{"id":2039,"date":"2020-09-16T09:11:46","date_gmt":"2020-09-16T09:11:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jgu.edu.in\/blog\/?p=2039"},"modified":"2021-02-22T05:47:24","modified_gmt":"2021-02-22T05:47:24","slug":"diplomacy-law-business-why-is-an-integrated-study-relevant-now-more-than-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jgu.edu.in\/blog\/2020\/09\/16\/diplomacy-law-business-why-is-an-integrated-study-relevant-now-more-than-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"Diplomacy, Law & Business\u2014Why is an integrated study relevant now, more than ever?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The disciplines of diplomacy, law and business are heavy-weights in their own rights. Each has given rise to myriad specialisations of study and practice. Yet in the increasingly interconnected context of modern times, it is an integrated study of these three disciplines that renders a new meaning. There are many contemporary examples which involve the play of all the three tangentially and with equal importance\u2014but one recent development hits close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Border tensions between India and China have reached a fevered pitch. Twenty Indian soldiers succumbed to death in the recent violent clash at the Galwan Valley of Ladakh; Chinese casualties are yet unclear. The deadliest clash in decades has drawn international concerns and spawned domestic outrage ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a diplomatic issue that dates back to pre-Independence era. In spite of a number of diplomatic treaties, settlements, talks and agreements between then British-India and China, and later, the Indian government and China, some contested boundary regions remained without demarcation as the two countries failed to reach mutual agreements. Come 1962, the Sino-Indian War broke out over the Aksai Chin region and the present state of Arunachal Pradesh. Over the years, many diplomatic engagements have taken place without much progress. Even in the last decade as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited China a greater number of times in his tenure than any of his predecessors, the diplomatic ties have failed to resolve the border issues that have lingered on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a sense, the root of the issue is that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has no legal backing yet. International boundaries are created through legal treaties between governments, but in the case of India and China in the disputed regions, the clarity has been missing in a long unresolved debate. LAC is just a concept, which is neither \u2018absolute\u2019 nor \u2018controlled\u2019; both the sides have different perceptions of it, giving rise to the border disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the recent clash, the arguably knee-jerk reaction in India has been to boycott Chinese goods and businesses. Considering that China is India\u2019s principal trade partner, with imports ranging from nuclear reactors, electronic machinery to pharmaceuticals critical to the current pandemic, the dramatic political and public moves have received criticism from many diplomats, businesspeople and sections of the general population. As it all comes under the scanner now, with domestic backlash against Chinese goods is at its peak, the challenge ahead raises questions about how India would manage its trade deficit and improve domestic manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All eyes are set on how the tensions will unfold between the two Asian nations. After a long standoff, most recent meetings between the two sides suggest India and China have agreed to cool down on the border dispute. While the next steps are still tense, peaceful resolution will stand on the pillars of diplomacy, law and business. A fresh perspective and an imaginative approach that leans on and combines these factors is what could see the countries through this troubled time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a revelatory example that brings into focus the pressing need for a holistic perspective on foreign affairs, international relations and global politics. Many young people interested in these areas typically decide to pursue specialised Master\u2019s courses after graduation. International Relations is a popular choice as it allows students to learn about non-state actors, bilateral agreements, peace and conflict analysis, and world politics. Yet the traditional higher education space in India still operates in a narrow manner, with limited integration of polity with economics relations, strategic studies and trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why the Jindal School of International Affairs, as India\u2019s first global policy school, decided to introduce the M.A. in Diplomacy, Law and Business in the year 2011. In a bid to create and spread interdisciplinary knowledge and equip young people with the integrated skills to contribute to national and international concerns, the two-year post-graduate MA DLB has carved a niche in a league of its own making and merit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a look at five features of the M.A. in Diplomacy, Law and Business at Jindal School of International Affairs that sets it apart from any mainstream programme.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n