In 2021, at a time when the world was grappling with the profound aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic amid a shifting global order, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra launched Colaba Conversation – Mumbai’s flagship platform for international dialogue on governance, geopolitics, climate, technology, and inclusive urban recovery.
Colaba Conversation brought together thought leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, civil society actors, and scholars to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities shaping the 21st century. It invites reflection on how cities, and networks of actors across all levels, can lead in reimagining governance and development for a post-pandemic world.
Named after Kulaba, one of the original seven islands that formed the archipelago of Mumbai, Colaba Conversation draws inspiration from the city's historical identity as a confluence of commerce, cultures, and cosmopolitan ideas. Like Kulaba, which was once geographically peripheral but grew into a central and thriving node of the city’s civic and economic life, the conference seeks to reclaim the centrality of sub-national actors in shaping global outcomes.
The inaugural edition in February 2021, themed “Reset, Resilience, Recovery,” explored the transformative role of subnational actors in tackling systemic shocks, climate finance, digital futures, and green recovery amid Indo-Pacific geopolitical shifts. The December 2021 edition, “Navigating Faultlines of Recovery,” addressed the complexities of post-pandemic recovery through themes like state capacity, social justice, corporate accountability, and maritime strategy. Across both editions, Colaba Conversation emphasized the need for people-first, decentralized solutions and empowered cities and regions to play a central role in shaping equitable and resilient global outcomes.