Pune national security talks to focus on disasters, pandemics

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 25

In its sixth edition this year, the Pune Dialogue on National Security (PDNS) will look into how disasters and pandemics impact national security.

The two-day seminar starting October 28 will be conducted online and is titled “National security preparedness in the age of disasters and pandemics”. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval will deliver the inaugural address and Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organisation (WHO), will be the keynote speaker, Lt Gen VG Patankar, the convener of the PDNS, announced at a virtual press conference today.

Dr Swaminathan

The Tribune Trust, Pune International Centre, Policy Perspectives Foundation of Delhi, and Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies, Pune, are partners of the annual event.

Lt Gen Patankar said national security was not just defence or territorial integrity of the country, but was influenced by every aspect of human activity, such as agriculture, industry and social aspects.

Covid, he said, had thrown up many challenges. “In the past, we learnt lessons from earthquakes, oil spills and major fires. The Covid pandemic has been managed, but the same cannot be said about earthquakes. There is a lot of work that needs to be done,” he said.

This year’s conference has been divided into four sessions, besides the opening and the valedictory sessions.

The first session will talk about disaster prevention and minimising the damage. Former Army Chief Gen NC Vij, who was later chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, will chair it and Pradyot C Haldar, president, Policy Perspectives Foundation, will be among the speakers.

The second session will be on future threats. Ambassador Sudhir Devare, member, Pune International Centre (PIC), will chair the session.

The third session will be on the role of science and technology and will be chaired by Dr Sangeeta Kale, a member of the Pune International Centre.

Dr Sanjay Singh, CEO, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Limited, and Dr Rakesh Mishra, Director, Tata Institute of Genetics and Society, will be the speakers.

The last session will be on the imperatives for national security. Lt Gen SS Mehta, trustee, PIC, and former Western Army Commander, will chair the session.

Panellists will include Kamal Kishore, member secretary, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA); Lt Gen SA Hasnain, member, NDMA; Dr Krishna Vatsa, member, NDMA; Rajendra Singh, member, NDMA; and Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorology Department.

Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman of the NITI Aayog, will be the speaker at the valedictory session.

Four sessions

The two-day event will take off on October 28 and the inaugural address will be delivered by NSA Ajit Doval
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, WHO, will be the keynote speaker
Four sessions to dwell into disaster prevention and minimising the damage, future threats, and the role of science and technology