Pune: The Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will be held from February 26 to 28, 2026, at the Pune International Centre (PIC), Pashan, Pune, bringing together global policymakers, diplomats, industry leaders, scholars, and public intellectuals to deliberate on the theme “Geoeconomics Beyond Globalisation: Tariffs, Technologies and Strategic Alignments.”
The seventh edition of the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 is being organised in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
As one of PIC’s flagship events, the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will host multiple high-level panel discussions, fireside chats, and special sessions focused on geoeconomics, global trade, defence manufacturing, public health, artificial intelligence, maritime strategy, and semiconductor supply chains.
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Day One: Inaugural Address and Geoeconomics Beyond Globalisation
The Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will open on February 26 with a video message by Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, Government of India, followed by opening remarks by Dr Raghunath A Mashelkar, President, Pune International Centre.
The inaugural address will be delivered by Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Government of India (To Be Confirmed).
A key highlight of Day One at the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will be the panel discussion titled “Geoeconomics Beyond Globalisation,” chaired by Amb. (retd.) Gautam Bambawale, Convenor, AED.
The panel will feature noted voices including Rama Bijapurkar, Author of Lilliput Land: How Small is Driving India’s Mega Consumption Story; Shankkar Aiyar, Political Economy Analyst and Author; Amb. (retd.) (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, Professor of Diplomatic Practice at O.P. Jindal Global University; and Dr. Deborah Elms, Head of Trade Policy at the Hinrich Foundation, Singapore.
The discussion will focus on current global developments, including geopolitical turbulence, strains on geoeconomics, and strategic responses required from India and other nations such as Singapore.
Another major attraction of the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will be the fireside chat featuring Dr. Krishna Ella, Managing Director of Bharat Biotech.
Bharat Biotech developed an Indian anti-COVID vaccine and continues to work on several other vaccines. Dr. Krishna Ella will be in conversation with Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor of Symbiosis International University. Organisers described this interaction as one of the key highlights of the day.
The evening will conclude with a cultural performance and inaugural dinner.
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Day Two: Dual Intelligence, Defence Focus and Public Health
On February 27, the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will host a panel discussion on “Dual Intelligence,” examining how artificial intelligence and human intelligence can work together.
The session will be chaired by Dr. Ganesh Natarajan, Executive Chairman, 5F World, and will feature speakers including Vikram Puri (POSHS Group), Vijay Sampath (LAPRO.IN), Dr. Prakash (ZS Associates India Pvt. Ltd.), and Yuval Weinreb (MIND Israel).
A fireside chat with Dr. Baba Kalyani, Managing Director of Bharat Forge and Chairman of Kalyani Strategic Systems, will also form a significant part of the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026.
The session will be hosted by Amb. (retd.) Gautam Bambawale and Maj. Gen. (retd.) Nitin Gadkari, Former Director, Pune International Centre.
Public health will receive special attention at the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 through a panel titled “Connecting Public Health and Economic Development.”
The discussion will be chaired by Dr. Ashish Bavdekar of KEM Hospital and include Dr. Tandi Dorji, Former Foreign Affairs Minister of Bhutan; Prof. Sanjay Zodpey, President of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI); Ingvild Kjerkol, First House, Norway; and Dr. Abhishek Kumar, FLAME University.
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Day Three: Global Trade, Maritime Strategy and Chip Corridor
The final day of the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will begin with a panel on “Global Trade System: Which Direction is it Headed?” chaired by Prof. Ajay Shah, Co-Founder, XKDR Forum.
Speakers include Amb. Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs; Dr. Saon Ray (ICRIER); Dr. Deborah Elms (Hinrich Foundation); and Dr. Nishara Mendis of The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, Sri Lanka.
Maritime strategy will be discussed in a session on “Maritime Geoeconomics in the Indian Ocean Region: Power, Partnerships, and Ports,” chaired by Dr. Ajit Ranade, Senior Fellow, Pune International Centre.
Panellists include Amb. Nancy Karigithu (Kenya), Dr. Constantino Xavier (Centre for Social and Economic Progress), Dr. Teesta Prakash (Australia India Institute), and Dr. Sankalp Gurjar (Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics).
The valedictory address at the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will be delivered by Amb. (retd.) Nirupama Rao, former Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and former Ambassador of India to the United States and China. The session will be chaired by Dr. Vijay Kelkar, Vice-President, Pune International Centre.
Defence Technology and Semiconductor Supply Chains
A major focus of the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will be defence production and technology, reflecting Pune’s growing role in defence manufacturing.
Two dedicated panels will address “High Technology in Strategic Defence” and “Technology for Defence Manufacturing: Building Capabilities.”
Speakers include representatives from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru), Business Integration Systems India Pvt. Ltd., Aeron Systems Pvt. Ltd., BAE Systems (India), Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), and Israel Aerospace Pvt. Ltd.
Another key session at the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will examine “The India + Asia Chip Corridor: Supply Chain Resilience and Global Relevance.”
The discussion will be chaired by Dinanath Kholkar, Director, Pune International Centre, with participation from Dr. Anulekha Nandi, Dr. Prasanna Karhade (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Erez Imberman (SCD Israel), and Dr. Yee-Shyi Chang (India Cellular & Electronics Association).
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Palash Festival and Craft Exhibition
For the first time, the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will introduce additional public-facing elements. A craft exhibition will be organised on the ground floor of the Pune International Centre campus, exploring how India can position its craft economy as a form of soft power.
Overlapping with the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 will be a special programme titled “Palash – Festival of Spring,” featuring renowned Carnatic vocalist T. M. Krishna.
The programme will include a book launch, a collaborative performance with a transgender community from the Maharashtra–Karnataka border region, and a Carnatic classical music recital.
Asia Economic Dialogue 2026: PIC’s Vision and Expanding Engagement
Amb. (retd.) Gautam Bambawale noted that PIC is an independent think tank with a vision to become globally well-known.
The Asia Economic Dialogue 2026, now in its seventh edition, is typically a concentrated multi-hour conference that brings together scholars, public policy experts, journalists, government representatives, private sector leaders, and students.
For the first time, registrations for the Asia Economic Dialogue 2026 are opened to the public, with organisers carefully curating participants to ensure a balanced mix of attendees.
Beyond the Dialogue, PIC regularly hosts book launches, roundtables, discussions, and educational activities, leveraging its campus facilities including the auditorium and amphitheatre.
