The Stockholm Forum on Himalaya recently urged for stronger collaboration between  India, the European Union (EU), Japan, and Nordic countries in a bid to address the environmental and geopolitical challenges faced by the region.

Organised by the Stockholm Centre for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), the forum aimed to tackle the implications of China’s expanding influence in the Himalayas, reported ANI.

The theme of the conference was  “Mapping China’s Himalayan Hustle".

The forum facilitated dialogue among scholars and experts from India, Europe, East Asia, and the US on the broader ramifications of China’s ambitions. amid growing tensions and strategic competition in Asia.

In a press statement issued by SCSA-IPA, a panel, moderated by Panda, focused on China’s growing assertiveness and its effects on regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific. Experts discussed China’s ambitions to outcompete the US and limit India’s influence, particularly through infrastructure development and geopolitical tensions in the Himalayas, reported ANI.

The second panel, moderated by Richard Ghiasy, a Senior Fellow at Leiden Asia Center, addressed Beijing’s strategic infrastructure development and military presence in the Himalayas, the Indian news agency reported.