High-Level India–Thailand Dialogue held at Royal Global University

Dialogue focuses on education, health, youth and enterprise; RGU emerges as academic platform for strengthening India–Thailand linkages

GUWAHATI, September 23, 2026: Asian Confluence, a Shillong-based think tank, in collaboration with the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of The Assam Royal Global University (RGU), organised a session of the Brahmaputra–Chao Phraya Dialogue at the university campus yesterday, bringing together distinguished policymakers, diplomats, academics and experts from India and Thailand to explore new avenues of engagement between the Northeast and Thailand.

Held on the theme “Building the Northeast’s Health, Education, Youth and Enterprise Bridge with Thailand,” the dialogue positioned Northeast India as an important academic and people-to-people bridge between India and Southeast Asia, while highlighting the role of universities in creating sustained institutional linkages, knowledge exchange and collaborative opportunities.

The Keynote Address was delivered by H.E. Mrs Urasa Mongkolnavin, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand. She highlighted the significant potential for expanding Thailand–India cooperation, particularly in education, tourism, culture, training, internships and academic exchange. She also expressed optimism about translating the growing interest in institutional cooperation into concrete partnerships, including the possibility of formalising such collaboration through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

The Thai delegation included senior government officials and scholars from leading Thai universities, including Thammasat University, Ubon Ratchathani University, Prince of Songkla University and Chulalongkorn University.

The Opening Session was addressed by Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Former Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; Dr. R.K. Ranjan Singh, Former Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Government of India; and Shri Prashant Agrawal, Additional Secretary (South), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The speakers underscored the importance of strengthening India’s engagement with countries of Southeast Asia and creating greater opportunities for regional cooperation.

The high-level academic and policy dialogue was followed by a panel discussion on “Building the Northeast’s Education, Youth and Enterprise Bridge with Thailand,” chaired by Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das.

The panel brought together distinguished academic and institutional leaders from India and Thailand, including Prof. Kaustubha Mohanti, Dean, Corporate and International Relations, Indian Institute of Technology; Dr. Samudra Gupta Kashyap, Chancellor, Nagaland University; Dr. Nalin Mehta, Director, NEIGRIHMS; Dr. Sandra Albert, Indian Institute of Public Health, Shillong; Dr. Thanyaporn Soontornthum, Director, Thammasat Institute of Area Studies (TIARA), Thammasat University; Dr. Kittipong Boonkerd, South Asian Language Section, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University; Dr. Piyanat Soikham, Assistant to the President and Director, India Studies Center, Ubon Ratchathani University; and Dr. Wit Wichaidit, Associate Professor and Lecturer, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.