8th Annual Conference of the Aston India Centre
5-6 September 2026
Location: Aston University, Birmingham, UK (Hybrid Format)
Geoeconomic Realignments and Strategic Resilience: India in a Fragmenting World
About the Conference
In a period of intensifying geopolitical uncertainty, climate pressures, and recurring disruptions to production and logistics, global systems are increasingly shaped by fragmentation and the emphasis on economic security and strategic resilience in national and organisational decision-making is growing. For firms and policymakers, the central question is no longer only efficiency but strategic resilience, i.e., the ability to sustain competitiveness and continuity under uncertainty. India’s role as a growing economic powerhouse, is particularly relevant in today’s world in shaping resilient production networks, innovation pathways, whilst ensuring sustainable transition.
Aston India Centre invites researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry experts to participate in its 8th Annual Conference. Building on the success of previous gatherings, the 2026 conference will convene inter-disciplinary scholarship and practice to examine how organisations, sectors, and institutions respond to a rapidly changing global operating environment.
Focus Areas
The 2026 conference invites contributions addressing contemporary issues and opportunities, with a strong emphasis on India-facing insights and global relevance. We welcome submissions that examine how organisations and institutions, across sectors and regions, navigate evolving value chains and business ecosystems, sustainability and circular transitions, technological disruptions, and workforce and leadership challenges. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary and practice-relevant work that offers transferable insights and advances understanding of strategic resilience and competitiveness under uncertainty.
Key Themes
We welcome submissions across diverse areas, including but not limited to:
1) International Business, Value Chains and Strategic Resilience
- Reconfiguration of global value chains (regionalisation, diversification, “China+1”, risk spreading)
- Governance of multi-tier supply chains - visibility, contracting, power, upgrading, supplier development
- Cross-border investment and entry-mode strategy under heightened uncertainty (FDI shifts, joint ventures/alliances, market exit and re-entry decisions)
- Supply chain visibility, resilience, and cost-of-complexity
2) Sustainability, Circular Economy and Green Competitiveness
- Circular economy strategies that strengthen resilience (resource security, recycling systems, reverse logistics)
- Green industrial policy, energy security, and critical materials (and the business implications)
- Business model innovation for sustainability and circularity (including SME pathways)
3) Technology, Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0
- Digital transformation for resilience (data, analytics, traceability tech, supply-chain platforms)
- Industry 4.0 adoption and capability building in Indian firms and networks
- Cybersecurity, digital trust, and technology governance challenges for cross-border operations
4) People, Skills and HRM for Resilient and Sustainable Organisations
- Workforce upskilling for green and digital transitions; skills ecosystems and talent strategies
- HRM under uncertainty: wellbeing, productivity, new work arrangements, mobility constraints
- Managing organisational change across multi-country, multi-regulatory environments
5) Governance, Leadership and Policy–Practice Impact
- Indigenous management approaches, leadership styles, and institutional contexts
- Corporate sustainability governance, mandated CSR, and stakeholder legitimacy
- Policy frameworks that enable resilient, sustainable business models in emerging economies.
Special Features
- Doctoral and Early Career Researcher Workshops: Sessions on career development, publishing, and funding opportunities.
- Practitioner and Policy Panels: Bridging academia with industry and policymaking, there will be presentations from UK industry partners and sharing of best practices on sustainability.
- Networking Sessions: Plenty of opportunity to build collaborations among interdisciplinary researchers and stakeholders.
- Peer-reviewed edited book volume: A selection of the best conference papers will be invited for inclusion in a handbook, edited by the conference editorial team.
Submission Guidelines
We invite both conceptual and empirical research papers, including case studies, policy analyses, and interdisciplinary works. Submissions must broadly align with the conference theme and provide insights relevant to India and its global implications; however, research on other significant India-related issues is also welcome.
Deadlines
- Abstract Submission: 30 April 2026
- Notification of Acceptance: 10 June 2026
- Full Paper Submission: 10 August 2026
Abstracts of papers (max. 500 words) should be submitted to [email protected]
Full paper length of maximum 4,000 words (tables, figures and references not included). Full papers will be made available for all participants, to be studied before the small group meetings.
Conference Venue
The conference will be held at Conference Aston, Aston University, Birmingham (UK). Aston Business School is considered among UK’s leading business schools and AICAR is Aston University’s leading cross-disciplinary research centre.
Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK with a population of over one million and is reported to have more canals than the city of Venice! Being situated in the heart of England, it is easily accessible by road, train or air transport.
Fees
£150 (including refreshments, conference pack, lunches and dinner).
For PhD candidates, we have a special fee of £100.
Conference Chairs
Professor Sangeeta Khorana
Professor Pawan Budhwar
Aston India Centre
Aston Business School,
Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
Contact
Professor Sangeeta Khorana ([email protected]) and Prof. Pawan Budhwar ([email protected])
For details see:
Aston India Centre, Aston Business School, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
https://www.aston.ac.uk/research/bss/research-centres/aston-india-centre