South Asian Journalists Forge Stronger Alliance At International Media Summit In India

Journalists from five South Asian countries have renewed calls for stronger professional collaboration, press freedom and improved safety for media practitioners as they seek to build a more connected regional media community.

The call formed part of discussions at the 2026 International Media Summit held in Jamalpur, Munger district of Bihar, India, on Tuesday, bringing together journalists and media professionals from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Organised by the All India Journalists Union (AIJU), the summit provided a platform for practitioners to exchange experiences, examine emerging challenges in journalism and explore opportunities for cross-border cooperation.

Indian Rajya Sabha member, Dr Bhim Singh, was the chief guest, while Munger MLA Pranav Kumar attended as a special guest. The summit was chaired by AIJU National President, Ranjit Samrat.

Among those who participated were President of the SAARC Journalists Forum International, Raju Lama, and its Secretary-General, Abdur Rahman.

Addressing participants, Singh described journalism as a key pillar of democracy and stressed the responsibility of journalists to provide society with accurate information and facts.

“Although our borders are different, the responsibility and objective of journalists is to provide society with truth, facts and accurate information,” he said.

He said greater cooperation among journalists across South Asia could help strengthen the profession and promote more responsible journalism.

Lama said the changing media environment required journalists in the region to move beyond occasional exchanges and establish sustained professional relationships.

He identified journalists’ rights, professional safety, press freedom and common challenges confronting the media sector as areas requiring greater regional cooperation.

“Relations among South Asian journalists should not be limited to the exchange of news,” Lama said, stressing the importance of collaboration on issues affecting media practitioners across national boundaries.

He said international gatherings such as the Jamalpur summit offered journalists an opportunity to understand developments in neighbouring countries, share experiences and identify common solutions.

The discussions also examined the impact of rapidly changing communication technologies on journalism, professional safety, press freedom and the need for stronger institutional relationships among media organisations.

Participants included SAARC Journalists Forum Nepal Chapter Convener Rudra Subedi, Co-Convener Md. Arif Ansari, Bihar Chapter President Dr Shashi Bhushan Kumar, Madhesh Chapter Coordinator Md. Sadab Malik, and journalists Ramesh Chandra Kumal, Azmat Ali, Sushil Kumar Khadka, Abhilash Gupta, Pawan Prasad Sah and Arun Kalwar, among others.

The organisers described the gathering as the first international journalism summit hosted in Jamalpur and said it marked an important step towards strengthening dialogue among media professionals in the region.

Participants said the summit demonstrated the value of bringing journalists from different countries together to discuss shared professional concerns and understand the realities confronting their counterparts across the region.

They expressed hope that the engagement would lead to more regular exchanges, stronger professional networks and practical cooperation among South Asian media professionals.