka; Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu (@PSaravanamuttu), an LSE alumnus, is Founder and Executive Director, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo.

DISCUSSANT: Dr Alan Keenan (@akeenan23) is Senior Consultant for Sri Lanka, International Crisis Group, London, where he coordinates and contributes to research, advocacy and publications on Sri Lanka.

CO-CHAIRS: Naufel Vilcassim is Director, LSE South Asia Centre (@SAsiaLSE) and Professor of Marketing at LSE; Dr Nilanjan Sarkar is Deputy Director, LSE South Asia Centre (@SAsiaLSE).