EVENTS

Special Theme: Rewiring Globalization — The China Factor in Trade, Technology, and Sustainability in a Multipolar World

CONCEPT NOTE

Call for Papers: Inviting individual abstracts and panel proposals on all aspects of China Studies, including those with a special emphasis on the special theme.

The Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management, Indore, is organising the 18th All India Conference of China Studies (AICCS) from October 24-26, 2025. The AICCS has been a flagship event of the ICS since 2006. This year’s special theme is ‘Rewiring Globalization: The China Factor in Trade, Technology, and Sustainability in a Multipolar World’.

The AICCS embodies contemporary, emergent scholarship from universities and research institutions on Chinese studies. Convened annually in partnership with an institution engaged in research and teaching in China Studies, this premier conference continues to generate interest in and strengthen research on China Studies in India.

The conference focuses on the opportunities and challenges arising from the evolving dynamics of trade, technology, and sustainability in the global landscape. It also aims to explore how these shifts impact India’s strategic and economic interests, particularly in the context of changing global power structures and interdependencies.

Over the past decade, China’s integration into the global economy has influenced international trade, technology, and supply chains. Its ‘Beijing Consensus’ model—rooted in state-led economic strategies, targeted industrial policies, and region-specific growth—has played a key role in its rise across sectors like emerging technologies, renewable energy, and manufacturing. Initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have extended China’s economic influence, reshaping supply chains and economic diplomacy. Further, China’s 14th Five-Year Plan focuses on significant investments in climate change and the digital economy.

However, these developments have raised concerns globally, with issues such as trade tensions, supply chain vulnerabilities, and technological dependencies coming to the forefront. China’s dominance in renewable energy has also sparked debates on sustainability and the risks of market concentration, affecting global climate goals and multilateral cooperation.

For India, these shifts present both challenges and strategic opportunities. As India charts its growth trajectory, it must address questions of economic security, technological resilience, and sustainable development amid rising global competition.

The AICCS provides a platform for scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders to assess these dynamics, offering fresh perspectives on how India can strengthen its position in the global order, build resilient supply chains, and promote sustainable growth.

The sub-themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

• China’s Foreign Policy and Diplomacy (China and Indo-Pacific, China and South-East Asia, China and South Asia, China’s Economic Diplomacy)
• Geopolitics of Technology: The China Factor
• Power Contestations in a Multipolar World: India, China and the West
• Culture, Society, and Religion in China
• China’s Domestic Politics
• Future of India-China Economic Engagement
• Renewable Energy and Global Supply Chains: The China Factor in the Future of Climate Change

Panel proposal applicants and paper presenters are encouraged to share their research and insights on the sub-themes above. However, these sub-themes are merely suggestive, and scholars may submit research papers on other aspects of Chinese studies.

Submission Guidelines:

All submissions will be accepted through the online submission form: Link to the Form.
Please keep the following information ready before filling out the form:

• Paper Proposals: Title, author details (name, affiliation, email, phone), and an abstract (400-450 words) in a Word document and as plain text to be filled in the form.
• Panel Proposals: Title, panel abstract (400-450 words) in a Word document and as plain text to be filled in the form, including details of the panellists and proposed titles or themes of their papers. Authors of papers are encouraged to submit their current research work.

Eligibility — Who Can Apply:

We welcome submissions from:

• Scholars in the initial years of their doctoral studies
• Professors and researchers in educational institutions and think tanks
• All participants must hold Indian Citizenship

Key Dates:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: March 10, 2025
• Notification of Shortlisted Abstracts: March 30, 2025
• Full Paper Submission Deadline: June 25, 2025
• Notification of selected papers with refereed inputs: 15 July 2025
• Research Methodology Workshop: 27 July 2025 (Tentative date)
• Final Paper Submission: August 20, 2025
• Conference Dates: October 24-26, 2025

All panel, abstract, and paper submission deadlines must be strictly followed.

Selected papers will be eligible for publication, and the best paper by an emerging scholar will receive the Mira Sinha Bhattacharjee Award.

Conference Highlights

• Addresses by leading experts in China Studies
• State of the Field: Accessing the Discourses in Chinese Studies
• Special session dealing with the Challenges of Doing Business in China: Indian Voices
• Special session on the Conference Theme comprising panellists from academia, policy-making, and business
• Panel discussions and peer-reviewed paper presentations by scholars
• Networking opportunities with scholars and policymakers

Travel & Accommodation: Selected paper presenters will be provided 3-Tier AC Train fare reimbursement and 3-night accommodation at IIM Indore.