Last night, John Negroponte, Vice Chairman of McLarty Associates, spoke to us about India’s important role in the 21st century, and its potential to become a leader in clean energy technologies:

The Asia Society’s 20th Corporate Conference began with a speech from Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of India’s Planning Commission. Dr. Ahluwalia is tasked with presiding over India’s economic transformation as it adapts to the “new normal” in the post-crisis world. The country withstood the global crisis and grew 7% in 2009, and has officially announced a goal of 9% growth in 2010.

This evening, Dr. Ahluwalia outlined the government’s plans for meeting this goal as well as other challenges that India will face in 2010. To make up for decreased external demand due to a weaker global economy, India will focus on increasing public investment, especially in infrastructure, as well as on fostering a dynamic private sector targeted toward meeting rising domestic demand. India will continue to look to the rest of Asia for economic integration, identifying it as a region with great potential for growth, though it will still remain open to the world. It will encourage foreign direct investment. The government in 2010 will seek to maintain a balanced macroeconomic environment, and continue to focus on “inclusive” rather than “all-out” growth.

Below is a recording of the live webcast of the event. The program begins at minute 32 on the video:

Speaking on the boom in Free Trade Agreements in Asia this year, Simon Tay, Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, discusses how the integration of countries through such agreements has transformative effects. He stresses the need for countries to rebalance the “winners and losers” of free trade.

A photography exhibit was erected today in Alamgir Lounge at the Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi in preparation for the start of the conference tomorrow. The photographs are part the Glacier Research Imaging Project, a collaboration between the Asia Society Center on U.S.-China Relations and GlacierWorks.

The Glacier Research Imaging Project (GRIP) documents the dramatic loss of glacial mass in the Greater Himalaya by presenting recent photographs of glaciers in the Greater Himalaya by mountaineer and photographer David Breashears alongside archival photographs taken over the past century by some of the world’s greatest mountain photographers.

This is an interesting time to be displaying the photographs in India, as much controversy has recently surrounded the IPCC’s prediction that the glaciers of the Himalaya would disappear by 2035. One hope for these photos is to transcend the controversy of this prediction and visually depict what has already been lost.

Melissa Chiu, Vice President, Global Art Programs and Museum Director at Asia Society is kicking off the video posts for this blog.  There will be many more video interviews posted in the days to come as speakers and conference guests arrive.  Melissa is in Delhi leading a delegation of collectors around the country, and focusing on the contemporary art scene.  In this clip she shares her thoughts on forces within the Indian art market and compares it to the Chinese contemporary scene:

Online registration for ACC Delhi closes Tuesday, March 16 at 6pm Delhi time.  Please follow the “registration” link above to register before the deadline.

Onsite registration will begin March 17th at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi.

ASIA SOCIETY HOLDS 20th ASIAN CORPORATE CONFERENCE IN NEW DELHI, INDIA

March 18-20, 2010

On the heels of the release of India’s Union General Budget for the second term of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Asia Society will hold its 2010 signature business conference in dynamic New Delhi, India, March 18-20, at the Taj Palace Hotel. Co-organized by The Wall Street Journal and The Confederation of Indian Industry, “India: Powering Asia’s Ascent” will bring together policy and business leaders from around the world to explore Asia’s role in driving the global economic recovery and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

“It’s great to be back in New Delhi for the 20th Asian Corporate Conference. This conference has been held in India three times previously over the years, tracking the country’s remarkable growth,” says Asia Society President Vishakha N. Desai. “This a key moment for India as it seeks to build on its economic success, make sound investments in its future, ensure that growth is inclusive, hold fast to its commitment to reform, and assume a leadership role in multilateral institutions.”

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the opening keynote address, with speeches by Robert O. Blake (Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State); Goh Chok Tong (Senior Minister, Singapore); Sheila Dikshit (Chief Minister of New Delhi); Kamal Nath (Minister of Surface Transport and Highways, India); Koji Omi (Former Minister of Finance, Japan); Jyotiraditya Scindia (Minister of State, Commerce and Industry, India); Sam Pitroda (Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, Public Information Infrastructure & Innovations); and Jairam Ramesh (Minister of State, Environment and Forests, India).

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