The 19th All India Conference of Chinese Studies (AICCS) 2026, jointly organised by the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), New Delhi, and the Department of Political Science, Nagaland University, concluded on October 30 after three days of deliberations on China Studies, emerging technologies and their implications for global power dynamics.

The valedictory session underscored the need to strengthen India’s research ecosystem and develop an independent, evidence-based understanding of China. Speakers emphasised the importance of studying China through primary sources, moving beyond dominant external narratives and encouraging greater participation of young scholars, particularly from the Northeast, in China Studies.

The discussions also highlighted challenges associated with artificial intelligence (AI), including digital inequality, employment displacement, ethical concerns and dependence on foreign technologies.

The conference received 90 abstracts, of which 54 papers were selected for presentation across 11 thematic panels and two special panels. Scholars from more than 27 institutions across India participated in the three-day event.

On the first day, discussions examined the institutional, linguistic and epistemic challenges facing China Studies in India, alongside China’s political economy, governance and society. Presentations addressed the need for epistemic sovereignty, the evolution of China Studies, Chinese language education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and the shortage of academic programmes and faculty in the Northeast.

Other discussions covered China’s energy transition, digital governance, ethnic cultural industries, environmental risks associated with technology infrastructure, youth disengagement, state feminism and women’s movements in China and India. The panels highlighted the need for stronger research infrastructure, ethical and inclusive governance, independent scholarship and human expertise in an era increasingly shaped by AI.

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The second day focused on the role of emerging technologies in strategic competition, historical interactions between India and China, and the growing influence of AI on global power dynamics. Presentations examined critical mineral supply chains in Central Asia, the use of AI in contemporary Chinese literature, digital nationalism and the implications of technological rivalry for national security.

A special panel on strategic autonomy and techno-geopolitics highlighted the importance of developing indigenous AI capabilities, strengthening semiconductor infrastructure, fostering public-private partnerships and balancing technological self-reliance with international cooperation.

The third day explored China’s role in shaping global technological norms, AI governance in the Global South, high-tech security architecture, digital infrastructure and regional relations. Researchers examined China’s influence on international technology standards, India’s pursuit of digital sovereignty, cybersecurity risks associated with smart-city infrastructure, and India’s dependence on Chinese battery technologies and electronic components.

Discussions also covered the strategic implications of undersea cables, digital connectivity and technological dependencies for national security and international relations.

The conference concluded with three key priorities for advancing China Studies in India: deepening empirical research, strengthening interdisciplinary and comparative approaches, and building the country’s institutional capacity for research on China.

The 20th edition of the AICCS is scheduled to be hosted by Chanakya University, Bengaluru, in 2027.