EVENTS

Optimism surrounding a possible upgrade for the India-Taiwan relationship can be said to have peaked in 2020 against the backdrop of India-China border tensions. Although the potential to develop numerous facets of this relationship has been acknowledged for several years, crucial breakthroughs remain elusive. Trade volumes which were rising from a small base have dipped. Although Taiwanese investments in India are growing, they are nowhere near the investment flows into much smaller countries in the ASEAN region. Priorities articulated in India's National Electronics Policy 2019 clearly match strengths of the Taiwanese ICT industry but only contract manufacturers which assemble products for multinationals have responded to "Make in India" so far. Education and tourism exchanges as a precursor for stronger ties might be necessary but not sufficient. Can India's newfound ambition to reduce economic dependency on China propel India-Taiwan economic ties to the next level? What is India's position within Taiwan's New Southbound policy? How do India's FDI and trade policies impact Taiwanese industry? Can Taiwan bridge the gaps in India's technology ecosystem? Can enhanced trade, investment and technology transfers provide a strong foundation to galvanize the entire relationship? What role do education and tourism have to play?