Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Ki Oar 4.0 Conclave Begins in Mumbai, Focuses on India’s Constitutional Transition

The week-long Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Ki Oar 4.0 Conclave commenced in Mumbai on January 16, bringing together jurists, constitutional experts, policymakers, academics and students to engage with India’s legal and constitutional future through the prism of its civilisational values.

The opening ceremony of the event was attended by former Chief Justice of India, B. R. Gavai, former Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice B. N. Srikrishna, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Senior Advocate and President of the Bombay Bar Association, Nitin Thakker.

Scheduled to continue till January 22, the conclave seeks to examine what the organisers describe as a “Sankraman Kaal”, a period of transition in constitutional thought, governance and the global order.

At its core, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Ki Oar 4.0 attempts to bridge ancient Indian value systems with contemporary constitutional and legal frameworks. Drawing from ideas rooted in Indian Rajneeti, philosophy, jurisprudence, and civilisational ethics, the conclave explores whether India’s modern legal system is sufficiently equipped, both structurally and institutionally, to integrate indigenous constitutional thought while responding to present-day legal, political and governance challenges.

The legal track of the conclave focuses on themes such as constitutional interpretation, the evolving relationship between rights and duties, judicial accountability, dispute resolution mechanisms and the balance between individual liberty and collective societal values. Running parallel to this is a geopolitical and public policy track, which engages with questions of sovereignty, decolonisation, global governance structures and India’s role in an increasingly multipolar world.

Together, these tracks reflect the conclave’s effort to view constitutional law not in isolation, but as part of a broader civilisational, political and governance framework.

A defining feature of the conclave is its emphasis on participatory, academic and experiential engagement.

Beyond panel discussions and keynote addresses, the event features a large-scale, research-based exhibition on contemporary legal, constitutional and political issues. Spread across a significant exhibition space, the display seeks to trace foundational constitutional concepts, such as equality, justice, freedom, governance, and dispute resolution to ancient Indian texts, traditions, and schools of thought.

The exhibition invites attendees to critically examine the continuities and departures between historical legal philosophies and modern constitutional principles.

Law students from institutions across the country are participating through initiatives such as Moot Court competitions, Model United Nations sessions, structured debates, and academic dialogues aimed at fostering interaction between traditional knowledge systems and contemporary legal education.

The idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world as one family, runs as a unifying thematic thread throughout the conclave.

Earlier, the forum revisited critical constitutional questions, focusing on the nature of citizens rights, the limits of the State, and the Basic Structure Doctrine. Speaking on the insertion of Article 31B in the Constitution by the then unelected Parliament, His Holiness Yugbhushansuriji Maharaj stated, “Article 31B has never been tested on the touchstone of the Basic Structure Doctrine. Astonishingly, Article 31B is causing the gravest injustice, which has never been faced by any community in the world. In regard to the Jains, this draconian Article stands upright, protecting the acquisition of their topmost place of worship, Parasnath Hills.”

The forum, in the past also revisited critical constitutional questions surrounding the nature of citizens’ rights, the limits of State power, and the Basic Structure Doctrine.

Offering a unique perspective on the nature of rights, N. Venkataraman, Additional Solicitor General of India, remarked, “We are mistakenly identifying human rights as akin to individual rights. This is the first mistake, and it is my humble submission that courts across the world have started to make it. It directly interferes with the fabric of Indian society in three ways; it affects the institution of marriage, the institution of family, and therefore, society at large.”

Balbir Singh, Former Additional Solicitor General of India, said, “Is Kesavananda Bharati a successful formula to provide limitations to the Constitution? Let’s try and set the limits, but even if we bring together the best drafters, I don’t think we’ll find two people who agree on the same limitations in this country, especially in Parliament. We might need Kesavananda Bharati 2.0.”

As the conclave progresses through its multiple sessions till January 22, it is expected to generate sustained discussion on the future direction of India’s constitutional jurisprudence, particularly at a time when debates surrounding rights, State power, judicial intervention, federalism, and governance continue to intensify.