EVENTS

Abstract        

India-Taiwan relations have improved gradually since 1995 when the two sides established representative offices in each other’s capitals. Between 1995 and 2014, the bilateral trade turnover has grown more than six times from just US$934 million to 5.91 billion. Both sides have also expanded educational exchanges, as a mutual degree recognition agreement in higher education was signed in 2010. In science and technology areas, there are more than thirty ongoing government-funded joint research projects. However, the India-Taiwan relationship is still small-scale compared to the potentials. Constrained by its commitment to Beijing’s “One China” policy, New Delhi finds it difficult to realize the potential of its bilateral relationship with Taiwan. As India has launched Act East policy and ambitious initiatives such as “Make in India”, it is time to highlight the importance of Taiwan for an emerging India and bring the India-Taiwan relationship into focus.

About the Speaker

Dr. Fang Tien-sze is currently a Visiting Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, and Assistant Professor at the Center for General Education, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. degree from the Department of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE), UK. He worked as Officer in the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan, during 1996-1998, Assist Research Fellow at Prospect Foundation in Taiwan (2004-2005), and Assistant Director, Science and Technology Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India (Taiwan’s representative office in India) from 2005 to 2011. He is the author of Asymmetrical Threat Perceptions in India–China Relations (Oxford University Press, 2014). His recent research interests include China-India relations, Taiwan-India relations and cultural diplomacy policy.