Second Russia-India Youth Forum to happen in Moscow
Pavel Krasnorutsky. Source: RYU
What were the most important results of the first Russia-India Youth Forum?
Firstly, businessmen from Russia who came as part of our delegation were able to find potential partners in India. Secondly, the subjects raised at the forum were interesting to both parties.
Besides, we managed to get acquainted with young Indian leaders in an informal setting.
What are your next plans as far as India is concerned?
At present, we are working out short-term and long-term plans for the jointly organised events. Three of them will take place in Russia. These are the BRICS Youth Forums in the Russian cities of Kazan and Ufa, and the second Russia-India Youth Forum in Moscow this autumn, tentatively, in October. We’ll fix the dates later. Another BRICS Youth Forum will be held in South Africa.
I think that holding at least two big events in India is a breakthrough in our relations. Due attention hasn’t been paid to youth-oriented projects before.
As to the other projects for this year, we are planning to create the “national youth part” of the BRICS. By holding such events, we could understand who to rely on.
Will this be a youth movement?
Yes, it will. Our task is to build informal relations with the leaders of the BRICS countries.
Could you point out the tasks of the youth movement?
They will have to arrange at least three significant events per year, in their countries, on different subjects.
At the summit in Ufa, we'll discuss priority aspects of cooperation, for example, business, tourism, education, and, possibly, divide them between the countries so that each country would be responsible for that sector and develop it.
We are also preparing to announce at the forum in Ufa the plan to hold Years of youth exchanges between Russia and India, similarly to the Years of youth exchanges held between Russia and China (2014-2015). They can be held respectively in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. This will provide a boost to bilateral youth exchanges.
It's now time to build bridges. It’s time to unite youth from the countries that think alike and historically were together, but lost their connection for certain political or other reasons.
Was the inauguration of the Indo-Russian business-centre announced at the forum? Could you reveal details?
Russia and India are planning to create a joint business-centre with the participation of the business club of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (the SCO) and the RYU. The Agency of Strategic Initiatives also supported this idea. The offices will be opened in Moscow and New Delhi.
The New Delhi office can begin its work in two months. The SCO business club will finance its activities. The RYU will advise on the staff for those centres. At the moment the SCO business club pays much attention to India. They asked us to initiate this activity.
The centre will organise forums, conferences, business-missions and will help establish business contacts. The centre will support not only youth-oriented business projects, but support all business undertakings.
Let's come back to the subject of the BRICS Youth Summit in Ufa. What are its goals?
Its main goal will be to determine the rules of the game: how young people from the BRICS countries are going to communicate, priority aspects of cooperation, creating a plan of events till the end of the year, a minimum requirement is one in each country.
Besides, we should establish how and by when we’ll draw the conclusions of our work; maybe, in early 2016. We won’t impose anything on anyone. We will listen to the representatives of each country.
It looks like a vast programme. Are you planning to open regional offices in India and the other BRICS countries?
We are planning to open regional offices of the RYU to develop youth cooperation systematically, to organise business meetings, cultural and humanitarian ties and fulfill business initiatives.
We are willing to consider Indian graduates of Russian universities as candidates, a matter we can decide as we go ahead with the process.
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