Amity Institute of International Studies (AIIS), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida in collaboration with Centre for Global Affairs & Leadership Studies organized a Panel Discussion on the topic “Women in Diplomacy”, to commemorate International Women’s Day 2026.
The panel discussion was moderated by Prof. (Dr.) Nagalaxmi M Raman, Director and Head of the Amity Institute of International Studies. In her opening remarks, Prof. Raman underscored the critical importance of increasing women’s participation in diplomacy and international relations, a field that has historically been dominated by men.
Prof. (Dr.) Ranjana Mukhopadhyaya, Professor (Japanese Studies), Dept. of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi, opened the discussion and offered a rigorous academic perspective on the strides women have made in carving out their rightful space across diverse professional spheres. She cited the growing and increasingly active role of women in the military including combat positions as a powerful testament to their capability, resilience, and determination. She stated that women’s inclusion in Diplomacy leads to a more peaceful global order.
Wing Commander Sonika Tanwar, CEO and Founder, Digitruce, gave a compelling perspective on women as natural diplomats. She drew upon the timeless institution of motherhood as a metaphor for diplomatic acumen, arguing that a mother’s ability to nurture relationships, navigate complex family dynamics, and serve as a unifying force is, in essence, the very embodiment of diplomacy.
Dr. Shubhamitra Das, Associate Professor, Centre for Indo Pacific Studies, JNU, offered a nuanced critical analysis of the discourse surrounding women’s empowerment, inviting the audience to look beyond the rhetorical use of the term. She examined the actual meaning and real-world application of ‘empowerment’ within the context of women’s roles in diplomacy and society, questioning whether empowerment is merely a symbolic construct or whether it translates into meaningful structural change.
Ms. Simran Rathore, Global Eye Intelligence, concluded the panel with an engaging discussion on the multifaceted roles women occupy across sectors and geographies. She emphasised the growing urgency for achieving genuine gender equality—not as a courtesy or quota, but as a structural necessity for effective and representative diplomacy.
The Panel Discussion was followed by an interactive Q&A Session, which successfully created a platform for substantive dialogue on the intersections of gender, diplomacy, and leadership. The collective insights shared by the panellists reinforced the conviction that women’s inclusion in diplomacy is not merely a matter of representation, but a strategic imperative for a more just, peaceful, and effective global order.