Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist, a German diplomat and publisher, established the Munich Security Conference, an annual conference on international security concerns, at the height of the Cold War.

Conflict between PM Modi and George Soros: What is the Munich Security Conference?

Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist, a German diplomat and publisher, established the Munich Security Conference, an annual conference on international security concerns, at the height of the Cold War.

The claims made by US short-seller Hindenburg Research against the Adani Group, according to billionaire investor George Soros on Friday (February 17), might harm investor confidence in India and erode Prime Minister Narendra Modi's grip on power.

 

Soros stated during a lecture at the Munich Security Conference that Modi and business mogul Adani are "close pals," and their fates are entwined (MSC). "Adani Enterprises tried to raise money in the stock market, but he failed," he continued. Adani is accused of manipulating the stock market, and his stock fell like a house of cards as a result. Modi has not spoken on the matter, but he will be questioned in parliament and by foreign investors.

MSC is an annual conference on international security concerns that started on Friday and will last till Sunday. It brings together top military and political figures from all around the world at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany.

Among the many distinguished leaders present this year are French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and US Vice President Kamala Harris. The conference will also feature participants from important international organisations like the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union (EU).

Interestingly, Russia has not been invited to the gathering for the first time in 20 years as a reaction to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which began in February of last year. The savage repression of female protests in Iranian cities has also resulted in the exclusion of Iranian leaders.

The Munich Security Conference is what?

 

At the height of the Cold War, German official and publisher Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist established the MSC (1947-1991). The conference, which began in 1963, at first only addressed military issues and was primarily attended by western nations and their high-profile officials, who "came together to display a united front in their struggle against Soviet communism," according to Financial Times, started out only concentrating on military issues.

 

The conference broadened its programme after the Cold War ended to include topics like climate change and migration in addition to defence and security-related topics. Also, it started to invite the leaders of eastern countries like China, India, and Russia.

According to the conference website, the MSC now takes place in February each year and "seeks to develop trust and contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes by facilitating continuing, controlled, yet informal interaction among the international security community."

 

Only twice have it been postponed since it began. Once in 1991 with the outbreak of the first Gulf  War and once in 1997 as a result of Kleist-retirement. Schmenzin's

 

 

 

What will the MSC's main focus be this year?

 

Experts believe that this year's MSC edition may involve a return to its original focus on the security order in Europe, against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war that broke out just days after the MSC 2022 was concluded. This is despite the fact that in recent years, the MSC has focused on much more than just security issues.

According to the MSC website, "almost a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the MSC 2023 will also provide a chance to assess alliance cohesion and political commitment to the rules-based international order."

 

The summit may also provide a forum for reducing tensions between the United States and China, particularly in light of the former's earlier this month shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon in international airspace. The Financial Times reports that organisers anticipate that conversations between US counterpart Antony Blinken and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi will strengthen relations between the two countries.

 

Focusing on various view points from the Global South, which includes some of the world's poorest and least industrialised nations, is another issue on the agenda.