Powered By EPIC ON. Ever wondered how automation will change the world Maybe you puzzle over what India could do to ease traffic congestion, or how Chinas aircraft carriers will transform Indian Ocean geopolitics All Things Policy, a daily podcast brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, brings you all the answers. Every weekday, our researchers break down complex economic and geopolitical ideas through the lens of current events. For everyone from the busy executive to the curious student, All Things Policy is all youll need to understand the world and appreciate your breakfast better.
Nitin Pai on Lokpal on Radio One Mumbai
5 min 20 sec
Nitin Pai speaks on Mumbais Radio One on the ide
INI-9: Priya Ravichandran and Dr. Rajeev Gowda on Gender and Safety
12 min 31 sec
Priya Ravichandran and Member of Parliament Dr. R
INI-9: Pavan Srinath and Raj Cherubal on Smart Cities
11 min 20 sec
Pavan Srinath talks to Raj Cherubal from Chennai
INI9 – Pavan Srinath and Rohini Nilekani on Sanitation and Malnutrition
10 min 46 sec
Pavan Srinath and Rohini Nilekani of Arghyam disc
INI9 – Nandan Nilekani and Saurabh Chandra on Innovation
8 min 51 sec
Nandan Nilekani and Saurabh Chandra discuss Aadha
INI9 - Anand Arni and Aparna Pande on Afghanistan after the US drawout
5 min 29 sec
Anand Arni and Aparna Pande discuss postUS Afgha
INI9 – Genocide against the minorities In Pakistan
10 min 12 sec
Nitin Pai and Farahnaz Ispahani discuss genocide
#GCPPprimetime 2 on COP21 and Climate Change
52 min 48 sec
Pavan Srinath and Pranay Kotasthane discuss COP21
Former R&AW Chief AS Dulat and Ramachandra Guha on "Kashmir: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"
1 hr 42 min 20 sec
Excertps from a talk on Kashmir : Yesterday,Toda
#GCPPprimetime 6 on the Indian Constitution
57 min 25 sec
Sidin Vadukut and Pavan Srinath discuss the India
#GCPPprimetime 7 on India – Myanmar relations
12 min 53 sec
Priya Ravichandran and Pranay Kotasthane discuss
#GCPPprimetime 8 on the Indian Navy during War and Peace
55 min 14 sec
Guru Aiyar and Pavan Srinath chat about the India
Podcast: Pre-Budget Discussion with Narayan Ramachandhran
16 min 29 sec
Anupam Manur talks to Takshashila Fellow and Mint
Takshashila Podcast - Karnataka Budget
24 min 57 sec
Takshashila staff discuss the Karnataka budget, w
#GCPPprimetime 15 —Unpacking India's Water Crisis
1 hr 0 min 45 sec
Pavan Srinath and Pranay Kotasthane discuss India
On Indian Philosophy By Ethan Mills
1 hr 20 min 6 sec
Ethan Mills discusses classic Indian Philosophy,
Women In Constituent Assembly
20 min 41 sec
This edition of the Takshashila Podcast describes
Judgements That Changed India - K M Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra
14 min 57 sec
In this new series on Judgements that Changed Ind
The South China Sea Verdict: What Next?
17 min 28 sec
In this episode of the Takshashila Podcast, Guru
The Nuclear Way Forward
14 min 3 sec
The Takshashila Podcast breaks down Indias entry
The Rise Of Global Authoritarianism
12 min 55 sec
In this episode of the Takshashila Podcast, Hamsi
Defamation Nation
17 min 41 sec
Join Pavan Srinath, Madhav Chandravarkar and Mana
Securing the Seaboard: Part 1
14 min 10 sec
In the first of a special two part podcast, Abhij
Securing the Seaboard: Part 2
16 min 22 sec
In the final of a special two part podcast, Dr. P
Judgements That Changed India #2 Keshavnanda Bharati vs. State Of Kerala
22 min 42 sec
Join Hamsini Hariharan, Madhav Chandarvarkar and
Air Power and National Security
17 min 33 sec
In a new episode of the Takshashila Podcast, Guru
Impact Of The US Elections On India
21 min 12 sec
In the run up to the US elections, The Takshashil
The Woes of Indian Cash
17 min 48 sec
The withdrawal of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes as leg
Judgements that changed India #3 The Bedrooms of the Nation
15 min 14 sec
What role does the state have in the bedrooms of
Part 1: What does it mean to be a Liberal in India?
14 min 8 sec
The book, What does it mean to be a Liberal in I
Part 4: What does it mean to be a Liberal in India?
12 min 13 sec
The book, What does it mean to be a Liberal in I
Part 3: What does it mean to be a Liberal in India?
20 min 55 sec
The book, What does it mean to be a Liberal in I
Part 2: What does it mean to be a Liberal in India?
24 min 7 sec
The book, What does it mean to be a liberal in I
Economic Survey Explained - Part 4 - Cash after Demonetisation
5 min 59 sec
Has Indias cash supply recovered from demonetisa
Economic Survey Explained - Part 6 - Village and City Governments
6 min 11 sec
Why are Indias cities and villages so poor when
Economic Survey Explained - Part 7 - Farmers' Future
4 min 54 sec
Can India help farmers double their incomes by 20
Economic Survey Explained - Part 1 - Why care?
11 min 28 sec
What is the Economic Survey good for What can we
Economic Survey Explained - Part 2 - Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
7 min 6 sec
Does India really have a large formal sector T
Economic Survey Explained - Part 5 - Swachch Bharat?
5 min 17 sec
Does 74 of Indias rural population really have
Economic Survey Explained - Part 3 - Tax Terrorism?
6 min 41 sec
How much of Indias taxes are stuck in legal disp
Many Belts And Many Roads
22 min 47 sec
What do the recent backlashes against the Belt
The Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme for the Poor vs Universal Basic Income
21 min
In this conversation, we discuss what a minimum i
The Geopolitics of Technology: 5G edition
25 min 36 sec
After the Canadian government arrested Meng Wanzh
Avoiding a Nuclear Catastrophe
29 min 24 sec
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smit
The Jobs Crisis in India
21 min 43 sec
The National Sample Survey Offices data showing
Afghanistan After Withdrawal of US Forces
28 min 54 sec
US President Trump reiterated on 3rd Feb that US
Defence Budgeting And The Strategy Bridge
29 min 51 sec
The defence budget for 2019 again brought into fo
New ECommerce Regulations and FDI in Retail
17 min 9 sec
Anupam Manur and Yazad Jal discuss the new ecomme
Chinese Apps in India and Regulating Fake News
32 min 7 sec
Manoj Kewalramani theChinaDude and Anirudh Kan
Do We Need A Ministry of Culture?
26 min 39 sec
Acclaimed actor and director Amol Palekar was rep
How Does an Angel Tax Affect the Indian Economy?
24 min 13 sec
Angel tax, levied on angel investment in startups
Key insights from the ASER 2018 Report
33 min 29 sec
ASER Annual Status of Education Report is an an
Security vs Privacy in a Digital Economy: Social Credit Edition
28 min 35 sec
Social Credit System is the umbrella term to desc
India's Responses to Sub-conventional Warfare by Pakistan
23 min 47 sec
On 14th February 2019, a CRPF convoy was attacked
The Pakistani Military-Jihadi Complex
32 min 1 sec
In this episode, Nitin Pai, Pranay Kotasthane, an
Should Publicly Funded Research Be Free?
25 min 22 sec
India has recently announced its intent to join P
What Is the Jaish-e-Mohammad?
22 min 5 sec
The JaisheMohammad is a terrorist outfit that h
Should The Indian Government Regulate Social Media?
25 min 50 sec
The Indian government may be thinking of regulati
Why the Demand for Special Category Status in Andhra Pradesh?
25 min 40 sec
Its been more than four years since the AP Reorg
What DNA Tells Us About Indians Past, Present and Future
21 min 36 sec
Groundbreaking new scientific studies are changin
The Limited War Paradox
25 min 7 sec
Is a limited war between Pakistan and India possi
The Struggle For Afghanistan's Future
26 min 12 sec
This week, Afghanistan sent a shipment of goods v
What is India's New Ecommerce Policy?
24 min 37 sec
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
Trump & Kim: The Art Of No Deal
23 min 52 sec
The summit between US president Donald Trump and
How Many Jobs Is India Really Creating?
22 min
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently argued that
Is Prohibition The Answer?
21 min 32 sec
Dealing with alcoholism is a very complex public
Trouncing Trump's Tariffs
26 min 50 sec
US President Donald Trump has called India a tar
The CPC: China's Political Carnival
27 min 30 sec
Thousands of delegates from all over China have g
The Future Of India's Social Infrastructure
22 min 56 sec
Indias social infrastructure is stuck in the ind
The Mullah Omar Mystery
18 min 45 sec
A new book by a Dutch journalist claims Taliban l
Genetics Is Better Than Cure
22 min 10 sec
Indias huge population consists of hundreds of s
Brexit And Its Implications
28 min 53 sec
UK Prime Minister Theresa May just lost another v
China Shields a Terrorist
25 min 33 sec
On Wednesday, China placed a technical hold on
Counting Every Vote
21 min 41 sec
The Supreme Court has asked the Election Commissi
India Works At Night
22 min 33 sec
One sureshot way for India to create jobs is to
Biowarfare Is Coming
22 min 30 sec
The old assumptions around bioweapons are falling
Creative Accounting
31 min 27 sec
The accuracy of the Indian governments fiscal de
Is All Charity Good?
19 min 55 sec
Human history is full of examples of money acquir
Dream Manifestos: Agriculture
24 min 41 sec
In the first of our election special series, Yaza
Dream Manifestos: Foreign Policy
34 min 12 sec
In this episode of our electionsinspired special
Dream Manifestos: Judicial Reforms
22 min 11 sec
In this episode of our series on dream manifestos
Dream Manifestos: Manufacturing
23 min 35 sec
What kind of reforms would be required to make In
Dream Manifestos Science And Technology
16 min 49 sec
Science and technology ought to be a priority str
Sat Wars
32 min 21 sec
Now that India has tested an antisatellite missi
Why Is Facebook Banning Pages?
24 min 30 sec
Facebook just announced that it has taken down hu
What Is The Kra Canal?
36 min 22 sec
What if China were to cut a canal through the Ist
Fixing Indian PhDs
24 min 9 sec
The Indian government recently stated that PhDs w
India's Satellite Killers
15 min 49 sec
Having proven its ability to knock out satellites
Robot Rules
35 min
Should lethal autonomous weapons have the discret
The Emperor's New Norms
40 min 18 sec
What do a childrens story, Indores cleanliness,
Break Up Big Tech?
38 min 48 sec
Calls to regulate big technology firms are increa
Great Wall Of Trade
32 min 25 sec
The recent EUChina summit has resulted in unprec
To Gene or Not To Gene
24 min 41 sec
Shambhavi Naik, Yazad Jal and Anirudh Kanisetti d
The Politics Of National Security
30 min 23 sec
In the first episode of our relaunched podcast, A
Breaking The Ice In The Arctic
25 min 1 sec
Last weeks Arctic conference saw the unveiling o
Coming Home
29 min 24 sec
Why do migrants return home What makes people ma
On Terrorists, Nukes, And Linguistic States
27 min 16 sec
We at the Takshashila Institution change our mind
Affairs of the Heart
18 min 52 sec
In Israel last week, a team of scientists created
Where No Tourist Has Gone Before
27 min 36 sec
Indias tourism industry is not in the best of sh
Tik For Tok- What Does the Ban Mean for Freedom of Expression?
23 min 10 sec
Should India ban TikTok Does the ban violate the
Why Sri Lanka?
33 min 57 sec
Is the attack in Sri Lanka a product of thirdpar
Belt And Road Forum II
31 min 27 sec
The second summit of the Belt and Road Initiative
Bubble Boy- A Bold New Age in Healthcare?
21 min 54 sec
A revolutionary new gene therapy hijacks the huma
China's Naval Might
27 min 50 sec
Chinas navy marked its 70th anniversary with a f
The Paradoxes of Prediction- Do Prediction Markets Affect Actual Outcomes?
23 min 39 sec
How do prediction markets work Do they offer adv
Recruiting Better Spies- How Do We Improve India's Intelligence Agency?
29 min 56 sec
All is not well with Indias external intelligenc
Marvel(ous) Geopolitics- What Does the MCU Teach Us About International Relations?
24 min 36 sec
The Marvel Cinematic Universe offers rich and oft
Poets and Kings: Then and Now
23 min 41 sec
Why did premodern Indian states patronise poetry
China And Masood Azhar- Why Did China Cave?
25 min 58 sec
Why did China finally allow Masood Azhar to be sa
Justice Denied- Is the Chief Justice Above the Law?
20 min 53 sec
The Supreme Courts inhouse probe panel has give
Pakistan's Nuclear Bluff- Is the Nasr Just an Intimidation Tactic?
18 min 25 sec
Pakistans Nasr rocket was supposed to pour cold
A War of Ideas- Do Ancient Civilisations Explain Present Day Power Politics?
25 min 7 sec
Does the notion of a clash of civilisations rea
Mainstreaming Counterculture- How do counterculture movements end up as part of the mainstream?
27 min 35 sec
How does Che Guevaras face end up on massmanufa
Need Jobs? Build Cities.- Is Creating Additional State Capitals a Good Idea?
26 min 37 sec
India needs to create 20 million jobs per year fo
Cab Apps and Congestion- Why Are Cab Aggregators Jamming Our Roads?
23 min 34 sec
With Uber and Ola having gamechanging effects on
Reading The Economist- Decline of Racial Bias, Left-Leaning Think-tanks and More
23 min 29 sec
Yazad Jal and Anupam Manur join Nitin Pai to dive
Teaching Soldiers- Is Military Education Inefficient?
24 min 17 sec
How have India and China tried to educate their m
Politicising The Military- Should Military Officers Be Allowed to Join Politics?
27 min
Has politicisation affected the Indian military
Reading The Economist - More Cold War, Political Comedy, and Sleep Technology
27 min 53 sec
Yazad Jal and Manoj Kewalramani join Nitin Pai di
Huawei To Hell: The Future of Technology Geopolitics
27 min 2 sec
Is the USChina trade war entering its final phas
Butcher and Bolt: The Truth About Surgical Strikes
20 min 13 sec
Surgical strikes are back in the news. But what a
Quotas- Are They Hurting the Prospects of Social Equity?
25 min 54 sec
Nidhi Gupta, Pranay Kotasthane and Ananya Iyer jo
Will RuNet Ruin the Net?
31 min 48 sec
Will Russias new internet regulations end the gl
The Case For Defence Reforms
32 min 47 sec
What should be on the agenda for the new governme
Reading The Economist- Jobs in Rich Countries, Tech Wars and Soda Tax
21 min 10 sec
In this weeks episode, Anupam Manur, Yazad Jal a
The Promise of BIMSTEC
25 min 57 sec
With BIMSTEC leaders attending the swearingin of
Understanding Chinese Power
28 min 5 sec
In todays Thoughtful Thursday episode, General P
Voting With Your Wallet- Exploring Ethical Consumerism
19 min 53 sec
Brands are becoming increasingly outspoken about
A National Security Doctrine for India
22 min 11 sec
The Takshashila Institution released a National S
The Tiananmen Square Massacre -- 30th Anniversary
29 min 5 sec
The Tiananmen Square massacre is still an extreme
Reading The Economist- Intestinal Bacteria, Genital Mutilation, and Iraqi Sheikhs
23 min 6 sec
Shambhavi Naik and Gayatri Ganpule join Yazad Jal
The U.S Indo-Pacific Strategy: Discussing America's Plan
24 min 31 sec
The US has a new IndoPacific strategy. What does
Anti-Abortion Laws: Legality and Consequence.
21 min 36 sec
With the recent wave of antiabortion laws in the
A Master Class on Sea Power: Talking with Rear Admiral Shrikhande
45 min 6 sec
In this special episode, Rear Admiral Sudarshan S
Grossly Doubtful Production: A Mis-estimation Of India's GDP Growth Rate
24 min 54 sec
A recent paper by former Chief Economic Advisor o
Reading the Economist: Trade in the Plant World, Magic Mushrooms and Mo Salah
25 min 26 sec
Shambhavi Naik, Pranay Kotasthane and Gayatri Gan
Upheaval in Hong Kong
19 min 15 sec
The mass protests against Hong Kongs new extradi
India Needs GMOs
24 min 24 sec
Despite Indias ban on genetically modified crops
When Xi Met Modi
34 min 19 sec
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit seem
Reading The Economist: Brexit, Airless tires and Shocking experiments
25 min 39 sec
Anupam Manur and Gayatri Ganpule join Shambhavi N
India's Ocean?
21 min 54 sec
Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent visit to th
Troubles in the Persian Gulf
30 min 49 sec
Iran has shot down an American UAV just days afte
Why didn't Vijayanagara have a Navy?
40 min 7 sec
What does the history of the Indian subcontinent
Is the world getting any better? Battle deaths, digital economy and measuring national power
32 min 31 sec
Have human and societies become less violent Are
A Chinese data trap? Data localization and Indian policy
26 min 28 sec
Huawei has announced it would be willing to provi
Pompeo's Visit to India: The Future of US-Indian Relations
32 min 57 sec
Can Mike Pompeos visit to India help manage risi
An Indian Space Strategy: What is India Going to do Next?
35 min 33 sec
The Indian government announced that it will set
First-Use and its Critics: The Problem of Credibility
24 min 42 sec
Seven of the nine countries that possess nuclear
The G20 Summit
30 min 30 sec
How did Trump and Xi negotiate a trade war ceasef
Another Trump - Kim Meeting: The Future of nuclear North Korea
25 min 13 sec
In a surprise move, Donald Trump became the first
Reading The Economist
31 min 55 sec
Trumps offer to Modi, South Asias social divisi
Weapons, Diplomacy and Mobs
36 min 2 sec
Did Americas policy of engagement with China rea
Learning from War: Kargil, Pulwama and the Future
30 min 17 sec
Twenty years on, can the Kargil war offer us less
Inside Indian Diplomacy: A Conversation with Indrani Bagchi
44 min 34 sec
On this special episode of All Things Policy, Adi
Reading the Economist: Water Crises, Brexit and More
35 min 8 sec
How could the world address the water crises How
China's Carrier Killers: The Anti Ship Missile in the South China Sea
21 min 56 sec
Did China test an antiship ballistic missile in
Access DNAed: Discussing the DNA Tech Bill
22 min 36 sec
The Lok Sabha is deliberating the DNA Technology
Osaka Backtrack: The new Data Regime
26 min 42 sec
The Osaka Track has opened new doors in data gove
Sri Lanka's Uncomfortable SOFA: United States in Indian Ocean
16 min 44 sec
A political storm is brewing in Sri Lanka over mi
Reading The Economist: Annoyed Penguins, Global Recession and Happiness
31 min 16 sec
Do travelers in Antarctica annoy penguins Is the
Parched Nation: Solving India's Water Crisis
22 min 6 sec
India can manage its chronic water crisis. But do
The French Digital Tax: A new headache for tech giants?
26 min 5 sec
Is Frances recently announced the GAFA Google,A
Do these Genes Fit? DNA testing and congenital diseases
18 min 20 sec
As DNA testing becomes cheaper, more countries an
Pacific Ream: China’s Naval Base in Cambodia
26 min 41 sec
China has reportedly struck a secret deal to set
Ending an Estrangement?
21 min 13 sec
Does Imran Khans meeting with Donald Trump on Mo
DNA Dilemmas: Genome Catalogue in India
22 min 43 sec
With Indias ambitious plans to catalogue human g
China's Military Ambitions: The New Defense White Paper
21 min 56 sec
China has released its first Defense White Paper
The Death of Privacy: AI and Privacy concerns
23 min 5 sec
Artificial intelligence poses a mortal threat to
Shaking up the Labour Market: Andhra Pradesh and its new labour reforms
25 min 14 sec
Andhra is seeking to reserve jobs for locals, whi
Reading the Economist
21 min 41 sec
BoJos plans to make Britain Great, Trump devalui
Witnessing China's Transformation
43 min
On this special episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Su
Politics of Afghanistan: Talking to the Taliban
23 min 42 sec
In this episode on Politics of Afghanistan, Anand
The Twilight of Arms Control: The End of the INF Treaty
19 min 39 sec
The Cold Warera INF Treaty died this week. In it
The Wealth Of Nations
24 min 50 sec
What does the evolution of Chinas political econ
Reading the Economist
25 min 20 sec
The burning Arctic, how China pursues diplomatic
The Clash Of The Titans: The Trade War in China's Perspective
27 min 46 sec
In this special episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Su
Decoding The Chinese Art Of Strategy
28 min 58 sec
From Confucius and Sun Tzu to Han Fei Zi, China h
Bartering Privacy? The death of privacy and data analogies
26 min 27 sec
Privacy is dying. But can we use data as a bargai
Reading The Economist: Currency wars, space debris and microeconomics
34 min 6 sec
A brewing SinoUS currency war, the challenge of
The Future of Jammu and Kashmir: The Way Forward
34 min 35 sec
What does the dramatic transformation of Jammu an
A Medieval Trade War
25 min 23 sec
The 21st century isnt the first time China has b
India's Economic Slump: The indicators and possible solutions
30 min 49 sec
Various indicators strongly suggest Indias econo
India's Russia Conundrum
41 min 56 sec
Why does Russia do as Russia does Anirudh Kanise
India Needs a Chief of Defence Staff
30 min 4 sec
On Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Financing India's Defence
21 min 19 sec
The cabinet has approved changes that will allow
Distance from Delhi: The experience of being in Bangalore
19 min 58 sec
Whats it like for policy wonks to work in Bengal
How China Wins Without Fighting
35 min 35 sec
Chinas whole of nation approach to statecraft
RBI's Massive Transfer
37 min 39 sec
The RBI recently transferred its excess reserves
Reading the Economist
33 min 48 sec
What is the role of private corporations in socie
On Nations and Power
30 min 3 sec
Does Irans space programme have a military purpo
Political Resilience and the Chalukyas: Lessons from 11th Century India
24 min 3 sec
How and why do some polities endure, while others
Reading The Economist
24 min 28 sec
What explains the spurt in national airlines in A
No Smoking: Banning E-Cigarettes in India
21 min 38 sec
The government has a draft ordinance proposing a
On Nukes and Bystanders
25 min 12 sec
How does China coerce without nuclear weapons Wi
The Future of Humanity
22 min 52 sec
For the first time in history, humanity can take
Space, Incorporated: Private players and Indian space policy
21 min 44 sec
Indian regulations actively discourage private sp
Reading The Economist: Assad, AI and Mugabe
38 min 29 sec
Why does Bashar alAsads regime have a new lease
An Indian Trade Dilemma: RCEP and its Future
22 min 22 sec
Negotiations for the massive AsiaPacific trade d
Speedy Redressal: Massive Fines and Road Safety
21 min 49 sec
How would a smart policymaker tackle the problems
India's Podcasting Adventures
27 min 27 sec
What is it like to be a podcaster in India Our o
Libra Raj?
19 min 36 sec
How much power does the newly announced digital c
Reading The Economist: Immortality, Huawei And Apple
32 min 34 sec
Has Huawei made a peace offering to the US Is Si
Setting the Desert on Fire: Attack on Saudi Oil
28 min 18 sec
Last weeks attack on Saudi oil facilities highli
Art Of The Deal In Kabul: A Businessman in Afghanistan
19 min 19 sec
With USTaliban talks frozen for now, what will i
An Engine of Growth Sputters
24 min 35 sec
With Indias automobile industry skidding off the
Howdy Prime Minister?: Modi visits the United States
32 min 23 sec
Prime Minister Modi kicked off his weeklong visi
Reading The Economist: The Perils of Climate Change
36 min 25 sec
Whats happening in the world with changing clima
A Climate Emergency: Policy Implications and Plausible Solutions
31 min 59 sec
The UN General Assembly has been debating climate
On Killer Robots and Partisan Bubbles
28 min 24 sec
Will lethal autonomous weapon systems make future
Cryptocurrency Explained
19 min 59 sec
We all know what cryptocurrency is and how it can
All Things Policy is Moving to IVM Podcasts!
Hello there Thank you so much for tuning in to A
Ep. 171: The Promise and Tragedy of China: 70 Years of the People’s Republic
36 min 25 sec
The Peoples Republic of China is celebrating its 70th anniversary on October 1st, 2019. Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai talk to Pranay Kotasthane about Chinas tumultuous journey and its uncertain future. On this episode: You can...
Ep. 172: India's Economic Dilemmas: How to Fix the Slowdown
31 min 27 sec
Indias economy is in doldrums, but the way out is unclear. Nitin Pai and Anupam Manur join Pranay Kotasthane to discuss the options, from sweeping reforms to sensible taxation. On this episode: You can listen to this show and other awesome shows...
Ep. 173: Getting Back on Track: Improving India’s Railway Network
25 min 50 sec
The Railway Board Chairman has recently announced plans to allow 150 private trains into the railway network. What really needs to be done to improve the quality and availability of rail transport Nitin Pai joins Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane to...
Ep. 174: Fighting Together: Joint Operations in the Armed Forces
25 min
Is military jointness good Or should each service should be allowed to formulate its own strategy Are there any lessons for India from the military reforms in China Manoj Kewalramani discusses with Suyash Desai and Sankalp Gurjar. On this episode: ...
Ep. 175: The Geopolitics of Online Worlds: What MMOs teach us about Economics and Politics
35 min 41 sec
The astonishing multiplayer world of Eve Online allows players to build, trade, become politicians, and wage war on each other. In this episode, Anirudh Kanisetti joins Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan to discuss what such games reveal about...
Ep. 176: China’s Web of Influence and Power
28 min 39 sec
Much has been written about Chinese influence operations undermining democracies and impacting academic freedoms. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani talks to Suyash Desai and Sankalp Gurjar about the instruments China uses to exercise sharp power. On...
Ep. 177: The Fake News Conundrum: Singapore’s Gambit
24 min 5 sec
Singapores antifake news law took effect on October 02. Shibani Mehta, Rohan Seth, and Utkarsh Narain talk about what such laws might mean for free speech, dissent, and civil liberties, as well as the dilemmas they pose for bigtech and media...
Ep. 178: Eastern Promises: Why Does the India-Bangladesh Relationship Matter?
25 min 43 sec
Delhi and Dhaka signed several agreements during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas recent visit, despite concerns about issues like the NRC. Shambhavi Naik talks to Pranav RS, Sankalp Gurjar and Suyash Desai about the future of the IndiaBangladesh...
Ep. 179: A Meeting in Mamallapuram: Xi Visits India
33 min 11 sec
Is the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping an empty gesture or a valuable diplomatic initiative Our China watchers, Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join host Aditya Ramanathan to debate the value of such a...
Ep. 180: A Peculiar Alliance: The China-Pakistan Alliance
33 min 18 sec
Sweeter than honey and higher than the mountainsthats how China and Pakistan describe their relationship. But what really drives it Is it just about containing India or are there other factors involved Manoj Kewalramani talks to Suyash Desai and...
Ep. 181: Reading the Economist: Smart Cars, Inflation, and Russia
36 min 7 sec
Will China have autonomous cars before the West Is inflation no longer a worry for emerging markets And why are the EU and Russia patching up now Manoj Kewalramani, Sankalp Gurjar and Utkarsh Narain discuss all this and more in this weeks...
Ep. 182: The Military Pensions Dilemma: Investing in Human Capital
23 min 56 sec
Nearly 25 of Indias defence expenditure for this year will be used to service the pension bill. Is this sustainable And how does it impact modernisation Manoj Kewalramani talks to General Prakash Menon and Pranay Kotasthane about their new study...
Ep. 183: Military Revolutions and the Future of War
29 min 42 sec
How do countries think about revolutionary changes in the character of war In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani, Pranav RS, and Aditya Ramanathan debate the dynamics driving strategic and military innovations from the gunpowder era to our times. You...
Ep. 184: The Missiles of October: The Lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis
26 min 51 sec
This week, 57 years ago a crisis broke out in the Caribbean that brought the world closest its ever been to allout nuclear war. In this episode, Shibani Mehta, Pranav RS and Aditya Ramanathan debate the lessons of the confrontation for the future....
Ep. 185: War on the Roof of the World
35 min 43 sec
The 1962 war with China scarred India and had a lasting impact on its politics. But why did the war break out How did the world react And are there any lessons for today Manoj Kewalramani, Suyash Desai and Sankalp Gurjar discuss. You can listen to...
Ep. 186: Reading the Economist: From Hungarian Politics to Japanese Royals
35 min 24 sec
Viktor Orbns setback in Budapest Japans Naruhito faces royal restrictions psychedelics could treat depression and Chinas uncomfortable tryst with football acquisitions. Manoj Kewalramani joins Sankalp Gurjar and Utkarsh Narain to discuss...
Ep. 187: The Moral Dilemmas of IVF
31 min 6 sec
In the recent past, In Vitro Fertilization IVF or assisted reproductive technologies has enabled women of older age to bear children. What are the ethical dilemmas of such births Should the government regulate them Shambhavi Naik thrown open this...
Ep. 188: Xi, Modi and the Prospects for India-China Relations
24 min 39 sec
The informal summit in Mamallapuram between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping may have generated photo ops, but does it provide a way forward for ties between Asias two giants Nitin Pai sparks debate between Lt General Prakash...
Ep. 189: India’s Afghan Conundrum
24 min 39 sec
With an election in limbo and uncertain peace talks, Afghanistans long war could pack some surprises for India. In this special episode, Nitin Pai joins Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Lt General Prakash Menon to discuss how India can best craft an...
Ep. 190: Cameras and Control
20 min 22 sec
As CCTVs become more ubiquitous in Indian cities and facial recognition algorithms become more advanced, we may be moving towards a world where technology is used to violate individuals privacy and their fundamental rights. Apar Gupta, Executive...
Ep. 191: Digital Africa
25 min 38 sec
In the last two decades, Africa has seen extraordinary leaps in access to mobile phones, sparking an IT revolution across the continent. AndreMichel Essoungou, Cameroonian journalist and Political Officer at the United Nations, joins Anirudh...
Ep. 192: India's Military Options Against China
26 min 52 sec
A new paper has made some interesting recommendations for how Indias armed forces can manage the challenge from China. But are they feasible General Prakash Menon and Manoj Kewalramani join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss. The paper from Center for a...
Ep. 193: Predictably Indian
20 min 11 sec
Standard economic wisdom tells you people are selfinterested, rational actors. But behavioural science says otherwise. How can we better understand the irrationalities that guide our daily existence, and how can we use that to achieve better policy...
Ep. 194: China and the Bomb
32 min 52 sec
Chinas nuclear arsenal has evolved and expanded since its first nuclear test in 1964. In this episode, Sankalp Gurjar talks to Pranav RS and Suyash Desai about how Chinese thinking on nuclear weapons has changed over the years. You can listen to...
Ep. 195: Keepin’ it Real: Realism in Indian Foreign Policy
29 min 22 sec
What is realism in international relations Where are the Indian realists And what do they think of the IndiaChina relationship Prof. Rajesh Rajagopalan of Jawaharlal Nehru University discusses with Sankalp Gurjar and Pranay Kotasthane. You can...
Ep. 196: Assuring Retaliation: Why India's Nuclear No-First-Use Doctrine Makes Sense
23 min 9 sec
On this episode, Dr Manpreet Sethi, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies, tells Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav RS why nuclear nofirstuse is the best strategy for India. You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM...
Ep. 197: The Counterinsurgency Puzzle and the Utilities of Force
31 min 24 sec
How should great powers support local governments fighting insurgencies And is the Indian Armys Cold Start doctrine still relevant In this episode, Walter C Ladwig III, an associate professor at Kings College London, joins Manoj Kewalramani...
Ep. 198: The Politics of Afghanistan: The Elections
31 min 52 sec
How is the postelection politics shaping up in Afghanistan What is the prospect of peace after the Presidential elections in September Pranay Kotasthane talks to Anand Arni and Sankalp Gurjar. You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on...
Ep. 199: The Looming Shadow of Nuclear Weapons
20 min 48 sec
Why are nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia falling apart or under pressure What new dangers do they pose And what can be done about them In this episode, arms control expert Petr Topychkanov talks to Aditya Ramanathan and...
Ep. 200: Can We Stop A Climate Disaster?
25 min 56 sec
How will climate change transform societies and economies What solutions do we have ready right now Australian climate change scholar Prof Tim Flannery joins Manoj Kewalramani and Sankalp Gurjar in todays episode to explain. You can listen to...
Ep. 201: The Real Nehru
27 min 1 sec
Was Jawaharlal Nehru a starryeyed foreign policy optimist Did he have a more realist strategy than we like to think And how did his actions shape the future trajectory of Indian diplomacy On the late PMs 130th birth anniversary, Sankalp Gurjar...
Ep. 202: Forever Young
23 min 11 sec
New technologies are pushing the boundaries of how long humans beings can lead healthy lives. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani, Shambhavi Naik, and Ganesh Chakravarthy debate the scientific and philosophical questions that stem from the human quest...
Ep. 203: India’s Genome Project
27 min 29 sec
The IndiGen project will map genes across Indias ethnic groups to discover clinically actionable genetic information. Shambhavi Naik, Pranay Kotasthane and Anirudh Kanisetti discuss the importance of this project, the opportunities it presents and...
Ep. 204: Reading the Economist: From Warships to Netflix
34 min 56 sec
An unwieldy coalition is set to rule Spain but will it last What good are aircraft carriers in todays world How are online platforms like Netflix changing media competition Sankalp Gurjar, Utkarsh Narain and Manoj Kewalramani talk about all this...
Ep. 205: Toot or Dare
20 min 32 sec
Why have Indian Twitter users started moving to Mastodon What is the socalled Fediverse, and will it replace Twitter Utkarsh Narain, Anirudh Kanisetti and Prateek Waghre break it down. Utkarsh Narain Anirudh Kanisetti Prateek Waghre...
Ep. 206: China’s Awful Secret
31 min 53 sec
A New York Times report based on leaked internal Chinese documents sheds fresh light on the unprecedented crackdown on ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. Suyash Desai, Sankalp Gurjar and Manoj Kewalramani discuss the report and the global reaction to...
Ep. 207: New Thinking on Old Nukes
39 min 59 sec
Since the first mushroom cloud erupted over Hiroshima, theres been a strong belief that nukes have fundamentally changed international politics. But is this true In this special episode, political scientists Keir Lieber and Daryl Press talk to...
Ep. 208: Auditing India’s Foreign Policy
38 min 53 sec
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankars Ramnath Goenka Lecture last week was hailed by some as a landmark speech. But did it really lay out a new vision for Indian foreign policy Sankalp Gurjar and Suyash Desai join Manoj Kewalramani to discuss....
Ep. 209: Reading The Economist: From East Asian Politics to Technology Prejudices
39 min 57 sec
The USSouth Korea alliance is on shaky ground. China is looking to expand its nuclear arsenal. The parallels between Sri Lankan and Indian politics. And are tech companies ignoring women when designing products Utkarsh Narain and Pranav RS join...
Ep. 210: China’s Undersea Adventures
26 min 51 sec
How does China plan to use its expanding submarine fleet And what does it mean for India Aditya Ramanathan, Pranav RS and Suyash Desai dive into the murky world of military competition that lurks beneath the waves. Aditya Ramanathan Suyash...
Ep. 211: Algorithms at War
31 min 51 sec
What do dolphins, artificial intelligence, and brainmachine interfaces have to tell us about the future of war Manoj Kewalramani, Anirudh Kanisetti, and Aditya Ramanathan debate and criticise the ideas presented in the latest issue of MIT Technology...
Ep. 212: Russia’s Military Renaissance
22 min 24 sec
The postSoviet military of Russia has evolved into a fighting force for the 21st century. How has Russia achieved this and how do the Russians spend their money on weapons To discuss a new report talking about these issues, Aditya Ramanathan sits...
Ep. 213: The Primacy of Bengaluru?
28 min 55 sec
Do hitech industries create regionally unbalanced development If so, is it a problem governments can address In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane and Anupam Manur debate the challenges, pitfalls and paradoxes of industrial policies. You can listen to...
Ep. 214: Extinguishing the Crop Burning Problem
33 min 9 sec
Annual stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is a major cause of pollution in North India and a serious public health crisis. While the problem is well known, the solutions are not. In this episode, Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane use an economic...
Ep. 215: Talking Nukes with Vipin Narang
23 min 47 sec
Are new developments eroding the credibility of Indias no first use policy Is North Korea going to spark a crisis in the new year In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav R.S. talk to Vipin Narang, Associate Professor at MIT about Indias...
Ep. 216: The Tragedy of the Trans Bill
26 min 39 sec
The Transgender Persons Bill that has been passed by Parliament has been widely decried by activists, but met with societal and political indifference. Dr Shambhavi Naik and Anirudh Kanisetti join Manoj Kewalramani to discuss some of the issues that...
Ep. 217: Why is China Powerful?
41 min 36 sec
Takshashila researchers Manoj Kewalramani, Anirudh Kanisetti and Shibani Mehta unpack our latest research: a report to Indias Parliament about Chinas rise. This is part 1 of 2, exploring the sources of Chinas power and global influence and how they...
Ep. 218: What can India do about China?
44 min 48 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti and Suyash Desai join Manoj Kewalramani to further unpack our report to Indias Parliament on Chinas rise. This is part 2 of 2, exploring how China has impacted Indias economy and geopolitics and what India needs to do about it....
Ep. 219: Reading the Economist: The Rise and Fall of Economies
26 min 14 sec
In this weeks Reading the Economist, Apurva Kumar and Suyash Desai join Anirudh Kanisetti to discuss global inequality and how bad policies are holding us back from tackling climate change. You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the...
Ep. 220: Is NATO Going to Collapse?: The 70th Anniversary Episode
24 min 43 sec
After last weeks annual summit, cracks seem to be appearing in NATO over Russia, Turkey, and even the USA. Is this antiSoviet alliance finally on its last legs, 70 years after it was formed Anirudh Kanisetti and Sankalp Gurjar discuss with Manoj...
Ep. 221: Is Cyberwarfare Coming?
28 min 25 sec
The term cyber warfare has come into vogue in recent times, but nobody seems to know what it actually is. In this episode, Anirudh Kanisetti sits down with Prateek Waghre, Pranav RS and Shibani Mehta to talk about cyberwarfare and what countries...
Ep. 223: China: the Middle-Aged Kingdom
36 min
Chinas fertility rate is down to just 1.6. The workforce is shrinking while the population of the elderly grows. At the same time, the now abandoned onechild policy has resulted in a skewed sex ratio. Given all this, could demography be a rising...
Ep. 224: Reading the Economist: Institutional Crises and Captures
28 min 41 sec
What role do institutions of the state play in shaping government policy, and how do these institutions affect policy when in peril In this edition of Reading the Economist, Anirudh Kanisetti, Pranav RS and Sarthak Pradhan discuss this with examples...
Ep. 225: Does the Government Want Your Data?
26 min 48 sec
What does the Personal Data Protection Bill say about linking Aadhar to social media What exactly will the proposed Data Protection Authority even do Prateek Waghre and Utkarsh Narain discuss with Rohan Seth. You can listen to this show and other...
Ep. 226: Beware, Warehouses!: Amazon's Fulfillment Centres and Local Economies
29 min 17 sec
What happens when Amazon enters or leaves an Indian city In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani talks to Anupam Manur and Rohan Seth about how Amazons new fulfillment centres impact everything from local employment to public health. You can listen to...
Ep. 227: Cyber Insecurity: What should India do in cyberspace?
22 min 21 sec
The Union government is asking for inputs on a cybersecurity strategy for a new India. Takshashilas Tech Team, Prateek Waghre, Utkarsh Narain, and Rohan Seth talk about the shortcomings of the 2013 national cybersecurity policy and debate on what...
Ep. 228: 2019 in Review: Tech in India
49 min 24 sec
What did 2019 mean for the Indian tech space Rohan Seth talks to Utkarsh Narain and Prateek Waghre about how the debate has progressed in policy circles around data protection, facial recognition, social media, misinformation and other things tech....
Ep. 229: 2019 in Review: India and the World
41 min 34 sec
How did Indias foreign policy hold up in 2019 From the ASAT test to Howdy Modi, Manoj Kewalramani, Pranay Kotasthane, Sankalp Gurjar and Suyash Desai discuss and debate the hits and misses in Indian foreign policy this year. You can listen to this...
Ep. 230: 2019 in Review: The Indian Economy
38 min 23 sec
How has the Indian economy fared in 2019 From agricultural output to the GDP calculations, Apurva Kumar, Pranay Kotasthane, and Anupam Manur try to figure out the years hits and misses.
Ep. 231: The Many Colours of Krishna Menon - A Conversation with Jairam Ramesh
48 min 19 sec
V. K. Krishna Menon is probably Indias most famous defence minister especially for his role in the 1962 SinoIndian War. But it turns out theres a lot more to him than just that. From his role in the Freedom Struggle to his remarkable career as...
Ep. 232: The World of Public Policy
22 min 9 sec
How does someone who wants to influence policy actually do so outside of government How does a policy career help transform the country, and for that matter, how do you get into the policy space anyway Anirudh Kanisetti talks to Apurva Kumar,...
Ep. 233: SSF - China’s War-Winning Tool
30 min 46 sec
Four years after its inception, Chinas Strategic Support Force SSF, which is responsible for cyber, space and electronic warfare, has become central to the PLAs military capabilities. How has the SSF developed and how does it compare against its...
Ep. 234: Reading the Economist: On China, Tech and Forest Fires
31 min 45 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti and Utkarsh Narain join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss the most interesting stories of the week: China and the US are undergoing a divorce in hitech industries, Brazils Bolsanaro might have some upsides, and Australia is...
Ep. 235: The Death of Soleimani - The US, Iran, and West Asia
46 min 15 sec
The killing of Qassem Soleimani, the head of Irans elite Quds expeditionary force, is a pivotal moment in the history of modern West Asia. Aditya Ramanathan and Manoj Kewalramani join Anirudh Kanisetti to understand the mans career, his influence on Ira
Ep. 236: The Year that Changed the World
29 min 13 sec
A strange revolution, a catastrophic invasion, a dramatic terrorist attack, and an economic transformation. Few years in modern history have been as consequential as 1979. Four decades on, Mano Kewalramani joins Aditya Ramanathan and Sankalp Gurjar to dis
Ep. 237: Favourite Books from 2019
31 min 27 sec
What books did people at Takshashila read in 2019 What is the significance of these books In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani, Nitin Pai and Rohan Seth list their favourite books from last year, and talk about how each book has influenced their thinking.
Ep. 238: Behaving Badly in the South China Sea
30 min 27 sec
A high profile confrontation at sea between China and Indonesia comes even as countries in the region try to come up with a common code of conduct. Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss what 2020 holds for the South China S
Ep. 239: Reading Foreign Policy Magazine: From Flight Shaming to Volunteer Journalism
34 min 19 sec
Do countries really need a grand strategy Can volunteers transform journalism And whats up with the curious phenomenon of flight shaming In this episode, Sarthak Pradhan, Nischitha Suresh and Pranav R. Satyanath join Aditya Ramanathan for a lively
Ep. 240: Shooting the Messenger
20 min 52 sec
Should the government be allowed to know whom youre texting Should it be able to pressure social media companies to silence voices With the IT Act due to be amended this month with rules on intermediary liability, Rohan and Utkarsh sit down with Torsha
Ep. 241: The Meaning of Taiwan’s Elections
39 min 24 sec
Taiwans President Tsai Ingwen won a second fouryear term in an historic election on January 11. Suyash Desai and Manoj Kewalramani join Anirudh Kanisetti to discuss the impact of Tsais reelection on the ChinaTaiwan relationship and its implications
Ep. 242: The State of India's Media
28 min 26 sec
What is the role of news media in India today and how do we assess its health In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai sit down with veteran journalist and Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar to discuss media governance, censorship, and alternate
Ep. 243: Going Soft on Hard Balancing
36 min 29 sec
With the rise of China and the slow decline of the international system, how should countries think about the balance of power In this special episode, Aditya Ramanathan and Manoj Kewalramani talk to Professor TV Paul from McGill University about soft
Ep. 244: Ten Risks to Global Health
33 min 6 sec
Though people on average live longer today, there remain serious threats to global health. But do we know what these are In this episode Anirudh Kanisetti talks to Shambhavi Naik to get her insights into a World Health Organization report on ten major ri
Ep. 245: Protection from Data Protection
26 min 27 sec
What power does the government have over your data How should India approach global data sharing agreements With the Joint Parliamentary Committee due to give its recommendations on the Data Protection Bill before the Budget Session, Prateek and Rohan s
Ep. 246: The Stubborn Challenge of PSU Reform
28 min 3 sec
What kind of products should a staterun PSU produce Do PSUs make a profit In this episode, Anupam Manur, Pranay Kotasthane and Sarthak Pradhan talk about the persistent role of state PSUs in Indias economy and what can be done about them.
Ep. 247: Dispatches From China
49 min 38 sec
Indian media coverage of China often tends to be dominated by issues like national security and border frictions. Theres little original reportage around social issues, attitudes towards technology and womens rights. In this episode
Ep. 248: The Virus From Wuhan
24 min 11 sec
The Wuhan virus is already spreading across the world and taking a deadly toll. But what is the virus anyway and how does it spread In this episode, Rohan Seth talks to Manoj Kewalramani and Shambhavi Naik to put these developments in context and
Ep. 249: The Rise and Fall of West Asia
32 min 28 sec
West Asia is notorious today for its geopolitical instability but has that always been the case What do the premodern states of the region tell us about todays shifting dynamics Aditya Ramanathan, Anirudh Kanisetti and Manoj Kewalramani trace out its
Ep. 250: The Dark Side Of The Kashmir Whitelist
21 min 22 sec
Tech researchers Rohini Lakshan and Prateek Waghre join Anirudh Kanisetti to discuss the whitelist of 301 sites that have been made accessible in Jammu Kashmir. T
Ep 251: The Final Frontier
32 min 42 sec
Takshashilas policy proposal, The New Space Policy 2020 proposes a clear governance structure that paves the way for the growth of the nascent private space sector in India. T
Ep 252: Religion and Money In Medieval Gujarat
25 min 44 sec
Medieval India is far more complicated than we give it credit for its full of wily merchants, pragmatic rulers, and complex interactions. Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan dive into 13th century Gujarat, discussing a fascinating inscription f
Ep. 253: China's AI Ambitions and Nuclear Weapons
37 min 19 sec
Chinas has an ambitious plan to use artificial intelligence to transform its armed forces. But how would such changes affect nuclear stability Lora Saalman, a leading expert on the subject joins Manoj Kewalramani, Pranav RS and Aditya Ramanath
Ep. 254: The Dilemmas of Nuclear Security
27 min 45 sec
How big a threat is a nuclear terrorism How did the AQ Khan network really work And is arms control dead In this special episode, Matthew Bunn, Professor of Practice at th
Ep. 255: Does the Budget Matter
19 min 15 sec
Union Budgets are an annual ritual marked by pageantry and breathless commentary. But how important are they In this episode, Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane discuss how the budget really impacts the economy and our daily lives.
Ep 256: The Challenge of Theatre Commands
20 min 35 sec
Indias Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat announced that the armed forces would transition to theatre commands in the next three years. Why does India need theatre commands and what should they look like Lt General Prakash Menon joins Aditya
Epi 257: Fighting the Coronavirus
37 min 54 sec
The coronavirus continues to spread across China and beyond. The WHO has declared a global health emergency, and governments across the world are rushing to contain it. But its a challenge that the world is wellequipped to tackle. Anirudh Kanisetti, Ma
Ep. 258: India versus the Internet
27 min 21 sec
Nearly six months after the internet shutdown in JK, the Union governments decision to partially lift the shutdown has been riddled with controversy. Why is this judgement so controversial In this special episode, Rohan Seth first talks to Apar
Ep. 259: Reading the Economist
28 min 26 sec
In this weeks Reading the Economist, Aditya Ramanathan, Anirudh Kanisetti, and Sarthak Pradhan explore everything from the consequences of the Atlantic Slave Trade to Britains nuclea
Ep. 260: Dissing Misinformation
26 min 26 sec
Facebook recently stated that a doctored video of U.S. congresswoman Nancy Pelosi did not violate community guidelines. So what constitutes fake news And what are the big social media companies doing about it Anirudh Kanisetti talks to Prateek
Ep. 261: Caste Away
27 min 16 sec
After hundreds of years of caste endogamy, one would think that Indian society would be far more open to intercaste marriages than it actually is. Shambhavi Naik and Sarthak Pradhan unpack the science and political economy of intercaste marriage
Ep. 262: Fighting the Coronavirus Pt 2
24 min 38 sec
As the coronavirus continues to take a lethal toll across the world, Manoj Kewalramani and Shambhavi Naik take stock of recent developments and try to make a better sense of Chinas response.
Ep. 263: Competition and Reassurance in the Indo-Pacific
31 min 7 sec
Is China now playing nice after years of assertiveness Does Indias policy of evasive balancing make any sense Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Aditya Ramanathan to debate new ideas about the politics of the IndoPacific.
Ep. 264: Reading the Economist
20 min 28 sec
In this weeks Reading the Economist, Aditya Ramanathan is joined by Anirudh Kanisetti and Suyash Desai to discuss the failure of UN peacemaking, arms sales in the Middle East, and the politics of Ireland, the Phillippines, and Kazakhstan.
Ep. 265: India's Fiscal Future
32 min 52 sec
The 15th Finance Commission has come out with a slew of recommendations. Which states stand to gain and which ones stand to lose Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane examine some of the implications of the commissions interim report.
Ep. 266: Trump Comes to India
27 min 41 sec
US President Donald Trump is set to land in Ahmedabad on February 24 on his first trip to India. But will his visit amount to anything more than hype Manoj Kewalramani and Pranay Kotasthane join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss the future of the IndiaUS r
Ep. 267: Fighting the Coronavirus Pt 3
23 min 34 sec
A new speech by Xi Jinping shows that the Chinese leadership was aware of the outbreak well before strict measures were taken. Is this an admission of systemic failure or signalling of strength Manoj Kewalramani and Shambhavi Naik take stock of all the
Ep. 268: Is a Multipolar World Good for India?
32 min 48 sec
Even as India receives US President Donald Trump with fanfare it remains committed to a multipolar world order. But is such an order really conducive to Indias rise
Ep. 269: A European Nuclear Force?
20 min 27 sec
French President Emmanuel Macron wants European Union countries to discuss the possibility of giving Frances nuclear forces a broader role in European security. Is this a feasible idea What is Macrons game plan Aditya Ramanathan, Nischitha Suresh an
Ep. 270: The Perils of Eugenics
23 min 37 sec
As geneediting technology advances, the social contexts within which it will unfold need to be understood and integrated into policy planning. Shambhavi Naik and Anirudh Kanisetti discuss the dark history of eugenics, its recent resurgence, and what Ind
Ep. 271: Fighting the Coronavirus Pt 4
21 min 16 sec
While the number of new coronavirus cases are falling in China, Xi says the situation remains grim and complex. Whats worse, there are new hotspots emerging internationally. Manoj Kewalramani and Shambhavi Naik discuss all this and more in this weekly
Ep. 272 China's Expeditionary Forces
21 min 18 sec
Slowly but surely, China is developing expeditionary capabilities that will allow it to project power in the overseas territory. Whats driving it to develop such forces And should India be worried Suyash Desai and Pranav RS join Aditya Ramanathan to
Ep. 273: Indian Troops in Afghanistan?
21 min 13 sec
With the U.S. looking for a quick exit from Afghanistan, should India consider putting boots on the ground Pranay Kotasthane is joined by Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan as he makes the case for India to provide specific kinds of support to Afgh
Ep. 274 What Next in Afghanistan?
28 min 3 sec
Americas deal with the Taliban is being celebrated by some as a step towards peace. Are they right Anand Arni and Pranay Kotasthane join Aditya Ramanathan to dissect the deal and highlight the many perils it is likely to bring to Indians and Afghans.
Ep. 275: Sense and Censorship?
29 min 28 sec
The decision by the streaming service Hotstar to withhold the show Last Week Tonight has stirred controversy. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani, Prateek Waghre and Utkarsh Narain discuss the repercussions of Hotstars decision and the rationale behin
Ep. 276: Getting More Women in the Workforce
32 min 20 sec
India continues to have too few women at work even in whitecollar jobs. What can be done to increase their numbers Anupam Manur asks Sowmya Nandan and Shambhavi Naik why women in India find it difficult to pursue careers and how workplaces
Ep. 277: The Problem of Depressed Potatoes
22 min 58 sec
The humble potato emerged from the mountains of Peru to become a staple food around the world. Today, the potato suffers from inbreeding or depression thats reducing its nutrition and productivity. What can be done Shambhavi Naik joins Aditya Ramanat
Ep. 278: Bertil Lintner on India-China Rivalry
33 min 19 sec
From Wuhan to Chennai, both China and India have reiterated that they must not let differences turn into disputes.
Ep. 279: The Contest for Undersea Supremacy
28 min 3 sec
In the murky depths below Asias oceans, competition is brewing between major powers as they seek to protect and expand their fleets of ballistic missile submarines. Whats driving this competition And what role does geography play Aditya Ramanathan,
Ep. 280: VP Menon's Legacy
36 min 23 sec
VP Menon rose from nothing to become a critical figure in both the transfer of power from the British and the integration of Indias states. In this episode, historian Narayani Basu joins Anirudh Kanisetti, Sowmya Nandan and Aditya Ramanathan to talk ab
Ep. 281: The Coronavirus Update
25 min 20 sec
Is the global Covid19 outbreak a pandemic What must India do to contain its fallout Nitin Pai and Shambhavi Naik join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss this unprecedented health crisis and what we can expect next.
Ep. 282: The Two Ns Meet
35 min 9 sec
From the COVID19 outbreak to the Yes Bank crisis, the Indian and the world economy are being buffeted by relentless waves of crises. Anupam Manur talks to Takshashilas founders, the two Ns: Narayan Ramachandran and Nitin Pai, to take stock of th
Ep. 283: Yes, Banks Fail
29 min
The Yes Bank crisis has spurned the government to send State Bank of India SBI to its rescue. This has led to a further consolidation of public sector banks in India. Why are some banks struggling In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane sits d
Ep. 284: Making Sense of China's Military Modernization
30 min 15 sec
The military reforms initiated by President Xi Jinping have brought sweeping changes to the Peoples Liberation Army PLA. But are these measures making China more secure In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss their new research on
Ep. 285: Stocking up on Oil: India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves
23 min 24 sec
India is one of the most oildependent countries in the world. But what can it do when hydrocarbon supplies are disrupted Anupam Manur and Narayan Ramachandran talk about their new research into how India can build its Strategic Petroleum Rese
Ep. 286: Ruling the World-Island
37 min 28 sec
President Vladimir Putin is consolidating his power both internally and along Russias peripheries. Is there a method that underlies Moscows behaviour Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan dive into the world of Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin an
Ep. 287: Narratives of COVID-19
24 min 31 sec
As Covid19 cases spread around the world, China says it has turned the tide to contain the outbreak. Anirudh Kanisetti and Manoj Kewalramani discuss how Chinese officials and media are now seeking to shift focus from Chinas early fail
Ep. 288: The Two Ns Meet: The End of Pandemics?
38 min 54 sec
Could we be experiencing the last global pandemic Will revolutions in computing and synthetic biology transform the way we deal with contagious diseases In this episode, Takshashilas founders, Nitin Pai and Narayan Ramachandran discuss the pros
Ep. 289: Viral World Order
22 min 10 sec
We are probably still in the early days of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. What human and financial toll will it take And what sort of a world will we inherit when this pandemic is over Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan take a sobering
Ep. 290: Tech in the Time of Corona
29 min 54 sec
A number of states have leveraged technology solutions to combat the Covid19outbreak. What have they done What can India learn from their experiences And what are the longterm implications of these tech interventions
Ep. 291: Pandemic Winners
21 min 59 sec
While the Covid19 pandemic has cast a gloom over the global economy, there are some sectors and companies that continue to thrive. Rohan Seth and Nischitha Suresh join Manoj Kewalramani to talk about why certain firms are growing and how others are adapt
Ep. 292: Sandalwood: A Sad Story
27 min 35 sec
What happens when the government takes away your property rights Why does the state government own all sandalwood trees in Karnataka In this episode, Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane discuss the fascinating story of sandalwood regulations and its re
Ep. 293: The Geopolitics of Covid-19
32 min 28 sec
How is the Covid19 pandemic reshaping the SinoUS relationship Are we witnessing a geopolitical realignment in Europe Is Chinas influence growing or are its early failures and aggressive propaganda attracting a backlash Manoj Kewalramani talks to And
Ep. 294: A Grand Strategy with Chinese Characteristics
34 min 40 sec
The Belt and Road Initiative BRI is considered to be Chinas path to carving a new world order. But who conceptualized it first And how do the Chinese actually think about their place in the world In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai t
Ep. 295: India and the Oil Wars
29 min 15 sec
The RussiaSaudi faceoff on oil production combined with the global pandemic has sent crude prices plunging. Whats the global impact of low energy prices and what can India do Anupam Manur, Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan discuss.
Ep. 296: Pakistan's Pandemic Politics
32 min 50 sec
Why do we know so little about how the coronavirus pandemic is hurting Pakistan In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane, Sarthak Pradhan and Sakshi Arora discuss Takshashilas new strategic assessment of Covid19s impact on Pakistan, and the poli
Ep. 297: COVID and China's Economy
35 min 9 sec
How has the Covid19 pandemic impacted Chinas economy Are we likely to see a swift recovery or a lengthy period of stops and starts And whats likely to be the impact on the global trading order Manoj Kewalramani discusses all this and more with the
Ep. 298: Post Pandemic Economics
32 min 42 sec
What will Indias economy look like at the end of the Covid19 pandemic What should the union and state governments do to limit the damage and aid a recovery In this episode, Anupam Manur and Nitin Pai discuss a plan to kickstart growth once the smoke
Ep. 299: China Invests in India
29 min 16 sec
The past six years have witnessed phenomenal growth in Chinese private sector investment in India. So which sectors have gained the most How does this impact the SinoIndian relationship And what are the regulatory challenges that this trend poses Mano
Ep. 300: NPT, Covid-19 and the Future
22 min 4 sec
The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty turned 50 this year. But its landmark review conference this year has been postponed because of the global pandemic. Anirudh Kanisetti talks to Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav RS about treatys contested past and uncertai
Ep. 301: WHO and The Pandemic
20 min 52 sec
Did the WHO mishandle the SARSCov2 outbreak Should it have raised the alarm earlier and declared it a pandemic Suyash Desai and Nischitha Suresh tell Manoj Kewalramani why believe the WHO messed up and how states use international organizations f
Ep. 302: India's Neighbours and Covid
31 min 59 sec
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been dealing with the global pandemic in their own ways. In this episode, Anand Arni, Pranay Kotasthane and Suyash Desai talk about how Indias neighbours have responded and the role of SAARC and BIMSTEC in facilita
Ep. 303: Truth-Telling in the Military
19 min 55 sec
How should military leaders report difficult truths up the chain of command As the coronavirus spread on board an American aircraft carrier, its captain sent a stronglyworded letter to his superiors that was leaked to the press.
Ep. 304: Is There a Doctor on the Phone?
22 min 32 sec
The Medical Council of India has announced guidelines for the practice of telemedicine by registered doctors. Can telemedicine help shield frontline healthcare workers during a viral outbreak
Ep. 305: Have the Hong Kong Protests Failed
38 min 16 sec
The Covid19 pandemic has led to a pause in the prodemocracy protests in Hong Kong. The movement, however, continues to command public support and friction is likely to continue in the long run.
Ep. 306: The Hashtag Pandemic
44 min 21 sec
Who is to blame for Covid19 It depends on who you ask, and it might depend on which countrys information operations they have been exposed to on social media. As hashtags duke it out on Twitter, Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to Manoj Kewalramani and Prateek
Ep. 307: The Shape of India's Nuclear Arsenal
37 min 36 sec
While India has a transparent nuclear doctrine, its nuclear arsenal is almost a black box to outsiders. Are Indias existing nuclear weapons sufficient to deter China And does India need ICBMs at all In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav RS ta
Ep. 308: Price Controls in a Pandemic
34 min 21 sec
Indian authorities have imposed price caps on face masks and sanitisers. Private labs have been told to conduct Covid19 tests for free. While these measures may be wellmeaning, they dont work, and are already leading to disastrous shortages. Anirudh
Ep. 309: Spending More in the Face of Covid-19
36 min 50 sec
The end of the nationwide lockdown will inevitably force the union government to spend more money on healthcare and economic recovery. But is there money to spend In this episode, Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane estimate the amount of cash required
Ep. 310: Learning from History: Bengal Famine and Covid-19
26 min 15 sec
The Bengal Famine was one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern Indian history. What caused the famine and can it tell us how to handle a pandemic today In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan talks to Anirudh Kanisetti and Sarthak Pradhan about a tim
Ep. 311: A National Reopening Strategy For India
24 min 57 sec
As India prepares to ease lockdown restrictions and restore economic activity, most epidemiological models expect there to be fresh waves of infection over the coming months.
Ep. 312: India’s FDI Dilemmas
27 min 37 sec
Foreign investment will be critical to reviving the Indian economy as the threat from Covid19 retreats. At the same time, theres concern about foreign entities picking up undervalued Indian assets.
Ep. 313: Content Moderation During COVID Times
24 min 21 sec
Less than a year ago, the social media giants claimed that moderating content online was an arduous task. Yet, under the shadow of Covid19, these companies are successfully removing misinformation from their sites.
Ep. 314: The PLA and Covid-19
26 min 15 sec
China claims its military has been unscathed by the novel coronavirus pandemic despite being part of the containment effort. Could this claim be true Aditya Ramanathan talks to Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai to discuss the impact of Covid19 on the
Ep. 315: COVID-19: Crisis or Opportunity?
33 min 27 sec
Every crisis is also an opportunity, the old saying goes. Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane have some ideas on when that actually happens and what opportunities India has during the COVID19 pandemic.
Ep. 316: Other Strategic Reserve: Securing Medical Equipment for India
24 min 59 sec
The COVID outbreak has resulted in shortages of key PPE and medical equipment. Building a strategic reserve of these could help encourage indigenous manufacturing, lower prices, and prepare India for possible future waves of the pandemic. Shambhavi Naik d
Ep. 317: Containing the Misinformation Virus
24 min 19 sec
The spread of misinformation has complicated the fight against the Covid19 pandemic. In fact, the misinformation ecosystem has thrived on both the novelty of the virus and preexisting social biases. In this episode,
Ep. 318: How MAD was the Cold War?
40 min 48 sec
Many accounts of the Cold War accept the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction MAD. But did leaders and policymakers actually believe in MAD And if they did, why did they engage in dangerous arms races In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan
Ep. 319: When Will We Get a Vaccine?
25 min 34 sec
What are the challenges in developing a vaccine for Covid19 How soon can we have one And what if there is none Shambhavi Naik and Sunila Dixit join Aditya Ramanathan to talk about the treacherous path to a safe and effective vaccine.
Ep. 320: The Virus Ravages West Asia
30 min 47 sec
COVID19 is taking a terrible human toll in West Asia even as it rewires the regions geopolitics in surprising ways.
Ep. 321: India: The World's Factory?
28 min 30 sec
The COVID19 pandemic has exposed the risks of depending on China for global manufacturing. Is this a call for India to manufacture for the world instead What will it actually take to achieve that In this episode,
Ep. 322: WhatsApp with Jio-Facebook?
25 min 28 sec
Facebook which owns WhatsApp has recently acquired a stake in Reliance Jio. This might have profound implications for the future of Indian ecommerce and telecommunications.
Ep. 323: Command of the Officer
26 min 53 sec
A recent attack in northern Kashmir killed the Commanding Officer CO and three other soldiers of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles.
Ep. 324: Facebook’s Supreme Court
32 min 58 sec
Facebook has announced a 20member content oversight board that many are calling a Supreme Court. Are 20 members really enough to moderate all the content on Facebook
Ep. 325: Going Conventional: Europe and the Future of Arms Control
45 min 25 sec
The death of nuclear arms control seems imminent. But what about conventional arms In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav RS talk to Dr. Ulrich Khn about the history of conventional arms control and its impact on European security.
Ep. 326: India’s Post-Covid Opportunities
41 min 57 sec
The COVID19 pandemic is likely to have a lasting impact on the global order. While SinoUS competition is expected to accelerate, middle powers like India could enjoy greater bargaining capabilities with both of them.
Ep. 327: Why India Needs Arms Imports
23 min 5 sec
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat recently said the armed forces should not push for large arms imports and be realistic about their requirements. Why does Indian remain a major arms importer Lt General Prakash Menon,
Ep. 328: Improving India’s Testing Capacity
29 min 43 sec
With barely 300 tests per million people, India, the worlds most populous country, has a long way to go before it has a clear picture of the way COVID19 is spreading.
Ep. 329: Preparing for the Second Wave: India Against COVID-19
33 min 52 sec
With India easing restrictions on the movement of people, is it possible that the worst of the COVID19 pandemic is over Unfortunately, no. Theres a long way to go before we can be sure of that. Shambhavi Naik, Sunila Dixit, and Anirudh
Ep. 330: Putin's Pandemic
26 min 32 sec
Today, Vladimir Putins Russia faces its most serious threat since its annexation of Crimea in 2014. COVID19 has spread rapidly, placing enormous strains on its public health system. Russias economy is in lockdown.
Ep. 331: Economic Stimulus for Post-COVID India
32 min 36 sec
Rupees twenty lakh crore. Thats the size of the stimulus package promised by the government. But how will it work
Ep. 332: Intervention Using Tech: Solutions for Tackling COVID-19
33 min 2 sec
Technology touches almost every aspect of our daily life. But whats the use of it during a pandemic In this episode, Rohan Seth talks to Prateek Waghre, Sapni G Krishna and Utkarsh Narain
Ep. 333: Krishnadevaraya: The Man and the Myth
27 min 5 sec
Krishnadevaraya, emperor of Vijayanagara, was a remarkable man, a transition between an ancient Indian king and a recognisably modern political leader. Awestruck travellers wrote of the might and wealth of his gunpowderwielding South Indian empire.
Ep. 334: Call of Duty: Short-term service in armed forces
26 min
The Union government recently announced a new recruitment plan called Tour of Duty to recruit young soldiers and officers for a term of three years. Will this help reduce the burden of pensions expenditure
Ep. 335: Lift Off: Space policy reforms and the private sector in India
31 min 48 sec
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently announced that the Union government will provide a predictable space policy and regulatory environment for private players.
Ep. 336: Managing Civil-Military Relations?
21 min 26 sec
With the establishment of the position of Chief of Defence Staff CDS there also came the new Department of Military Affairs DMA. In this episode, Pranay
Ep. 337: Cheap Internet: Reliance and the Telecom Sector in India
34 min 51 sec
India has one of the cheapest internet rates in the world. One gigabyte of data can cost as little as 18, while in other countries it may run into hundreds of rupees. How is this possible
Ep. 338: Spying on your Neighbour
28 min 20 sec
Governments are advocating for social pressure to ensure compliance with lockdowns.
Ep. 339: Choppy Waters: Assertion in the South China Sea
32 min 43 sec
Whats driving Chinas assertiveness in the South China Sea Is this a matter of pandemic opportunism or could there be other factors motivating Beijing
Ep. 340: One Country, One System: China’s Toughening HK Policy
30 min 24 sec
Chinas decision to press ahead with a new national security legislation has led to much speculation about the future of Hong Kong.
Ep. 341: Is the Clock ticking for TikTok?
28 min 59 sec
The idea of banning the TikTok app has been continually trending on Twitter. Critics cite the apps Chinese roots and some of its problematic usergenerated content.
Ep. 342: Locking Horns on the LAC
28 min 42 sec
For over a month now, troops from India and China have been locked in a standoff along the LAC in Ladakh.
Ep. 343: What's Happening on the LAC With China?
20 min 48 sec
China and India are involved in intense standoffs at multiple points across the LAC for over a month. Chinas aggression has approval from Xi Jinping and is driven by domestic pressures, says Jayadeva Ranade, former Additional Secretary, Government of I
Ep. 344: When Should India Reopen Its Schools?
25 min 53 sec
As lockdown restrictions are lifted across India, some states have announced plans to reopen schools. Indias children need to continue their education, and their parents need to go back to work,
Ep. 345: A Chip on China's Shoulder: The Geopolitics of Semiconductors
24 min 10 sec
Have you ever thought about what goes into manufacturing a smartphone that you might order online It involves highlyoptimised global supply chains spanning countries and continents.
Ep. 346: Modi and Morrison - India and Australia Draw Closer
21 min 2 sec
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison for a virtual summit last week, with the two countries striking significant agreements
Ep. 347: SARS-CoV-2 and the Biological Weapons Convention
24 min 55 sec
Most scientists have rubbished the idea that the novel coronavirus is a biological weapon.
Ep. 348: How Russia Plans for Nuclear War
22 min 43 sec
What does Russias new document on nuclear deterrence say about how it thinks about the ultimate weapon
Ep. 349: Treating COVID-19
22 min 39 sec
While much attention is paid to developing a vaccine for SARSCoV2, what are the treatments being tested or developed Shambhavi Naik and Sunila Dixit
Ep. 350: The Geopolitics of a COVID-19 Vaccine
28 min 50 sec
Companies, institutions and governments around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against COVID19. How will the country that gets there first use the vaccine to its advantage Nitin Pai, Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan look at the possib
Ep. 351: What the Second World War tells us about COVID-19
33 min 19 sec
In the 1930s, the US was an inwardlooking country struggling with a collapsing economy and spiralling unemployment. But by 1945, it was on the winning side of the Second World War,
Ep. 352: How a Pandemic Creates New National Security Risks
25 min 34 sec
What are the new national security threats India will face amid a global pandemic How can it anticipate these threats and prepare for them Pranay Kotasthane and Aditya Ramanathan talk to Manoj Kewalramani
Ep. 353: COVID-19: A Testing Strategy for India
25 min 30 sec
As COVID19 continues to spread in India, its becoming clear that governments at all levels, not just the Union, need to get involved in fighting it.
Ep. 354: Ordering the Information Disorder
23 min 42 sec
COVID19 has also unleashed a parallel pandemic of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.
Ep. 355: Can India and China Fight and Trade?
34 min 29 sec
Should India boycott Chinese goods In this episode, Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane look at some of the common reasons given for banning Chinese products and why theyre wrong.
Ep. 356: Making Sense of the Galwan Valley Incident
48 min 6 sec
The 15 June clashes in the Galwan Valley have resulted in heightened military and political tensions between India and China.
Ep. 357: Galwan Clash: Understanding Chinese Propaganda and Reportage
42 min 9 sec
How has the Chinese media reported the LAC standoff with India Why has Chinese media not pushed for clarity on casualty figures from the Galwan clash
Ep. 358: How Should India Deal With China?
41 min 8 sec
Even as it tries to make sense of what happened in the Galwan Valley, India needs to make a serious reassessment of its policy towards China.
Ep. 359: China's Ambitions in the Subcontinent
28 min 17 sec
Theres been a growing debate in India about Chinas influence in the Indian subcontinent.
Ep. 360: Will the TikTok Ban Work?
36 min 8 sec
The Government of India has banned 59 apps developed by Chinese companies but what does it actually mean to ban an app How will this affect tensions between India and China, and does banning ever really work
Ep. 361: China Through Indian Eyes
32 min 56 sec
Whats it like to study politics and international relations in China And how does India fit into the Chinese world view Manoj Kewalramani speaks to Hamsini Hariharan,
Ep. 362: COVID and Coronil
24 min 38 sec
Ayurvedic formulations touting to cure COVID19 have raised questions both about their claims and the scientific rigour of their clinical trials. Prateek Waghre talks to Sunila Dixit and Shambhavi Naik about Patanjalis
Ep. 363: Oil Prices and the Hidden Game of Governments
26 min 52 sec
Why are consumers paying more for their petrol and diesel when crude oil prices are low What do the Union and state governments do to control prices at the pump Who else benefits Pranay Kotasthane and Utkarsh Narain discuss.
Ep. 364: China Tightens it Noose Around Hong Kong
31 min 39 sec
China is tightening its grip on Hong Kong through a new national security law. The laws sweeping provisions give Beijing powers to crack down on political opposition both offline and online. Manoj Kewalramani, Suyash Desai, and Rohan Seth examine
Ep. 365: Crafting India's Strategy for China
37 min 3 sec
Should India balance against China by drawing closer to the United States
Ep. 366: Talking Turkey in India
31 min 29 sec
Are there parallels between Turkish and Indian politics Why has Turkey been drawn into the Middle Easts wars And how do Turkey and India see each other Journalist Madhuvanthi Srinivasan talks to Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya
Ep. 367: The State of India's Judiciary
36 min 14 sec
How has Indias judiciary functioned in Indias changing social conditions and political milieu Are there differences in the way the Supreme Court, high courts, and district courts respond to these challenges
Ep. 368: A Mountain Strike Corps to Deter China?
26 min 40 sec
As India considers its options to deter China along the LAC, some are pushing for a revival of the Mountain Strike Corps idea. But what is a Mountain Strike Corps Why has it not taken shape for a decade
Ep. 369: Should Companies Boycott Social Media?
19 min 20 sec
Social media platforms, especially Facebook, have been facing an ad boycott from companies such as Unilever and Starbucks that are demanding they address concerns misinformation and hate speech online.
Ep. 370: How China Sees India
25 min 39 sec
How do Chinas public policy thinkers and strategic community view Indias rise How did social media in China react to the Galwan clash Delhi Policy Groups
Ep. 371: A COVID-19 Vaccine Made in India?
23 min 58 sec
The ICMR recently stoked controversy by asking hospitals to participate in clinical trials for developing a COVID19 vaccine by August 15. Is this a realistic deadline
Ep. 372: How to do More COVID-19 Testing
38 min 15 sec
India has no shortage of diagnostic labs but it isnt testing enough people for COVID19. To understand why, Takshashilas Pranay Kotasthane talks to NIPFP researchers Harleen Kaur and Siddhartha Srivastava and molecular biologist Ameya
Ep. 373: Getting Children Back to Schooling
23 min 51 sec
The COVID19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on school education. But if schools cant open, how can students continue their education in a country with limited Internet access Takshashilas Sunila Dixit
Ep. 374: Beijing's Bid for Supremacy in the South China Sea
25 min 29 sec
Even as China seeks to enforce its territorial claims in the South China Sea, the United States has reacted strongly.
Ep. 375: The Grand Challenge of Weaponising the Economy
30 min 29 sec
Economic interdependence was supposed to bring peace but it also gives states the leverage they can use to coerce each other.
Ep. 376: Personal Memory and History
23 min 24 sec
Why do diaries written in times of tumult have such appeal to us even today What place do they hold in history Manoj Kewalramani and Ganesh Chakravarthi discuss how personal, anecdotal, and first person perspectives shape our understanding of the past.
Ep. 377: Why Don't We Have Underwater Aircraft Carriers?
20 min 11 sec
In the Second World War, Japan tried to develop a whole class of submarines that worked as small aircraft carriers. Why did the idea not catch on after 1945 Why do some military innovations reach a deadend Anirudh Kanisettti and Aditya Ramanathan delve
Ep. 378: India's Arctic Ambitions
25 min 9 sec
Why should India care about what happens in the polar regions And why has it sought greater influence in Arctic governance Aditya Ramanathan talks to Anirudh Kanisetti about Indias fascinating history of polar diplomacy.
Ep. 379: The Twitter Hack and Data Protection
26 min 13 sec
Twitters recent hack has raised concerns about data protection. But would the current Indian Data Protection Bill, which is being reviewed by Parliament, have been effective in tackling these concerns
Ep. 380: Disconnecting From Huawei
25 min 4 sec
The past few weeks have been tough for Huawei, as the UK and France have moved to reduce their dependence on it for their 5G networks. Whats prompted this change Is India also likely to follow suit Manoj Kewalramani and Pranay Kotasthane talk about rec
Ep. 381: Did India Win in Doklam?
25 min 29 sec
The 2017 IndiaChina standoff in Doklam, at a crucial trijunction between India, China, and Bhutan, was widely hailed as a victory for India. But was it In the light of new satellite imagery,
Ep. 382: Securing the Future: India’s Options Amid the LAC Standoff
35 min 31 sec
While India and China are in talks to disengage in Eastern Ladakh, what are the longterm implications of the standoff for bilateral ties Manoj Kewalramani talks to Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Lt. General Prakash Menon on the measures
Ep. 383: Antitrust Enquiry and Tech Giants
31 min 4 sec
Sundar Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and Jeff Bezos attended an antitrust enquiry last week. The tech giants were grilled on issues ranging from conservative bias to platform neutrality.
Ep. 384: The Puzzle of Tech Clusters
26 min 14 sec
Tech clusters play a leading role in fostering innovation, creating jobs, and attracting investments. In this episode, Sarthak Pradhan and Pranay Kotasthane
Ep. 385: Is India Prepared for Gene Edited Humans?
29 min 19 sec
The technology to modify the human genome is here, potentially signaling a transformation of societies and economies.
Ep. 386: Gender and the Indian City
42 min 4 sec
Are Indian cities equal spaces for everyone Do social expectations determine how accepting an urban space is to people of different genders What do gender relations in our homes have to do with the way we live in cities
Ep. 387: Confucian Confusion: India Reviews Work of CIs
32 min 46 sec
Amid the standoff at the LAC, the Indian government is reportedly reviewing the work of Confucius Institutes in the country.
Ep. 388: The Promise and Perils of Facial Recognition
26 min
Facial recognition technology and its applications have been advancing, even in the absence of adequate privacy laws. Facial data is personal, sensitive, and potentially permanent
Ep. 389: Reforming India's Agricultural Markets
30 min 5 sec
Agricultural markets in India have long been characterized by multiple trade barriers and uncompetitive policies.
Ep. 390: Ensuring Nutrition Amid a Pandemic
41 min 3 sec
COVID19 has worsened the problem of malnutrition in India because it has disrupted two critical programmes: the ICDS and MidDay Meal Scheme. However, after initial setbacks,
Ep. 391: The Secrets of Bengaluru's Past
31 min 13 sec
The recorded history of Bengaluru, one of Indias most dynamic cities, goes back well over a thousand years. However, its a past that offers us only the most tantalising glimpses
Ep. 392: Pivoting towards Taiwan
31 min 25 sec
The standoff in Eastern Ladakh has led to a number of calls for India to deepen the relationship with Taiwan.
Ep. 393: How Big Tech Sees the World
27 min 9 sec
Geographies and domestic politics have a profound impact on how big tech operates. This is evident when we examine the stance tech companies have taken on racial justice issues in the US,
Ep. 394: Regulating India's Wet Markets
24 min 34 sec
While a wet market in Wuhan has become notorious for being the likely place of origin of the SARSCoV2 virus, some of Indias own wet markets are plagued
Ep. 395: Restructuring India's Public Health Sector
22 min 49 sec
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare suffers from a lack of clear division of responsibilities, a platform for intersectoral coordination and conflicts of interest.
Ep. 396: An Extraordinary Life in the British Raj
27 min 19 sec
Stuck in the trenches of the Western Front in Europe, a soldier named Mir Mast took a very important decision that sent him on a remarkable journey through the 20th century world.
Ep. 397: Does History Shape Foreign Policy?
36 min 38 sec
Public discourse often attempts to explain the actions of nationstates throughcivilisational worldviews. China, for example, is believed to have a Middle Kingdom approach to foreign policy,
Ep. 398: WhatsApp Pay Antitrust case
29 min 32 sec
In a fortyone page order, The Competition Commission of India CCI last week ruled on an antitrust case on WhatsApps upcoming payments service.
Ep. 399: Revamping India's Labour Laws
31 min 42 sec
Labour laws in India are complex and rigid. In the last few months, several state governments have announced changes to these old rules. But are the steps in the right direction Anupam Manur and Sarthak Pradhan discuss.
Ep. 400: The Scale of the Pandemic in India
20 min 47 sec
Serosurveys conducted in Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune have thrown up some interesting findings on the possible scale of COVID19 infection in India, showing a huge difference between the prevalence of infected persons and the number of
Ep. 401: The Forgotten Heritage of the Deccan
1 hr 8 min 17 sec
From the 14th to the 17th centuries, the Sultanates of the Deccan embarked on a remarkable experiment in globalisation and regionalisation. This is reflected in their art, politics, and culture, but especially in their language.
Ep. 402: Strategic Autonomy: What It Means for India
27 min 56 sec
As Indias relations with China deteriorate, what sort of ties should it seek with the United States Lt General Prakash Menon talks to Suyash Desai and Aditya Ramanathan about the way ahead.
Ep. 403: Can Our Public Spaces Return to Normalcy?
28 min 14 sec
The pandemic has transformed attitudes towards public spaces like schools, movie theatres, and offices. When can these return to normalcy And how Rohan Seth
Ep. 404: How the Pandemic Has Affected Indian Women
32 min 12 sec
As the Indian economy struggles with the aftermath of lockdowns and preexisting problems, COVID19 has now spread across the length and breadth of the country. One of the most serious consequences of the pandemic is the way it has impacted
Ep. 405: How Can India be More Disabled Friendly?
17 min 57 sec
The United Nations has released its firstever guidelines on making justice systems more accessible to people with disabilities. India has the Right to Persons with Disabilities Act 2016,
Ep. 406: Xi Jinping's Plans for Tibet
25 min 8 sec
In a landmark speech last week, Chinas President Xi Jinping laid out Beijings strategy for securing Tibet. What do Chinas plans mean for the people of Tibet
Ep. 407: China Military Report
36 min 46 sec
The Pentagons 2020 China Military Power report emphasizes the advances made by the Chinese armed forces towards achieving worldclass force status. Manoj Kewalramani
Ep. 408: Should the Government Collect Health Data?
24 min 37 sec
The new National Health Data Management Policy creates a framework for collecting citizens medical data. Sunila Dixit, Shambhavi Naik, and Prateek Waghre discuss the provisions of this policy, and what it means for health and privacy.
Ep. 409: How to Increase India's State Capacity
32 min 35 sec
As India struggles with the COVID19 pandemic, questions about the capacity of the state have come to the forefront.
Ep. 410: Should the State Set Rules for Content Moderation?
25 min 52 sec
Reports suggest that India is looking to formulate guidelines for consistent content moderation across social media platforms.
Ep. 411: When Japan Tried to Invade China
27 min 13 sec
The Imjin War of the late sixteenth century changed the fates of Japan, Korea, and China. But what was it all about And why does it have such a powerful grip on modern imaginations
Ep. 412: Making Sense of the LAC Standoff
25 min 59 sec
Is the joint statement between India and China on 10th September a sign that the two sides are finding a way to end their standoff on the LAC Manoj Kewalramani
Ep. 413: How Can We Vaccinate India?
30 min 13 sec
Once a safe and effective vaccine for COVID19 is available, who should get inoculated first And how will India vaccinate at least 800 million of its citizens Shambhavi Naik and Ameya Paleja discuss their new vaccine strategy with Anirudh Kanisetti.
Ep. 414: Why Neglecting Opportunity Costs Leads to Bad Policy
31 min 11 sec
Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative that is foregone when exercising a particular option. Any good public policy needs to take this into account, to avoid an inefficient allocation of scarce resources
Ep. 415: The Wicked Problem of Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour
38 min 26 sec
CIB or Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour is a precisesounding term that remains imprecise. As the recent Buzzfeed expos on Facebook highlights, platform action against such activities is often subjective and haphazard.
Ep. 416: Whose History is it Anyway?
30 min 14 sec
Do statues, monuments and buildings represent history Or just the preoccupations of those that erected them Should statues of problematic figures be taken down Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan
Ep. 417: Inside China's National Security State
26 min 18 sec
Ever since Xi Jinping assumed power in China in late 2012, concerns about domestic stability, external challenges, and the resilience of Party rule have led to the building of a national security state.
Ep. 418: Serosurveys and the True Picture of the Pandemic in India
23 min 29 sec
Indias national and state/city level serosurveys have come up with concerning results. The disparity between the estimated number of cases based on seroprevalence and the actual number of cases reported is,
Ep. 419: Military Revolutions: Past, Present, and Future
26 min 26 sec
Recent Pentagon reports indicate that China is quickly leveling the scales against the US by building up its military. New frontiers in military technology are constantly being pushed,
Ep. 420: Reforming the Information Technology Act
29 min 20 sec
The Internet in India is governed by the IT Act. But the powers this law gives the state need to be balanced with due process and adequate safeguards. Rohan Seth and Prateek Waghre are joined by Gopal Jain, a Supreme Court advocate and
Ep. 421: India's Sea War Against Germany and Japan
33 min 8 sec
From 1939 to 1945, the Royal Indian Navy fought on the high seas in the greatest conflict in human history. In this episode, Commodore Odakkal Johnson,
Ep. 422: Why Great Powers Procrastinate
36 min 15 sec
Why did the United States aid and abet Chinas rise instead of strangling the baby in the cradle Manoj Kewalramani, Pranay Kotasthane, and Aditya Ramanathan
Ep. 423: Online Fashion Vs Amazon
23 min 56 sec
Why did the Competition Commission of India rule in favour of Amazon in an antitrust case brought by a fashion brand Rohan Seth and Prateek Waghre discuss this ruling and its implications.
Ep. 424: Celebrities and Vaccines, From the 19th Century to the Present
23 min 20 sec
Can celebrities help build trust in a new vaccine Shambhavi Naik and Anirudh Kanisetti talk to Aditya Ramanathan about the historical role celebrities have played in facilitating vaccinations in India since the early 1800s
Ep. 425: How China's Belt and Road Initiative is Adapting to COVID
31 min 50 sec
Even as the world is buffeted by a global pandemic and massive economic slowdowns, Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative BRI is quietly adapting to the new realities.
Ep. 426: Choppy Waters in the South China Sea
28 min 17 sec
As China asserts itself once again in the South China Sea, the United States outlines a new position, and regional actors react cautiously, Suyash Desai
Ep. 427: How Should We Disagree Online?
30 min 22 sec
Interventions against problematic discourse online can result in amplifying it due a combination of group dynamics and algorithmic reward. For example, retweeting something controversial to debunk it might end up making it more popular. How can different
Ep. 428: Ethics in Clinical Trials
31 min 16 sec
ICMRs 2017 ethical guidelines need a revision, with more focus on fundamental principles that govern the moral decisions and on ethical dilemmas that arise while conducting clinical trials/biomedical and health research.
Ep. 429: Does Facebook Risk Antitrust Action?
22 min 20 sec
Facebook reportedly aims to integrate Messenger and Instagram Direct. While this may have been in the works all along, its now stirring murmurs about US antitrust action. Aditya Ramanathan joins Rohan Seth and Prateek Waghre to break down recent events.
Ep. 430: How Can States Help Themselves?
35 min 1 sec
The stalemate between the Union and the states with regards to GST compensation continues. Even if it is resolved, it is going to be a temporary fix. States will need to explore ways to leverage their untapped revenue generation
Ep. 431: Taiwan's China Threat
31 min 43 sec
Tensions between China and Taiwan are on the rise due to repeated Chinese military drills and activities in the Taiwan Strait. In this episode, Manoj and Suyash talk to Sunila about what it means for the future of ChinaTaiwan relations, and what should
Ep. 432: The Trials and Tribulations of ASHAs
21 min 19 sec
Why did Indias auxiliary health workers, the ASHAs, go on strike Sunila Dixit talks to Anirudh Kanisetti about the challenges ASHAs have faced the increased burden from the COVID19 pandemic, the lack of protective equipment,
Ep. 433: China’s Blueprint for Data Security
20 min 51 sec
China recently launched the Global Data Security Initiative, laying out eight important principles. One of these principles talks about the need to use judicial processes to provide law enforcement access to data.
Ep. 434: The Hidden Realities Behind Crime Statistics
29 min 48 sec
What state has the worst crime rates Thats not easy to tell because crime statistics in India arent always accurate reflections of the actual crime situation. In this episode,
Ep. 435: How the Portuguese Influenced India's Culture
33 min 59 sec
From a transformation of cuisines to vanishing creole languages to loan words we use every day, the influence of Portugal on the fabric of life in the subcontinent is endlessly fascinating. Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan
Ep. 436: What's Happening in Space?
21 min 15 sec
Its been an eventful couple of weeks in matters relating to space, with eight nations signing an agreement on moon exploration and new advances in the reusable craft.
Ep. 437: To Break or Not to Break: Discussing the US Congressional Report on Antitrust
45 min 36 sec
The US Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law came out with a 449page report on monopoly power in digital markets. How might recommendations from this report impact the functioning of Amazon,
Ep. 438: Mental Health and the Pandemic
37 min 2 sec
Prolonged periods of isolation and loss of jobs due to COVID19 have resulted in rising cases of suicide, depression, and anxiety. Open conversations about mental health are the best way to address the stigma surrounding it.
Ep. 439: Submarine Cables: Why They Matter and Who Threatens Them
21 min 24 sec
Around 97 of all global communications are facilitated by submarine telecom cables. These cables, and the online connectivity they enable, are crucial to Indias economic recovery and progress.
Ep. 440: Who Really Wrote the Arthashastra?
20 min 47 sec
The Arthashastra is famously believed to have been composed by Chanakya, the prime minister of Chandragupta Maurya. But a new wave of scholarship is challenging that idea. Was Chanakya real
Ep. 441: The Paradoxes of Pakistani Politics
29 min 16 sec
Whats fuelling political instability in Pakistan Why are opposition parties rallying behind former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and against army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa
Ep. 442: Making Content Policy for Hate Speech
26 min
It has been a busy time for content moderation and social media. Facebook has updated its policy on holocaust denial and Delhis Peace and Harmony Committee
Ep. 443: Is Herd Immunity a Viable Strategy for COVID-19?
22 min 3 sec
A recent declaration from a group of experts calls for a different strategy to deal with COVID19: one of achieving herd immunity while protecting the vulnerable. The majority of experts oppose this, pointing out that the idea is impractical and
Ep. 444: Reforming the Power Sector OR Can we have less power cuts?
34 min 22 sec
Reforms are long overdue in Indias power sector. Does the recent draft Electricity Amendment Bill offer viable solutions Anupam Manur and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the challenges Indias power sector faces and analyze whether the draft bill provisions can
Ep. 445: Understanding the Taliban's Strategies for War and Peace
34 min 42 sec
The United States, the Afghan government, and the Taliban are vying for advantage in the ongoing talks. In a conversation with Pranay Kotasthane and Aditya Ramanathan, Takshashilas distinguished fellow,
Ep. 446: How Australia Sees the Indo-Pacific
24 min 46 sec
In a historic development, Australia will join the Malabar naval exercise in November along with India, the US and Japan. High Commissioner Barry OFarell joins Nitin Pai and Pranay Kotasthane to talk about the exercise,
Ep. 447: The Perils of Stubble Burning
18 min 57 sec
Stubble burning in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh contributes to air pollution in North India during the wintertime.
Ep. 448: The Political Theatre of Section 230
29 min 20 sec
The US Senate questioned the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter, and Google on whether Section 230 which shields them from liability for the actions of online users enables their own bad behaviour
Ep. 449: Rags to Riches: The Mystery of Social Mobility in India
30 min 42 sec
Social mobility refers to a change in ones social status relative to ones current social location. What are the factors impacting social mobility What is the extent of social mobility in India
Ep. 450: China's Plan for the Next Five Years
24 min 45 sec
China held the fifth plenary session of the 19th Communist Party Central Committee last week. The primary task was to assess the results of the 13th FiveYear Plan 20162020 and consider the draft proposal for the 14th FiveYear Plan
Ep. 451: What Today's Submarines Owe to the Cold War and WWII
19 min 55 sec
The cutting edge features in naval submarines today are the legacy of Cold Warera technologies that were, in turn, derived from both Axis and Allied efforts from the 1930s. Suyash Desai and Aditya Pareek discuss the fascinating history of how
Ep. 452: What Ancient Egypt Tells Us About Ourselves
42 min 52 sec
Cleopatra, the last active ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt is closer to our time than the Great Pyramid of Giza was to her time. How did ancient Egypt last so long And how did it combine dynamism with endurance Anirudh Kanisetti joins Aditya
Ep. 453: How Will Biden Deal With China?
32 min 35 sec
Will a Biden administration get tougher on Beijing Will it ease the pressure Or will it be more of the same Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss what the coming years might hold for USChina relations.
Ep. 454: What India's Information Ecosystem Can Learn from the US Elections
37 min 44 sec
Information disorder took centerstage in the 2020 US elections, with massmedia and social media platforms both amplifying and containing narratives. What lessons can the information ecosystem in India learn from them Prateek Waghre
Ep. 455: Pfizer and the Hunt for a COVID-19 Vaccine
29 min 36 sec
What does Pfizers announcement about its COVID19 vaccine mean Why did Brazil halt Chinas SinoVac vaccine trial When will Serum Institutes vaccine be ready Manoj Kewalramani is joined by Ameya Paleja and Sunila Dixit to talk about progress being
The Takshashila Institution has launched a new book, Indias Marathon: Reshaping the PostPandemic World Order, a collection of essays by public intellectuals about our changing world and what India needs to do to thrive.
Ep. 457: India's Marathon: Ameya Naik on India and the Rules-Based International Order
32 min 3 sec
The Takshashila Institution has launched a new book, Indias Marathon: Reshaping the PostPandemic World Order, a collection of essays by public intellectuals about our changing world and what India needs to do to thrive.
Ep. 458: India's Marathon: Raja Karthikeya on India as an International Mediator
38 min 14 sec
The Takshashila Institution has launched a new book, Indias Marathon: Reshaping the PostPandemic World Order, a collection of essays by public intellectuals about our changing world and what India needs to do to thrive.
Ep. 459: India's Marathon: Shruti Rajagopalan on India's Strength in Numbers
1 hr 5 min 59 sec
The Takshashila Institution has launched a new book, Indias Marathon: Reshaping the PostPandemic World Order, a collection of essays by public intellectuals about our changing world and what India needs to do to thrive.
Ep. 460: India's Marathon: Kunal Singh on Leveraging the India-US Partnership
31 min 38 sec
The Takshashila Institution has launched a new book, Indias Marathon: Reshaping the PostPandemic World Order, a collection of essays by public intellectuals about our changing world and what India needs to do to thrive.
The Takshashila Institution has launched a new book, Indias Marathon: Reshaping the PostPandemic World Order, a collection of essays by public intellectuals about our changing world and what India needs to do to thrive.
Ep. 462: The World Health Assembly Meets Amid a Pandemic
24 min 48 sec
While the pandemic rages on without end, the 73rd World Health Assembly has passed important resolutions relating to vaccination, food security, and other diseases. Manoj Kewalramani and Sunila Dixit talk about the recent resolutions as
Ep. 463: How Not To Regulate Disinformation
23 min 52 sec
The Kerala State government has backed down from amending its Police Act to include imprisonment for social media posts considered offensive or defamatory. But different efforts to tackle disinformation across the country
Ep. 464: How Effective Are the New COVID Vaccines?
31 min 1 sec
How is vaccine effectiveness calculated Should ministers be part of vaccine clinical trialsSunila Dixit is joined by Ameya Paleja and Shambhavi Naik to discuss the latest developments in vaccines to combat COVID19.
Ep. 465: Should 2020 be a Zero Year for Education?
42 min 35 sec
The COVID19 pandemic has worsened inequalities in Indias education sector. While many schools and colleges have resorted to online classes, millions of students struggle to get access to the required technology. Should India consider
Ep. 466: Lessons to Learn on Big Tech Regulation
39 min 38 sec
Both the US and Europe have attempted to regulate Big Tech effectively. Soon, it will be Indias turn to work out new ground rules for these novel technologies and business practices. Atish Padhy and Saurabh Modi join Anirudh Kanisetti to discuss
Ep. 467: Dropping Out of RCEP: An Opportunity Lost for India
30 min 37 sec
For a larger regional and global presence, India needs to be proactive in joining free trade agreements. Dropping out of RCEP is an opportunity lost to push the Indian industry towards greater competitiveness. Anupam Manur and Manoj
Ep. 468: Guidelines for Cab Aggregators: The good, the bad, and the unnecessary
36 min 53 sec
The Ministry of Road Transport Highways has issued new Motor Vehicle Aggregators guidelines. These have some serious implications for companies like Uber and Ola. Rohan Seth talks to Anupam Manur about what the fine print really
Ep. 469: Is India Really Closer to Achieving its Sanitation Goals?
24 min 39 sec
A new WHO report, State of the Worlds Sanitation, reveals what progress has been made and what remains to be done. What are the social factors affecting the utilization of sanitation facilities Is India actually 100 opendefecation free
Ep. 470: Does One Nation, One Election Make Sense?
38 min 2 sec
Recently, on the Constitution Day, the Prime Minister called for replacing current election cycles with simultaneous elections. While this is not a new idea, does it solve the challenges of holding several elections And are there better solutions
Ep. 471: The Death of a Scientist and the Future of Iran’s Nuclear Programme
34 min 34 sec
The killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has dimmed prospects for a renewed nuclear deal with Iran. Will US Presidentelect Joe Biden be able to resume talks And how will the killing affect Indias relationship with Iran Manoj
Ep. 472: Is Corporate Ownership of Banks a Good Idea?
24 min 5 sec
An internal working group set up by RBI recommended allowing corporate houses to own and operate banks. Sarthak Pradhan joins Saurabh Modi to discuss the reasoning behind the move and the new challenges it could create.
Ep. 473: Could Spies Avert the Next Pandemic?
42 min 3 sec
As threats from disease outbreaks and ecological disasters grow, should intelligence agencies be tasked with tracking them What are the potential benefits and pitfalls of such a move Takshashilas director Nitin Pai joins
Ep. 474: Is India Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine Soon?
22 min 47 sec
Vaccines are being approved for emergency use in countries like the UK and Canada. Can India do the same Sunila Dixit talks to Shambhavi Naik about the status of various vaccine candidates, a planned app to ease tracking of vaccine
Ep. 475: Bear's Den: Why Does Russia Want A Naval Base in the Red Sea?
21 min 4 sec
Russia is planning to lease a naval base in Sudan for at least 25 years. Aditya Pareek talks to Aditya Ramanathan about Moscows underlying ambitions, the geopolitics driving this move, and the state of Russias fleet, especially its flagship Admiral Kuzn
Ep. 476: India-China Ties: The Strategic Dimension
35 min 48 sec
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said this week that the relationship with China had been significantly damaged this year. In fact, as winter sets in, multiple rounds of talks at the Corps Commander level have failed to result in
Ep. 477: Is the FTC Suit Against Facebook Fair?
30 min 1 sec
The US Federal Trade Commission is suing Facebook for its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. Is Facebook monopolising the personal social networking marketplace Anupam Manur and Rohan Seth weigh the evidence and
Ep. 478: Surprises in the National Family Health Survey
24 min 19 sec
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the findings of the first phase of the National Family Health Survey 5. While indicators on family planning and vaccination have improved, the trends of nutrition are concerning. Anirudh
Ep. 479: What are China's Lunar Ambitions?
21 min 39 sec
Chinas Change 5 mission returned to Earth after a 23day mission to the moon during which it collected two kilograms of lunar samples. What does this mission tell us about Chinas lunar program And how does Indias own moon exploration
Ep. 480: Europe's China Dilemma
33 min 24 sec
Even as incoming US President Joe Biden vows to craft a coherent strategy on China, the European Union is trying to clinch a trade deal with Beijing. How do Europeans view the rise of China And how can Europe balance its American
Ep. 481: Should AYUSH Doctors Perform Surgeries?
29 min 56 sec
A recent notification from the Ministry of AYUSH says postgraduate AYUSH doctors will be trained to perform 39 types of surgeries. The notification has caused discontent among modern medicine doctors and led them to go on strike.
Ep. 482: How Can Citizens Make Cities Better?
29 min 1 sec
While Indians lavish attention on general and state elections, democracy at the municipal tends to be ignored or hijacked by extraneous issues. In this episode, Suman Joshi, programme manager for Takshashilas Graduate Certificate in Public
Ep. 483: Quad and the Semiconductor Value Chain
34 min 42 sec
The semiconductor value chain is one of the most diverse supply chains in the tech world. No one country has been successful in having a completely domestic supply chain. Could collaborations within international groupings such as the Quad
Ep. 484: Civilisation: What Ancient Mesopotamia Tells Us about India
38 min 21 sec
The Indian Subcontinent had some of the oldest cities in the world but we know almost nothing about the urban culture of the Indus Valley, especially compared to its contemporaries in ancient Mesopotamia.
Ep. 485: The Curious Case of Markets, Masks and Hand Sanitisers
32 min 50 sec
The availability and quality of face masks and hand sanitisers have improved many times over since the pandemic began. How did this happen Sarthak Pradhan joins Saurabh Modi to discuss how markets solved the problem of scarcity with urgency
Ep. 486: How Britain Spied on the Seas
25 min 16 sec
The Royal Navy has been one of the most formidable forces ever to put to sea in history. Through modern times, the Royal Navy has been served by a welloiled intelligence machine made of many cogs. Aditya Pareek talks to Aditya
Ep. 487: Great Books From a Year of Reading
39 min 32 sec
2020 has been a strange year. One thing that remained constant at Takshashila was our love for reading. Manoj Kewalramani joins Nitin Pai and Rohan Seth to talk about their reading lists and learnings from tech, policy, fiction, and beyond.
Ep. 488: Can you Speed up Vaccine Approval?
33 min 38 sec
Indias approval of two COVID19 vaccines for emergency use has received mixed responses. Shambhavi Naik, Anirudh Kanisetti and Sunila Dixit discuss the approval process, the possible consequences of speeding things up and the potential impact on public c
Ep. 489: What's Going to Happen in 2021?
38 min 30 sec
2020 was one of the most turbulent years in recent history. Whats 2021 going to look like Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane speak to Anirudh Kanisetti about their big economic and geopolitical predictions for the next year.
Ep. 490: What was China’s PLA up to in 2020?
33 min 9 sec
The year 2020 was critical for the Chinese armed forces. Its goal of achieving mechanisation was delayed, as were recruitment reforms. Meanwhile, assertion with regard to territorial disputes intensified. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani
Ep. 491: Trustbusters! What the Microsoft Case Teaches Us About Antitrust
43 min 18 sec
Modern tech monopolies are being subject to antitrust investigations in the US and in India. There are lessons they can learn from Microsoft in the 1990s. Rohan Seth talks to Mihir Mahajan on Microsofts antitrust troubles and what they tell us
Ep. 492: What Biden Means for India
27 min 33 sec
How will Joe Bidens administration approach relations with India Should Delhi be worried Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan discuss the prospects for IndiaUS ties in the postTrump era.
Ep. 493: Can India Displace China in Global Supply Chains?
37 min 42 sec
The rise in international tensions and the decline in economic globalisation are often touted as opportunities for India to become a critical part of global supply chains as businesses exit China.
Ep. 494: Jack and the Ant: A Fairytale that's Ending?
31 min 32 sec
Chinas financial sector is making global news. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, Alipay and Ant Group, has not been heard from recently, while Chinese regulators are reportedly talking about breaking up his fintech empire.
Ep. 495: Declassified: The US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy
29 min 22 sec
In an unexpected move last week, the US National Security Advisor declassified the Trump administrations 2018 U.S. Strategic Framework for the IndoPacific. What does this tell us about Americas approach to the region
Ep. 496: Launching India's Space Start-ups into Orbit
30 min 23 sec
As Bengalurubased startup Pixxel prepares for the launch of its first satellite into space, we talk to its CEO, Awais Ahmed, about Indias growing commercial space sector, the promise it holds, and the challenges it faces.
Ep. 497: The Vaccine Update: India's Rollout and Beyond
32 min 20 sec
As India launches the first phase of its COVID19 vaccination programme, Shambhavi Naik talks to Rohan Seth about domestic and international developments, Indias vaccine diplomacy, and the crucial question of efficacy.
Ep. 498: How Not to Secure Women's Liberty
33 min 38 sec
The Madhya Pradesh government recently proposed that women living away from home must register with police stations to be tracked. This may have serious implications for the mobility and privacy of millions of citizens.
Ep. 499: What Should India Do With Its Rare Earth Reserves?
25 min 1 sec
Rare earth underpins the Indian economy. But despite being home to the worlds fifthlargest rare earth reserves, India overwhelmingly imports these crucial resources and their derivatives from China, its most significant geopolitical rival.
Ep. 500: Behind the Scenes at All Things Policy
1 hr 20 min 2 sec
On 27 January, All Things Policy, the worlds only daily public policy podcast, marked 500 episodes. Manoj Kewalramani talks to Aditya Ramanathan and Anirudh Kanisetti about the surprising origins of the podcast
Ep. 501: How to Foster Science and Tech in India
29 min 27 sec
The Draft 5th Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2020 outlines a grand vision for Indian science over the coming years. But is it a feasible one Aditya Ramanathan and Shambhavi Naik discuss the ideas proposed in this policy,
Ep. 502: What Angkor Teaches Us About India
37 min 9 sec
Southeast Asia is generally thought of as being Indianised for much of its history but what does that actually mean Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan
Ep. 503: Alexei Navalny - The Face of the Russian Opposition?
26 min 47 sec
Following the arrest of well known Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, an unprecedented number of protests have broken out across Russia.
Ep. 504: Asia's Cold Frontier: Tracking Japan - Russia Ties
24 min 36 sec
As immediate neighbours, Japan and Russia have an uneasy relationship going back centuries. A longstanding territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands has held back the promise of widening economic cooperation.
Ep. 505: Unpacking Budget 2021
31 min 58 sec
This years budget included several welcome steps such as higher infrastructure funding and a greater allocation to healthcare. It also included newer ways to raise resources, such as the use of asset monetisation.
Ep. 506: What Does 137% Hike in Health Budget Mean?
27 min 16 sec
A major highlight of the Budget 202122 was the 137 increase in the budget allocation towards health.
Ep. 507: The Seleukid Empire and the Silk Roads
22 min 17 sec
Though often seen as a footnote in Indian history, the Seleukid Empire dominated much of the Hellenistic world after the death of Alexander the Great.
Ep. 508: When The Stonks Are Down
29 min 21 sec
The RedditGameStop saga has been making news around the world. The next few weeks will raise important questions about how much responsibility social media platforms have in cases like these and whether they can be sued for financial damages in similar
Ep. 509: Making Sense of India's Defence Budget
33 min 59 sec
A major highlight of the Budget 202122 was the 18.75 increase in the capital outlay in allocation towards defence.
Ep. 510: The Contest to Chart the Indo-Pacific's Oceans
19 min 32 sec
Major powers are ramping up their efforts to map the undersea environment of the IndoPacific. Charting and mapping the ocean deeps confer both economic and military advantages and to keep up, India will have to adopt innovative solutions.
Ep. 511: Will the DNA Bill do More Harm than Good?
25 min 14 sec
The DNA Technology Use and Application Regulation Bill has been listed for consideration in the Budget session.
Ep. 512: China's Vaccine Diplomacy
24 min 3 sec
China is offering priority access to Chinesedeveloped vaccines to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Ep. 513: Struggle and Revolution in Telugu Literature
37 min 49 sec
Telugu culture is most often associated with Tollywood today but at one point, revolutionary Telugu writers and poets were among the most progressive and influential intellectuals of their time.
Ep. 514: 5G: will India be Late to the Party?
29 min 40 sec
The standing committee on Information Technology has come out with a report examining Indias preparedness for 5G. It questions whether India is going to miss the bus.
Ep. 515: Making sense of China-India disengagement on the LAC
30 min 57 sec
China and India announced an agreement to disengage from Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh, along the Line of Actual Control LAC. Lt Gen Dr Prakash Menon and Manoj Kewalramani join Suyash Desai to talk about the ongoing
Ep. 516: Can India Meet Its COVID-19 Vaccination Target?
20 min 57 sec
Will India be able to cover its target population for COVID19 vaccination What issues is India facing during vaccination Which vaccines are being approved Sunila Dixit and Shambhavi Naik discuss these questions and more.
Ep. 517: The Mirage of a United Asia
28 min 42 sec
Totally amicable relations between the countries of Asia might seem hopelessly idealistic today but about a hundred years ago, a wave of intellectuals in India and China believed that it was not only realistic but inevitable.
Ep. 518: Should Google and Facebook Pay for News?
28 min 23 sec
Australia has come up with a code to make Google and Facebook negotiate with news outlets and pay for content that they host. The tech giants have reacted by threatening to stop their services in Australia.
Ep. 519: How Russia Uses the Geopolitics of Natural Gas
26 min 1 sec
Russia has been the largest supplier of LNG to Europe. Being the hydrocarbon bridge between Western, Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine is heavily dependent on transit fees from Russia.
Ep. 520: Reaching for the Heavens Via India
25 min 7 sec
Brazil is preparing to launch Amaznia1, its first indigenously made earthobservation satellite, from Sriharikota in just a few days.
Ep. 521: The Strange World of Serina
33 min 9 sec
Imagine a world of endless meadow and hills, lit by the glow of a nearby gas giant. Here, over hundreds of millions of years, birds evolve into a dizzying array of strange shapes and forms reminiscent of the grandeur and diversity of life on earth.
Ep. 522: How Did Rome Defeat the Armies of Alexander's Successors?
38 min
Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Greek historian Polybius tried to analyze how Romes armies vanquished the worldconquering Hellenistic armies centered on the Macedonian pikephalanx.
Ep. 523: China’s Naval Expansion and India’s Options
23 min 23 sec
China has publicized its current naval strategy of Near Seas Defense and Far Seas Protection, which calls for the Peoples Liberation Army Navy to expand the geographic and mission scope of its operations.
Ep. 524: A New Era for Indian Internet
31 min 4 sec
Last week the government notified the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021. The rules have some serious implications for how Internet content creators and platforms are going to function in India.
Ep. 525: China's New Coastguard Law
26 min 41 sec
Chinas National Peoples Congress Standing Committee passed a law authorizing its coastguard to open fire on foreign vessels in the contested waters around its periphery. Suyash Desai and Anirudh Kanisetti discuss what it means for regional security and
Ep. 526: Citizen Science - A Solution to Fake Information?
31 min 34 sec
The COVID19 pandemic brought along with it increased transmission of disinformation as well. Can citizen science offer solutions
Ep. 527: Northern Sea Route - A New Dawn for Russia?
31 min 40 sec
The Russian LNG carrier Christoph De Margeries latest voyage along the NSR is being seen as a watershed. Is Moscows dream of yearround access to the NSR closer to reality than previously thought
Ep. 528: The Long Arm of the Law Crosses Borders
24 min 44 sec
Electronic evidence has become an integral part of criminal investigations. This often requires access to data stored in other jurisdictions. What processes are in place in India today to make this happen How are other countries approaching
Ep. 529: Fixing Mumbai's Air Pollution
44 min 59 sec
Mumbai, one of the most densely populated cities, is reeling under growing levels of air pollution. Compared to 27 other cities globally, Mumbai bears some of the highest costs as a percentage of the GDP because of air pollutionrelated health effects.
Ep. 530: What’s China Planning in 2021?
32 min 32 sec
Chinas Two Sessions prioritised the roadmap for the countrys 14th Five Year Plan and flagged areas of development to achieve sustainable growth and lead innovation in the future. Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss the NPCs
Ep. 531: Does the Government Spend as Promised?
27 min 57 sec
Does the governments demand for funds actually match the outcomes it has promised
Ep. 532: Peace for Afghanistan?
21 min 23 sec
A draft agreement proposed by the US to jumpstart the peace talks in Afghanistan envisages the formation of a transition government with the Taliban. Anand Arni talks to Suyash Desai about the proposal and what it portends for the Afghan people.
Ep. 533: Will the Internet FLoC to Google’s Standards?
35 min 21 sec
In early March, Google announced that it would not support alternatives to thirdparty cookies to track user behaviour at an individual level. It will also begin public tests for FLoC Federated Learning of Cohorts, its proposed standard to target ads
Ep. 534: Safe Water for Big Cities
53 min 25 sec
As we record this episode, residents in East Delhi are facing an acute water shortage. The shortages come soon after the Delhi Government went to the Supreme Court against the state of Haryana, highlighting the increasingly polluted
Ep. 535: The Missiles of Lady Liberty
24 min 20 sec
The US militarys IndoPacific Command is seeking additional funding to strengthen the US security umbrella in the region under the Pacific Deterrence InitiativePDI. The funding will partly go towards building a network of precision
Ep. 536: Is it Safe to Breathe in India?
21 min 13 sec
A new report from air technology company IQAir concludes that despite an 11 reduction in PM2.5 levels, India emerged as the worlds thirdmost polluted country. Indias air quality has serious ramifications for both public health and the
Ep. 537: How Does China Think About Nuclear War?
30 min 39 sec
A recent report indicates China is doubling the number of its nuclear missile silos. Does this suggest Beijing is moving towards a hairtriggers launchonwarning posture Suyash Desai, Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan weigh the evidence.
Ep. 538: Is the Quad ushering a new era in the Indo-Pacific?
49 min 4 sec
The firstever Quad leaders summit ended with leaders of the US, India, Japan and Australia agreeing to work towards furthering shared values and interests. They also outlined an agenda for vaccine deployment, tackling climate change and
Ep. 539: Welcome to the Splinternet
24 min 36 sec
Russia recently attempted to throttle Twitter, while China has blocked access to Signal and instituted new rules which require social media users to have governmentissued credentials. These moves are in line with global efforts to
Ep. 540: India's Approach to Welfare
22 min 10 sec
Indias welfare architecture has changed over time. But have these changes been for the better Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the evolution of welfare systems in India.
Ep. 541: A New Law for Assisted Reproductive Technology?
26 min 59 sec
Last week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare came up with a report on the The Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, 2020 which was introduced in Lok Sabha on 14 September 2020. The Bill seeks
Ep. 542: Quad to Anchorage - Shifting sands of the international order
34 min 30 sec
The past two weeks have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity, from the Quad summit to the USChina talks in Alaska. Listen to this conversation between Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai as they discuss the implications of the
Ep. 543: Making the Net-work
34 min 51 sec
Why didnt everyone switch from WhatsApp to the Signal messaging service earlier this year Network effects, lockin, and switching costs shape up our preferences every day. Anupam Manur talks to Rohan Seth about the different kinds of
Ep. 544: How to Provide Reliable Power
38 min 28 sec
Indias power generation capacity is underutilized, and the Indian consumer is still underserved. In this episode, Jisha Cherian talks to Sarthak Pradhan about how the Indian power sector works and some possible ways to reform it.
Ep. 545: Panchsheel - How a Dream Ended
39 min 57 sec
Why did Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru choose to pursue the 1954 Panchsheel Agreement with China Was it mere naivete Or was there realpolitik thinking involved
Ep. 546: How Britain Plans to Engage the World
24 min 54 sec
The UKs recently published but longawaited Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, is being hailed as a visionary document.
Ep. 547: Is Privacy a Competition Issue?
22 min 17 sec
Google and Facebook have cornered the largest parts of the global digital advertising marketplace. The way these markets operate has a significant impact on privacy. With antitrust action picking up in multiple countries, Prateek Waghre
Ep. 548: Rethinking Indian Healthcare
28 min 8 sec
India performs poorly in most of the health indicators. Yet, there isnt much popular demand for a robust healthcare system. In this episode, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan look at the state of public health in India and examine why
Ep. 549: Does India's Vaccine Diplomacy Work?
25 min
India has practiced vaccine diplomacy during COVID19, engaging its Neighbourhood First policy. But are there advantages in extending this diplomacy beyond COVID19 Pranathi Rao and Shambhavi Naik discuss the benefits, risks
Ep. 550: What Lies Ahead for Antitrust Reform
32 min 25 sec
The Democratic Party, which has strongly advocated regulation of large technology corporations, effectively controls Congress and the White House in the US. Anupam Manur and Rohan Seth join Prateek Waghre to discuss recent
Ep. 551: Impact of China’s policies in Tibet on India’s National Security
24 min 27 sec
From rail connectivity, new dams and border villages to increasing sinicization of religion, Beijing is ramping up efforts to tighten its control over Tibet. In this episode, Suyash Desai and Manoj Kewalramani discuss the Chinese governments
Ep. 552: Of Freedom of Navigation and Outrage
21 min 45 sec
Manoj Kewalramani joins Aditya Pareek and Aditya Ramanathan to discuss US FONOPs and how such actions may affect IndiaUS ties.
Ep. 553: Cracking Down on China’s Tech Giants
32 min 37 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Rohan Seth discuss what this means for the future of antitrust regulation in China and the countrys technology ecosystem.
Ep. 554: Ending America's Forever War
43 min 34 sec
Ameera Rao joins Anand Arni and Lt. General Prakash Menon to discuss whether the Taliban and the Afghan government can work out a durable settlement.
Ep. 555: Intellectual Property Un-reform
38 min 44 sec
Earlier this month, the Union government passed the Tribunals Reforms Rationalisation and Conditions of Service
Ep. 556: Understanding the US’s Tri-Service Naval Strategy
19 min 59 sec
A new strategy document outlines the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guards joint vision for
Ep. 557: How an FDI Hike Could Boost Pensions
22 min 57 sec
The Indian government is reportedly planning to hike the FDI limit
Ep. 558: Supplying COVID-19 Therapeutics
22 min 23 sec
As urgent requests for convalescent plasma, Remdesivir and Tocilizumab increase, Ruturaj Gowaikar and Shambhavi Naik discuss the application of these therapeutics and the unnecessary shortage caused by poor public engagement
Ep. 559: The Dragon’s Anniversary at Sea
27 min 29 sec
The PLA Navy is now the worlds largest in terms of pure numbers. While some of Chinas rivals enjoy
Ep. 560: Reflecting on India's COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy
55 min 13 sec
In September 2020, a multidisciplinary team at Takshashila came out with a policy proposal to vaccinate 80 of Indias population by December 2021.
Ep. 561: Free speech on India's Internet
27 min 41 sec
How social media platforms respond in India has been termed as one of the defining battles for free speech on the Internet. Manoj Kewalramani and Prateek Waghre discuss what this means for the information ecosystem in India.
Ep. 562: Active Measures Short of War
38 min 2 sec
Ruturaj Gowaikar joins Aditya Pareek for a discussion on Russian and Western Active Measures.
Ep. 563: A Single Source for all Laws?
31 min 18 sec
In this episode, P R Sandhya of DAKSH talks to Takshashilas Sarthak Pradhan about the idea of a single source for laws and how it can be designed.
Ep. 564: How to Depoliticise India’s Police
27 min 41 sec
Ameera Rao discusses with Lt. Gen Prakash Menon and Ruturaj Gowaikar.
Ep. 565: Biden's Turn to the Indo-Pacific
35 min 47 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan talk to Suyash Desai about Bidens approach to the IndoPacific and the opportunities and challenges it presents for India.
Ep. 566: France, India and the Seas
45 min 31 sec
In this episode, Dr Virginie Saliou, Research Professor at Frances naval school, discusses her countrys unique approach to maritime affairs, its enduring presence in the Indian Ocean, and shared goals with India.
Ep. 567: Why Russia’s Far East Matters
34 min 54 sec
Professor Artyom Lukin of Vladivostoks Far Eastern Federal University joins Aditya Pareek and Aditya Ramanathan to discuss Russias geopolitical ambitions in this sparsely populated region
Ep. 568: Digital Monitoring of Global Public Health
22 min 39 sec
Shambhavi Naik and Ruturaj Gowaikar discuss the origins of these organizations, how they function, and why they were not enough to prevent the COVID19 pandemic.
Ep. 569: The Most Undiplomatic Affair: China & the Philippines
32 min 33 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Ruturaj Gowaikar to examine the events leading up to the ministers outburst and place it in the context of the rise of Chinas Maritime Militia and Philippines relations with China and the United States.
Ep. 570: The Narrow Corridor of Liberty
26 min 13 sec
Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the book The Narrow Corridor, which examines the specific statesociety dynamics needed for liberty to flourish.
Ep. 571: China's Health Silk Road
27 min 54 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss the drivers of Chinas HSR and the implications it will have on the geopolitics of the subcontinent.
Ep. 572: Finland, Russia and the Arctic
21 min 37 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Aditya Ramanathan to talk about Finlands approach to great powers and changing geopolitics.
Ep. 573: Truck De India: Rajat Ubhaykar on India's truckers
41 min 40 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to journalist and author Rajat Ubhaykar, author of Truck De India: A Hitchhikers guide to Hindustan, about his months spent travelling the country with truckers and what it taught him about India,
Ep. 574: A Defence Minister with a Military Background?
25 min 5 sec
Lt. General Prakash Menon argues it is perhaps time for India to have a defence minister with a military background. Ameera Rao joins Lt Gen Prakash Menon and Ruturaj Gowaikar to discuss how this could work.
Ep. 575: China’s Once-in-a-Decade Census
24 min 8 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss what these trends mean for Chinas society, its economy, and its future.
Ep. 576: Northern Ireland's Uncertain Future
26 min 41 sec
Northern Ireland Protocol following Brexit. Ameera Rao joins Aditya Pareek to discuss.
Ep. 577: Unpacking Xi’s New Development Strategy
28 min
Listen to this conversation between Suyash Desai and Manoj Kewalramani as they unpack the jargon to discuss Chinas development strategy.
Ep. 578: Investigating SARS-CoV-2
27 min 39 sec
As calls for a thorough investigation into the origins of SARSCoV2 reemerge, Shambhavi Naik and Aditya Ramanathan discuss how novel viruses emerge, the tradeoffs of an investigation and the next steps India should take.
Ep. 579: South India and Ancient Rome
1 hr 8 min 8 sec
Archaeologist and musician Aditya Mohanan joins Anirudh Kanisetti to explore the literary and archaeological evidence from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and what they tell us about the globespanning networks of the great port of Muziris/Pattinam.
Ep. 580: Will India’s Military Remain Apolitical?
24 min 47 sec
Tthe civilmilitary relationship in India is slowly changing. Can the armed forces maintain their independence Lt General Menon talks to Ameera Rao.
Ep. 581: The Life and Times of the Facebook Oversight Board
45 min 24 sec
Prateek Waghre and Rohan Seth join Atish Padhy to discuss these cases and tackle the larger fault lines that have come to define content moderation and the role of the oversight board.
Ep. 582: US-UK Special Relationship and China
25 min 34 sec
However, with Brexit, Russian actions, and the rise of China, the two traditional allies are finding that some of their interests diverge. How will they manage their differences Aditya Pareek joins Aditya Ramanathan to discuss.
Ep. 583: Intertwined Histories in South India's Local Legends
52 min 37 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to independent researcher Vivek Joseph to unravel this tapestry of stories and what they tell us about the interactions between religions and social groups.
Ep. 584: India and the ‘Israeli Model’
33 min 16 sec
In a conversation with Ameera Rao, Pranay Kotasthane argues that Israels experience has little to offer India and that adopting an Israel Model may not help.
Ep. 585 Xi’s ‘Red Footprints’ & History Learning Campaigns
28 min 25 sec
Manoj Kewalramani tells Aditya Pareek what these tell us about the state of Chinese politics and Xi Jinpings grip on power.
Ep. 586: What Next for Facebook and India?
29 min 11 sec
Suchir Kalra and Atish Padhy join Prateek Waghre to discuss the possible outcomes and their consequences on the market.
Ep. 587: The Evolution of Indian Science
30 min 20 sec
Journalist Hari Pulakkat talks to Aditya Ramanathan and Aditya Pareek about his new book, Space. Life. Matter., which chronicles the work of Indias space pioneers.
Ep. 588: The Race to Acquire Vaccines
23 min 16 sec
Ameera Rao and Shambhavi Naik examine the key decisions the EG needs to take in the race to vaccinate Indians.
Ep. 589: Examining Nehru's Approach to Tibet & China
36 min 34 sec
Manoj Kewalramani speaks to AS Bhasin about his new book Nehru, Tibet and China to understand the challenges, limitations and failures of Indian diplomacy that led to the 1962 war.
Ep. 590: DeSWIFTing Russia?
29 min 56 sec
Some in IR academia circles see the prospects of Russia being cut off from SWIFT as a new proverbial financial iron curtain descending upon the world.
Ep. 591: In Google We Antitrust
28 min 46 sec
Rohan Seth and Prateek Waghre join Anupam Manur to discuss recent developments in France, Germany, and the US and Googles dominance in online advertising markets.
Ep. 592: Battling Future Disease Waves
25 min 39 sec
The COVID19 pandemic in India has savagely illustrated the need to develop institutional wherewithal to prepare for future health crises.
Ep. 593: Vaccines and Intellectual Property
24 min 2 sec
As the world continues its vaccination drive, countries like India and South Africa have been calling for an intellectual property waiver to make vaccine manufacturing easier.
Ep. 594: India: Continent or Subcontinent?
33 min 8 sec
What makes a continent Is it the tectonics of plates Is it geographical boundaries Is it population
Ep. 595: The Challenges of Governing States
40 min 35 sec
Indias states have often followed very different trajectories. In this episode, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the performance of some states, their capacity for governance, and the challenges they face.
Ep. 596: Do Influence Operations Work?
30 min 48 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Prateek Waghre discuss how their effectiveness is measured and how platforms respond.
Ep. 597: Apple, Network Effects and China
25 min 2 sec
Apples Worldwide Developers Conference was held earlier this month and had some interesting implications for both privacy and how the company is going to operate globally
Ep. 598: Bring Petrol under GST
31 min 11 sec
Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane discuss the potential benefits of this and how it can be achieved.
Ep. 599: What Fiction Teaches us About Indian History
39 min 19 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to journalist and author Rajat Ubhaykar, author of Truck De India.
Ep. 600: Lessons from Odisha's Direct Income Transfer Scheme
34 min 59 sec
Shilpa Kumar talks to Sarthak Pradhan about the policy thinking behind KALIA, as well as its design and implementation.
Ep. 601: Can You Unbundle Social Media?
32 min 20 sec
Some proposals aim to strike a balance between competition and free speech by unbundling functions and features on social media platforms
Ep. 602: Investigating the Wuhan Lab Leak
19 min 36 sec
In May, US President Joe Biden ordered an intelligence probe into the origins of the novel coronavirus or SARSCoV2. Suspicions that the virus potentially leaked from a lab in Wuhan could have consequences for China
Ep. 603: Improving Learning Outcomes in Schools
46 min 12 sec
In this episode, Devang Bhandari and Aanchal Govindani talk to Sarthak Pradhan and suggest some measures to improve learning outcomes. The discussion revolves around ideas to improve teacher performance and teaching methodology.
Ep. 604: What Archaeology Really Tells Us About the Harappans and the Sarasvati River
1 hr 5 min 46 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to archaeologist and history communicator Disha Ahluwalia, who is conducting a study of the region, to find out.
Ep. 605: One Year After Galwan
32 min 59 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Ameera Rao to discuss the possible Chinese motivations and Indias response.
Ep. 606: Consumer Protection & E-commerce
42 min 3 sec
Anupam Manur and Rohan Seth join Prateek Waghre to unpack the changes proposed and the impact they might have on Indias ecommerce industry.
Ep. 607: India Needs a Robust Cyber Security Strategy
21 min 41 sec
Over the last decade, India has been facing a flurry of cyber attacks targeted at critical infrastructure sectors for reasons such as espionage or information theft among others
Ep. 608: The Mirage of High-Tech Self-Sufficiency
25 min 15 sec
Chinas growing technology prowess has led many countries to rollout oldstyle industrial policies of their own
Ep. 609: Policies for the Entertainment Sector
43 min 29 sec
Biren Ghose talks to Sarthak Pradhan about the need for a policy to enable this sector to thrive in the coming years.
Ep. 610: To DARPA, or not to DARPA
45 min 19 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Pranay Kotasthane to discuss the various issues around the Indian defence RD space and what we can learn from the DARPA model.
Ep. 611: Fortress Russia
45 min 29 sec
On 23 June, news emerged that Russian forces had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of Royal Navys HMS Defender.
Ep. 612: The Constitution & India's Democracy
35 min 56 sec
In this episode, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the motivations and intentions of the framers of Indias constitution.
Ep. 613: CPC@100: The Challenges Ahead
30 min 54 sec
Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss the big ideas and major themes of the buildup to the celebrations and the challenges that the party faces in the future.
Ep. 614: The Syncretic Rituals of South Indian Catholics
55 min 1 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to independent researcher Vivek Joseph to learn about the peoples and practices involved in these connected dynamics.
Ep. 615: Theatre Commands: Are they Necessary?
1 hr 18 min 2 sec
In this episode, Nitin Pai discusses this with three former decorated officers from Indias armed forces, Lt. General Prakash Menon, Vice Admiral Anil Chopra and Air Marshal Anil Chopra.
Ep. 616: India, the Moon and the Artemis Accords
30 min 7 sec
Nitansha Bansal, Aditya Ramanathan, and Aditya Pareek discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the Accords and examine the choices that lie ahead for India.
Ep. 617: Cracking Down on Didi
27 min 23 sec
Rohan Seth talks to Manoj Kewalramani to understand whats driving this dramatic move by Chinas authorities.
Ep. 618: How Indians Shaped their Constitution
24 min 44 sec
Suman Joshi and Apurva Kumar talk about the role common citizens played in building constitutional values through the years.
Ep. 619: The Queens of Medieval Kashmir
45 min 28 sec
Academic and author Dr Devika Rangachari joins Anirudh Kanisetii for a fascinating discussion on women in the making of Indian history.
Ep. 620: China's New Missile Silos
35 min 9 sec
Pranav Satyanath and Suyash Desai join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss what this development means for Chinas evolving nuclear strategy, and the USChina and SinoIndian nuclear dyads.
Ep. 621: How Social Media is Reshaping Politics
27 min 18 sec
In this episode, Nitansha Bansal and Prateek Waghre discuss some of the defining characteristics of social media and digital communication networks, and how they can affect strong or weak, liberal or authoritarian regimes.
Ep. 622: Tackling Mis/Disinformation on Vaccines
29 min 29 sec
Kamesh Shekar and Apurva Kumar discuss how mis/disinformation leads to vaccine hesitancy and what steps can be taken to address the problem.
Ep. 623: Bangladesh - The New Miracle Economy?
23 min 35 sec
Sarthak Pradhan and Apurva Kumar discuss the new miracle economy of Bangladesh and the factors that contributed to its growth story.
Ep. 624: Living together, separately: What the Pew survey says about religion in India
57 min 7 sec
Neha Sahgal and Jonathan Evans from the Pew Research Center, join Mihir Mahajan and Apurva Kumar to talk about their findings and help identify metaphors that describe contemporary India.
Ep. 625: Can Genomic Surveillance Tackle COVID Variants?
26 min 8 sec
In this episode, Shambhavi Naik, Ruturaj Gowaikar and Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida discuss Indias genomic surveillance efforts and the ways in which it can increase its capacity to track new variants.
Ep. 626: Defence of Japan
22 min 12 sec
Aditya Pareek and Suyash Desai join Ameera Rao to discuss the publication in detail vis a vis Japans concerns about Russia, China, Taiwan, and the IndoPacific.
Ep. 627: Making sense of feed algorithms
40 min 21 sec
Mihir Mahajan joins Rohan Seth to talk about feed algorithms, how they work, and how technologists, regulators, and individual users can promote healthy information diets.
Ep. 628: What if Vijayanagara Won?
45 min 44 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan explore the culture, society, and geopolitics of the Vijayanagara empire and its nayaka successors in search of answers.
Ep. 629: The Far Side of the Indo-Pacific
24 min 54 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Yoshihiro Inaba to discuss Japans Self Defence Forces and the international law dimension to all parts of the IndoPacific.
Ep. 630: Digital Communication Networks and their Harms
25 min 21 sec
In this episode, Prateek Waghre joins Rohan Seth to discuss a Takshashila Working Paper that defines Digital Communication Networks DCNs and categorizes the harms attributed to them as potential market failures, social problems, and cognitive biases.
Ep. 631: The Game of Drones
34 min 17 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Aditya Ramanathan to discuss the latest developments and some possible future trajectories for drones including autonomous systems.
Ep. 632: Making Public Health More Equal
32 min 1 sec
If these All Things Policy conversations interest you, consider applying for Takshashilas courses. Admissions are now open and the application deadline for our upcoming cohort is 28th August 2021.
Ep. 633: Uncovering the Warriors of Sinauli
1 hr 21 min 13 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to archaeologist and history communicator Disha Ahluwalia, who worked on excavations in the region, to find out.
Ep. 634: A "Platform" for More Jobs
35 min 5 sec
In this episode, Sreelakshmi Ramachandran talks to Sarthak Pradhan on how India can leverage the platform economy to create jobs.
In this episode, Sarthak talks to Takshahilas founders the two Ns, Narayan Ramachandran and Nitin Pai about the disparities exacerbated by the pandemic and what can be done about it.
Ep. 636: Pegasus and India's Cyber Security Capabilities
28 min 34 sec
In this episode, Nitansha Bansal and Nitin Pai discuss what issues the Pegasus row has brought to light for Indias defence strategists and policymakers.
Ep. 637: iCloud, privacy and law enforcement
24 min 58 sec
Apple recently released a feature that will enable them to scan photos stored in iCloud to detect child abuse imagery. The move has sparked off a debate regarding privacy and about what ownership of devices means.
Ep. 638: Building India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem
49 min 36 sec
Aditya Pareek speaks to Samparna Tripathi, Amol Sarin, and Anup Rajput to discuss Indias challenges and opportunities.
The Dilemmas of Religious Freedom
32 min 32 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya Ramanathan talk to Professor Olivier Roy of the European University Institute about the law.
Outraging into the Machine
20 min 24 sec
Is outrage a genre What are its attributes What roles do supplyside and demandside incentives play Prateek Waghre joins Rohan Seth to discuss.
The PLA and India
24 min 19 sec
The Peoples Liberation Army is a unified organisation of Chinas land, sea, and air forces. It is one of the largest military forces in the world and traces its roots back to 1927.
India’s Reverse Migration
23 min 51 sec
In this episode, Suman Joshi and Apurva Kumar discuss the latest trend of reverse migration of labour in India.
How Columbus Transformed Indian Cuisine
43 min 7 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to food blogger Sujata Shukla about how the arrival of new crops from the Americas, often brought by Europeans, transformed Indian eating habits.
What did the Kakatiyas do for us?
38 min 39 sec
Anirudh Kanisetti takes us through the birth of the Kakatiya dynasty, its extraordinary rise, and its violent fall.
Vaccinating Kids: A Parent's Perspective
21 min 46 sec
Since the early days of the pandemic, parents have been taking some comfort from the fact that SARSCoV2 is much less likely to cause serious illness in children than it is in adults.
Can Vaccine Mandates Work?
25 min 42 sec
Arjun Gargeyas talks about the fascinating history of vaccine mandates and discusses the ways in which India can implement them in a manner that is viable and ethical.
Creating An Epidemic Intelligence Agency
25 min 4 sec
A Takshashila Institution discussion document proposes the creation of an Indian National Epidemic Intelligence Service. Ruturaj Gowaikar and Shambhavi Naik discuss the role of such an organisation and how it would work.
An Indian 5G Standard?
28 min 58 sec
Arjun Gargeyas, Research Analyst with Takshashilas HighTech Geopolitics programme, wrote an article about 5Gi
The Bear’s Space Power
37 min 46 sec
During the Cold War, the USSR was a pioneering space power, and its successor state the Russian Federation has inherited much of its grandeur and capabilities.
Ethical Design Practice for Smartphone Financial Apps
47 min 58 sec
Trading in stocks, funds, cryptocurrency and other financial assets has been made super easy by smartphonebased apps.
Financing Upskilling
38 min 52 sec
Jobs that are being created today are increasingly technical and tend to require some degree of specialised skill. Without these skills, even the created jobs will remain vacant.
India’s Free Speech Challenge
44 min 31 sec
The first amendment of Indias Constitution allowed the right to freedom of speech and expression to be reasonably restricted.
Pottery for the Gods: The Worship of Ayyanar in Rural Tamil Nadu
39 min 51 sec
Every year, hundreds of clay sculptures of horses, cows, and bulls are dedicated across Tamil Nadu to the god Ayyanar.
Can India Mediate Between Russia and Japan?
17 min 17 sec
Trilateral engagement between Russia, India and Japan is emerging, with Pacific Russia and the Russian Far East at its centre.
The US Versus Facebook
22 min 35 sec
In a renewed antitrust lawsuit against Facebook, the Federal Trade Commission FTC has alleged that Facebook used anticompetitive acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp to further its monopoly power.
What makes democracies tick?
19 min 52 sec
In recent times, there have been apprehensions about the future of democracy. In this episode, Apurva and Sarthak talk about the factors and circumstances that might breed support for democracies.
The Curious Case of the Havana Syndrome
19 min 46 sec
The Havana Syndrome was recently back in the news when US Vice President Kamala Harris had to postpone her flight to Hanoi due to suspected cases.
The Climate Threat in the Indian Ocean
35 min 2 sec
tish Padhy talks to Arjun Gargeyas about why the report ought to be a wake up call for collective action by states in the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
Russian Interests in Afghanistan
26 min 44 sec
With its chaotic exit from Afghanistan, the US finds itself in the same camp as the British in the early nineteenth century and the Soviets in the late twentieth century.
New Cities - More Jobs
34 min 24 sec
In this episode, Sridhar Krishna and Aarushi Kataria talk about the origin of cities, how cities help create new jobs, and how new cities can be created
Is MSP Fulfilling its Purpose?
35 min 50 sec
The discussion traces the trajectory of the MSP regime from its origins to the multiple market failures it has caused.
Tibet Before the Dalai Lamas
44 min 3 sec
The Tibetan Plateau is one of Asias most important geopolitical regions, and it has shaped the history and culture of the continent in deep and abiding ways.
Younger Generals in the PLA
27 min 47 sec
Over the last three months, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has appointed several new generals in the Peoples Liberation Army. The head of the Western Theatre Command, which is responsible for India, has been changed four times in just the past year.
A Lawsuit of Epic proportions
20 min 50 sec
The Apple v Epic Games lawsuit recently culminated in a 185page judgment that has implications for the future of inapp purchases on the App Store.
Regulating Biobanking in India
27 min 13 sec
Biobanks, which are repositories of human biological materials, will shape the future of life science research. This means India needs laws to govern biobanks, that address issues like ethics, data protection, and consent.
What Makes Governments Responsive?
30 min 51 sec
A governments responsiveness to citizens preferences is dependent on a host of factors. In this episode, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan, discuss the dynamics between the three agents politicians, bureaucrats, and citizens
The Other Rajputs: Purbiya Warriors in 16th century Malwa
28 min 49 sec
The 16th century saw the emergence of famous Rajput aristocratic households such as the Sisodias of Mewar but it also saw the career of remarkable military entrepreneurs from relatively humble backgrounds, such as Silhadi of Raisen.
A New Ripple in the Indo-Pacific
41 min 21 sec
The new trilateral framework involving Australia, the UK and the US has caused some controversy and signalled a shift in the geopolitics of the IndoPacific.
A Global Overview of COVID-19 Booster Shots
20 min 23 sec
Concerns over waning immunity and SARSCoV2 variants have convinced some countries to deploy booster doses of the COVID19 vaccine
Emigration - Can India fill the World's Vacancies?
32 min 15 sec
Many developed countries in Europe and Asia have an ageing population and a shortage of skilled people to fill vacancies in the workforce. India has a very young population with over 18 million people reaching the age of 18 each year.
Machine Learning Algorithm for COVID Screening
23 min 59 sec
Artificial intelligence and machine learning AIML have been used to detect, diagnose and prevent the spread of the COVID19 virus
The Sounds and Stories of Kerala's Theyyam Rituals
37 min 27 sec
Theyyam rituals in Kerala, performed annually by communities across the state, contain fascinating subaltern mythologies and musical practices passed down through centuries.
The UK’s Space Strategy
18 min 51 sec
The UK has released its firstever National Space Strategy document, which emphasizes the importance of nurturing its space sector
Regulating Judicial Data
39 min 6 sec
Indias judicial system is in need for a whole host of reforms. However, one crucial aspect of this reform process should be the regulation of judicial data.
Afghanistan: 50 Days After Taliban's Takeover
42 min 5 sec
After 50 days of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the situation remains tense. The ISIimposed interim government is struggling to provide political stability even as the humanitarian crisis worsens.
Keeping up with the Splinternet
22 min 55 sec
The Play Store and the App Store have bowed to pressure and removed a smart voting app from Alexei Navalnys team just before the Russian elections.
Religion and the State in Medieval South India
39 min 45 sec
The late 11th and early 12th centuries saw the origins of two remarkable religious traditions that have continued to survive to this day: Virashaivism and Srivaishnavism.
What’s China doing in Africa?
26 min 12 sec
Infrastructure projects and technology investments under BRI have led to a sustained expansion of Chinas stake and presence across Africa.
Reading between the lines of the Facebook Files
32 min 54 sec
The Wall Street Journals Facebook Files and subsequent revelations made by the whistleblower Frances Haugen have documented many online harms present on Facebooks various platforms based on its own internal research.
India’s labour force: Why are women missing?
48 min 33 sec
Indias Women Labor Force Participation Rate WLFPR rate is at an abysmal 21. Why does this matter What are the factors that are driving this trend
The Shadow Pandemic: Impact of COVID-19 on mental health in India
17 min 50 sec
The COVID19 pandemic has certainly affected our lives in more ways than one. It has impacted our engagement with others and disrupted daily routines.
Are the Balkans on Edge Again?
21 min 18 sec
With recent headlines warning of impending hostilities between Serbia and Kosovo, there is greater attention again on the proverbial powder keg of conflict in Eastern Europe.
Fantasy Sports and Karnataka's Online Gambling Ban
31 min 3 sec
Over the past few years, online fantasy sports in India have gone from being a rather shady area of niche interest to becoming ubiquitous, so much so that a fantasy sports platform was the title sponsor of IPL 2020.
Can 'Gastrodiplomacy' Work?
23 min 47 sec
Gastrodiplomacy is a tool some states have used to promote themselves, a prominent example being Thailand.
Should India Make Semiconductors?
27 min 17 sec
While semiconductor design has always been a strong suit for India, the extremely complicated manufacturing process of semiconductor chips has never taken off in the country.
A Practical Agenda for the Quad
48 min 1 sec
The Quad grouping has launched several new initiatives over last few months. While this is an encouraging development, there are concerns that the grouping has way too many items on its plate.
AI Regulation: A Global Policy Challenge
35 min 50 sec
The use of Artificial Intelligence technologies is on a rise across the globe. Countries are increasingly demonstrating a keen interest in regulating their use, specifically the effects of such technologies on civic life.
Cracks in CPEC
20 min 13 sec
The China Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC is facing trouble on more than one front. These include Chinas frustration with the lack of progress on the economic projects
Democratise Credit to Create Jobs
30 min 33 sec
Now that we have JAM, people want bread. Financial inclusion has been bandied about for decades with limited success but JAM Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile brings new hope.
India’s Hunger and Nutrition challenge
26 min 8 sec
The recently released Global Hunger Index sparked discussion on the methodology used to arrive at the figures. What exactly is this index
The Strange History of South Indian Coffee
30 min 48 sec
How did a bean from West Asia become one of Indias most popular morning drinks Its a story of innovation, trade, capitalism, and media.
Going Beyond Disinformation
19 min 4 sec
Conversations about the impact of Digital Communication Networks on public discourse tend to focus heavily on misinformation and disinformation.
Digital Activism in China
25 min 46 sec
How does digital activism work in China when the Internet is so heavily regulated Netizens in China get creative when they have something to say online. Recent viral trends like Lying Flat and projects like 996ICU are part of this creative tradition.
Can Fortifying Rice Tackle Malnutrition?
26 min 53 sec
India is set to fortify rice distributed through the PDS Public Distribution System and midday meal programmes to alleviate malnutrition. Will fortification achieve its aims
The EU’s Arctic Strategy and India
27 min 38 sec
The focal points of the strategy are the implications of melting permafrost on geopolitical developments, biosecurity, digital connectivity, and a push for sustainable energy for the region.
How India’s Canals Shape its Cities
20 min 46 sec
According to a recent study, towns situated close to canals in India witnessed faster urbanisation and demand for education but not industrialisation.
The Geopolitics of International Technical Standards
32 min 32 sec
With a new technological revolution underway, emerging technologies are at the heart of geopolitical competition between States. Standardsetting is one key dimension of this competition.
How Sports Shapes Diplomacy
24 min 24 sec
Sports have been used to bolster diplomatic relations between states as well as to make political statements on the international stage. There is also extensive evidence of sports involvement in international politics and vice versa
The Unique History of the Early Deccan
45 min 9 sec
The Deccan Plateau is generally believed to have been conquered by the Mauryan empire of the Gangetic Plains but the reality of its early history is far more complex and thoughtprovoking.
China's Nuclear Expansion
26 min 58 sec
The latest Pentagon China Military Power Report highlights the PRCs development of new nuclear warheads and delivery systems as potential areas of concern.
Getting Our Feeds In Order
23 min 7 sec
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers in the US has introduced a bill that would require online platforms to let users optout of having personal datadriven algorithms select the content they see.
China's Military Power
30 min 2 sec
The US Department of Defense DoD released its 2021 China Military Power Report last week. Based on the reports findings, Aditya Pareekh and Suyash Desai discuss Chinas military modernisation and its impact on the IndoPacific Region.
How Piped Water Empowers Women
24 min 58 sec
Piped water allows women, the primary caretakers of a household, more time for labour and leisure, thus improving their bargaining capacity at home and in the labour market.
Creating Safety Nets for Gig Workers
43 min 25 sec
Listen to Anupam Manur, Aarushi Kataria and Sridhar Krishna discuss the reasons for growth of the gig economy and ideas around providing a safety net to gig workers.
Social Networks and Indian Women
29 min 22 sec
In this episode, Suman Joshi, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the barriers women face in creating and accessing social networks. They also reflect on the possible implications of the same.
Mental Health and India's Police
25 min 27 sec
Ruturaj Gowaikar and Aarthi Ratnam discuss the lack of systemic, institutional psychological support for Indias police personnel. They also dwell on the role of police as firstresponders for a mental health emergency.
India’s Jobless Growth
27 min 31 sec
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria and Sridhar Krishna draw on ideas from Takshashilas 20 Million Jobs project to look for ways India can create new jobs.
Talks with the TTP: Peace in sight for Pakistan?
15 min 47 sec
Priyal Lyncia Dalmeida talks to Shrey Khanna to get insights on the nature of the talks and the prospects of peace in Pakistan.
India's COVID-19 Risk Communication Plan
31 min 11 sec
In this episode, Mahek Nankani and Apurva Kumar talk about the communication successes and failures of the Union government and discuss the significant lessons we have learned for future crisis management.
What’s Climate Change Got To Do With Your Dinner?
29 min 48 sec
In this episode, Arjun Gargeyas talks to Atish Padhy and Aarthi Ratnam on the potential effects of climate change on food production, diversification of animal husbandry, and the global supply of food products.
Dissent on The Personal Data Protection Bill
23 min 55 sec
The Data Protection Bill is supposed to be up for discussion in the winter session of Parliament. Jairam Ramesh, an MP and a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee has made public a dissent note to the committee chairperson
Are Cities Still Relevant in the Metaverse Era?
49 min 2 sec
In this episode, Mihir Mahajan speaks to Aarushi Kataria and Sridhar Krishna to discuss the rise and decline of cities, and how cities were reinvented to stay relevant.
Omicron: The Harbinger of the third wave?
24 min 40 sec
. In this episode, Harshit Kukreja and Mahek Nankani discuss Omicron, how different it is from Delta, its severity and what can be the possible initial steps for India.
Regulating the Cyberspace and International Relations
35 min 32 sec
Sapni G K and Aditya Pareek join Oleg Shakirov, a Senior Expert at Center for Advanced Governance and a Consultant at PIR Center to discuss norms in the regulation of social media platforms, the Metaverse and more on the cyberspace.
Unpacking the National Family Health Survey (NFHS5) report
24 min 16 sec
What does the decreased TFR rate mean How should we read the decreased sex ratio How does India fare on the nutrition front What could be a few policy implications of these
Australia's "Anti-Trolling" Bill & Internet Anonymity
30 min 23 sec
Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK join Rohan Seth to discuss its provisions, what it could mean for anonymity on the internet, and broader implications for India.
Breathing New Life into India-Russia Relations
23 min 47 sec
Aditya Pareek and Aditya Ramanathan discuss the various points of divergences and rapprochement between New Delhi and Moscow.
Gender Inequality in the Fashion World
22 min 13 sec
Priyal Lyncia joins Aarthi Ratnam to discuss two key components The gender inequalities that exist in the fashion world and what recommendations can be made to shatter the glass runway.
The China Factor in the US - Australia Quantum Tech Agreement
17 min 4 sec
Megha Pardhi and Shrey Khanna discuss the Agreement, the role of China, and Indias initiatives to promote research in quantum technologies.
What Exactly Does Russia Want?
25 min 4 sec
Aditya Pareek talks to Shrey Khanna about Russias motivations, its insecurity with the G2 and the logic behind its growing alliance with China.
Understanding the Developments on Indian Internet Shutdowns
29 min 58 sec
Prateek Waghre and Sapni G K join Rohan Seth to discuss the findings, recommendations and what the report left unanswered.
Importance of Financial Literacy for Jobs
24 min 50 sec
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria and Sridhar Krishna discuss the impact of financial literacy on women, entrepreneurship, and the economy in light of Takshashilas 20 Million Jobs project.
The Case Against Prohibition
41 min 33 sec
In this episode, Samparna Tripathy and Meryl Mammen Kurien talk to Sarthak Pradhan about the consequences of prohibition policies. They also discuss alternative approaches to prohibition policies.
Our 2021 Reading List (Part 1)
40 min 6 sec
2021 has been a long year. One thing that remained constant at Takshashila was our love for reading. Rohan Seth and Manoj Kewalramani join Nitin Pai to talk about their reading lists and learnings from policy, tech, international relations and beyond.
China's Developments in Tibet
37 min 41 sec
China is building civilian and military infrastructure in Tibet. Based on Takshashilas recent publication, Suyash Desai and Manoj Kewalramani discuss the details of Chinas infrastructure building and implications on the border dispute with India.
Digital Communication Networks and their Benefits
28 min 19 sec
In this episode, Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK join Rohan Seth to discuss their discussion document on the benefits of DCNs.
The Fishermen Dispute and India - Sri Lanka Relations
25 min 40 sec
Why is China looking to increase its footprint in northern Sri Lanka How is this going to impact the larger IndiaSri LankaChina equation Prasanna Naidu talks to Shrey Khanna on the evolving geopolitical situation in Sri Lanka.
From Romans to MDGs: The Stories of Public Health
31 min 30 sec
In this episode, Mahek Nankani and Harshit Kukreja discuss some fascinating stories about the growth of public health from around the world. Tune in for some engrossing and thoughtprovoking tale.
Will Russia invade Ukraine?
26 min 13 sec
Prasanna Naidu joins Aditya Pareek to unpack the recent developments and possible scenarios in which the crisis may pan out.
Our 2021 Reading List (Part 2)
32 min 36 sec
2021 has been a long year. One thing that remained constant was Takshashilas love for books. Rohan Seth talks to Nitin Pai and Manoj Kewalramani to discuss their reading lists for this year.
The Year Gone By In Tech Policy
35 min 45 sec
2021 has been very eventful for watchers of Tech Policy developments. Rohan Seth joins Prateek Waghre and Sapni G K to discuss major events and trends in the space and their expectations for 2022.
A Year - End Review of China Tech
27 min 48 sec
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Megha Pardhi on the progress China made in certain critical and emerging technologies along with some landmark decisions taken by the Chinese government for its tech sector.
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Megha Pardhi about the recently released National Standardisation Development Outline document and the key takeaways from the proposed technical standardisation strategy of China.
Interrogating Industrial Policies for Semiconductors
46 min 15 sec
Mathieu Duchtel and Pranay Kotasthane discuss the merits and demerits of government subsidies for building domestic semiconductor industries.
Citizen's Role in Availing Welfare Services
25 min 18 sec
How do citizens navigate through the complex state apparatus to acquire welfare services What factors can facilitate this process What obstacles do they face In this episode, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss how citizens claim the state.
Omicron: Milder or More Lethal for India?
26 min 9 sec
In this episode, Dr. Harshit Kukreja and Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida discuss how variants arise, the burden of the incoming third wave and the public health measures the government can undertake.
Our 2021 Reading List (Part 3)
27 min 24 sec
2021 has been a long year. One thing that remained constant was Takshashilas love for books. Manoj Kewalramani talks to Rohan Seth to discuss their reading lists for this year.
In Apple CCI Antitrusts
26 min 59 sec
In this episode, Rohan Seth joins Sapni GK and Prateek Waghre to discuss the details of the order.
First Step Towards a Global Pandemic Response Treaty
32 min 59 sec
The World Health Assembly held a Special Session to kickstart a process to draft a global treaty geared towards pandemic management. Priyal and Ruturaj discuss the need, scope, and history of such international instruments.
Emerging Technologies from Chinese Point of View
16 min 42 sec
In this episode, Aditya Pareek and Megha Pardhi discuss the latest newsletter in the Takshashila family China Tech Dispatch.
Effect of the Pandemic on Pediatric Obesity
25 min 23 sec
In todays episode, Aarthi Ratnam and Ruturaj Gowaikar discuss the effect of the pandemic on increasing obesity cases and how digital marketing has only worsened the situation.
What are the Quad's plans in Biotech?
26 min 45 sec
Shrey Khanna talks to Arjun Gargeyas on the potential of Quad collaboration in the biotechnology field along with the tools and technologies that the Quad can focus on.
A Repository of India's Land Laws
31 min 40 sec
In this episode, Dr Namita Wahi discusses with Sarthak Pradhan the project of documenting Indias land laws and the potential benefits of a comprehensive land laws database.
Google v/s News Publishers
29 min 31 sec
In a recently passed order, the Competition Commission of India CCI has directed the DirectorGeneral to investigate these charges. Rohan Seth joins Sapni GK and Prateek Waghre to unpack the order.
Policy in Action: The Bihar Diaries
1 hr 0 min 46 sec
The mention of Bihar conjures up images of abject poverty and state apathy. The ground reality, however, has been changing in the past decade. Economist M R Sharan chronicles his time in Bihar with stories from a journey of hope,
Kazakhstan Unrest and CSTO's Intervention
32 min 18 sec
Dr Shrey Khanna joins Aditya Pareek to discuss the unrest, the CSTO intervention and the political situation in Kazakhstan.
Importance of Digital Equity for True Progress
46 min 34 sec
Sridhar Krishna talks to Raghav Rao, a Digital Innovation Fellow at The Cleveland Foundation, and Aarushi Kataria on the role of digital whether it is an enabler or a divider.
Philippines gets BrahMos
23 min 59 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Rear Admiral Sudarshan ShrikhandeRetd. and Megha Pardhi to discuss the BRAHMOS weapons systems capabilities, Chinas response to the deal, and Russias role in the matter.
What is China’s two-front War Dilemma?
20 min 52 sec
In this episode, Suyash Desai and Megha Pardhi discuss internal and external drivers of Chinas twofront war dilemma.
Understanding China’s Approach to Regulating Tech Algorithms
29 min 44 sec
China is rolling out a new law to regulate algorithms used on apps to bring the countrys Big Tech sector in line with state policies. Rohan Seth talks to Manoj Kewalramani and Sapni G Krishna to discuss the fine print.
Indian Health Services: Need of the hour?
33 min 47 sec
Mahek Nankani and Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida discuss the history, the need, the concerns and the primary steps that have been taken in this direction.
Looking Ahead at a Quantum Future
41 min 44 sec
Arjun Gargeyas joins Siddharth Bannerjee, a senior policy advisor with the UK Civil Service, to discuss their upcoming document on the criticality of quantum tech and building Indias quantum ecosystem.
Mind the Policy Implementation Gap
30 min 57 sec
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria talks to Pranay Kotasthane about the gap that exists between policies on paper and what they actually achieve. They talk about the Right to Information Act 2005 and the 2020 Farm Bills in light of that discussion.
Nutrition Programmes in India - A Report Card
17 min 35 sec
Nutrition programmes in India come in different hues and have undergone sweeping changes in the last few years. From the ICDS to the POSHAN 2.0, we have seen varying successes across the country. What do budgetary trends indicate
Strategies for a New Space Age
30 min 6 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Dr. Shrey Khanna to discuss the major features of the latest NATO space strategy, the Chinese white paper on space, and what aspects a prospective similar publication from India should incorporate.
Warfare in the Digital Era
25 min 45 sec
In this episode of All Things Policy, Lt Gen Prakash Menon and Megha Pardhi discuss evolving notions of warfare.
Breaking down the Investigation on Pegasus
22 min 36 sec
The New York Times recently came out with a detailed investigation on Pegasus, the surveillance tool sold by Israels NSO Group to countries around the world. The investigation has chilling details about how the tool was deployed by nationstates.
“India Out” Campaign in the Maldives
20 min 31 sec
Aditya Pareek talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss the India Out Campaign and IndiaMaldives relations
Humanitarian Intervention - For Better or Worse?
23 min 20 sec
Aarthi Ratnam and Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida discuss the criteria for intervention and the scope of responsibility.
Xi-Putin Meeting: A New World Order?
29 min 51 sec
Russian President Vladimir Putins summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week resulted in a detailed joint statement, proposing a vision for a new world order.
Policy of Death
30 min 3 sec
Last month, The Lancet Commission on Value of Death released their report, advocating for a return to death as a sociocultural event. Is death now over medicalised What are the policy implications of this
The Full Spectrum of Russian Foreign Policy
28 min 52 sec
Sapni G K and Aditya Pareek speak to Dr. Elena Chernenko about Russias foreign affairs across domains like cyberspace, outer space and public diplomacy.
Jobs and the Budget
34 min 24 sec
Sridhar Krishna speaks to Anupam Manur, Aarushi Kataria and Sudisha Mishra to evaluate the impact this budget has on jobs
Reflecting on the Union Budget 2022-23
36 min 20 sec
In this episode, Apurva Kumar, Pranay Kotasthane, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan, discuss the Union Budget 202223. They look at some interesting trends and also some not so promising projections.
A Tale of two Bills, ART and Surrogacy
37 min 31 sec
The Surrogacy Regulation Bill, the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill were passed during the winter session of the Parliament. These two bills bring in new set of rules to regulate two distinct but related medical procedures.
Synthetic Content Generation and China’s Worries
36 min 59 sec
What is AIgenerated content and why is China worried about it In todays episode, Megha Pardhi, Suyash Desai, and Varad Vishwarupe discuss synthetic content generation using AI and the Chinese governments recent draft to regulate such content.
Blocking Apps and Scrutiny
22 min 23 sec
Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK join Rohan Seth to unpack the app bans, related developments surrounding the use of emergency powers under the 2021 IT Rules, and the need for a higher burden of proof on the Union Government to demonstrate their claims.
The US Strategy for the Indo-Pacific
21 min 35 sec
The Biden Administration has come up with the US first IndoPacific Strategy document which aims to secure a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient IndoPacific. Megha Pardhi talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss this.
Just War Theory - Can War Ever be Just?
32 min 47 sec
In todays episode, Aarthi Ratnam and Megha Pardhi analyze the Just War Theory and how its used as an ethical justification throughout historical wars.
India and the Future of Space Stations
28 min 49 sec
Aditya Ramanathan and Aditya Pareek argue that the only way for India to catch up will be to aggressively seek out collaborations.
How rare are "Rare" Diseases?
32 min 48 sec
Over 30 crore people in the world suffer from more than 7000 rare diseases. On Rare Diseases Day, one year after the release of the National Policy for Rare Diseases, Mahek Nankani and Harshit Kukreja discuss Indias response to rare diseases.
Mapping India's Legal Landscape on Online Harms
23 min 7 sec
In this episode, Rohan Seth, Prateek Waghre and Sapni G K discuss Sapnis document which maps the current legal landscape on online harms in India. This is the 3rd document in our series on the Governance of DCNs.
The War in Ukraine
32 min 32 sec
Aditya Pareek and Pranav R. Satyanath discuss the RussiaUkraine conflict and the role of conventional forces, geoeconomics, nuclear threats, conflict diplomacy and the information domain in it.
Sex Education in India
40 min 17 sec
In todays episode, Priyal Lyncia Dalmeida and Mahek Nankani discuss the problems associated with the current sex education system and the need for a comprehensive sex education curriculum for India.
The Evolution of Article 21
21 min 15 sec
In this episode, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the history, evolution, interpretation of article 21 and also shed light on the concept of due process.
Quantum in the Military
23 min 26 sec
Megha Pardhi talks to Arjun Gargeyas on the recent test conducted by DRDO and how militaries around the world are embracing quantum.
Tech Amidst the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
20 min 15 sec
Rohan Seth discusses the evolving picture with Sapni G K and Prateek Waghre.
Youth Unemployment in India
30 min 5 sec
A joint study by the Centre for Economic Data Analysis and the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy pointed towards a 30 decline since 2016 in the number of employed young adults.
Conflict & Peace in India’s Northeast
1 hr 8 min 19 sec
Manoj Kewalramani discusses these questions with author Sudeep Chakravarti as they discuss his new book The Eastern Gate: War and Peace in Nagaland, Manipur and Indias the Far East.
Forked Tongues: The Language of Politics
30 min 38 sec
In this episode, Aarthi Ratnam and Ganesh Chakravarthi talk about the evolution of language and how it is used as an instrument in political discourse.
‘Trials’ and tribulations of Covid-19 vaccine for kids
27 min 41 sec
With India approving a 4th Covid19 vaccine for children, Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida and Ruturaj Gowaikar talk about the challenges involved with clinical trials in children.
Fixing The Broken Social Media Problem
21 min 16 sec
Kamesh Shekar joins Bharath Reddy to discuss the issues it has created and possible solutions to it.
AYUSH: Too Detached from Scientific Reason
36 min 53 sec
Mahek Nankani and Harshit Kukreja discuss what is wrong with Indias approach and how we can make traditional medicine scientific.
Accidental Launch of a Missile
20 min 39 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Pranav Satyanath to discuss the facts of the matter, the incidents implications and broader impacts on the world.
Gender roles in Indian society - PEW survey findings
39 min 5 sec
Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi spoke to Neha Sahgal and Jonathan Evans , part of the team that conducted the study to understand the findings of the study.
The Semiconductors Angle to the Ukraine War
32 min 16 sec
Aditya Pareek talks to Arjun Gargeyas on whether the Russian and Ukrainian dependency on semiconductor production will exacerbate the ongoing chip shortage
Oil shocks and Strategic Petroleum Reserves
35 min 41 sec
Mihir Mahajan and Anupam Manur discuss Indias reserves of oil, whether it is adequate and related policy recommendations.
Exploring India-US Cooperation in Military AI
34 min 2 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Husanjot Chahal explore avenues for IndiaUS cooperation in military applications of AI.
No-Confidence Motion against Imran Khan’s Government
23 min 9 sec
Aditya Pareek talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss the ongoing political developments in Pakistan and the future of its democracy.
A brief passage through history of Humanitarian Corridors
25 min 52 sec
Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida and Ruturaj Gowaikar discuss these corridors in current and historical contexts.
Political Ads on Facebook in India
25 min 1 sec
Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK join Rohan Seth to discuss the implications of this investigation, the knowledge gaps it highlights and potential areas for followup investigations.
Did Russia use a Hypersonic Missile in Ukraine?
20 min 2 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Pranav Satyanath to discuss the Kinzhal strike and other precision munition use in the ongoing RussiaUkraine conflict.
Wang Yi in Nepal: The Why and What of the Visit
22 min 56 sec
In this episode, Shrey Khann joins Aarthi Ratnam to talk about Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yis visit to Nepal.
Menstrual Leave Policy in India
29 min 11 sec
Mahek Nankani and Priyal DAlmeida discuss what menstrual leave policy is, the challenges and the arguments against the same.
Implications of China's Genetic Resource Guideline
37 min 58 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Dr. Harshit Kukreja discuss ethical and practical aspects of human genetic resources.
What went wrong with the Sri Lankan economy?
38 min 41 sec
Anupam Manur joins Atish Padhy to discuss the causes and consequences of the crisis.
TTP’s Resurgence and the Future of Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations
28 min 31 sec
Harshit Kukreja talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss the TTPs resurgence and the future of AfghanistanPakistan relations.
A New Employment Data Architecture to Solve the Jobs Crisis
1 hr 2 min 57 sec
Sridhar Krishna, Senior Scholar at The Takshashila Institution speaks to Dr. Radhicka Kapoor, Senior Visiting Fellow at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations ICRIER on the huge employment crisis facing the nation.
China's Turn from One Child to Three Child Policy
34 min 30 sec
. Megha Pardhi and Harshit Kukreja discuss Chinas approach to population control, population dividend and lessons for India.
Simultaneous Elections: What It Means and The Implications.
34 min 12 sec
Do the claims of one nation one election add up What are the implications for voters and parties and more importantly for Parliamentary democracy Pranay Kotasthane and Suman Joshi discuss.
The Political Side of Unemployment
27 min 41 sec
The political side of unemployment is an exigent issue that is meticulously wrapped around elite capture, selectorate theory, lowcost labour, and political donations in India.
The Arctic & India
43 min 26 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Alexandre Delangle to discuss the Arctics governance structure, security environment, international cooperation and Indias approach to the region.
China and India’s Approach to Human Trafficking
32 min 7 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Harshit Kukreja discuss various aspects of human trafficking in India and China.
China's National Computing Network
21 min 9 sec
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Megha Pardhi about what Chinas recently announced National Computing Network means for the countrys tech landscape.
Tech Alliances in the Indo-Pacific
27 min 30 sec
Priyal Lyncia Dalmeida talks to Arjun Gargeyas on the possibility of curating tech alliances between the states of the IndoPacific to counter Chinas dominance.
Women in Politics - Some Thoughts
23 min 44 sec
In this episode of All things Policy, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the different dimensions of womens representation in politics.
Water Crisis, Gender and Education
33 min 1 sec
In this episode, Mahek Nankani and Harshit Kukreja discuss how climate change induced water crisis affect young girls and their chances of getting education.
Sri Lanka’s Default and The Future of Rajapaksa Family
16 min 41 sec
Aditya Pareek talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss Sri Lankas economic crisis and the future of the Rajapaksa family in Sri Lankan politics.
Advanced Computing Age and India's Position
40 min 9 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi talks to Arjun Gargeays about his recent discussion document with Siddharth Bannerjee which outlines a Background of Indias Position in the Advanced Computing Age.
Social Movements and Public Policy
39 min 47 sec
Atish Padhy and Aarushi Kataria discuss the role of social movements in public policy through a case study of the Alliance Against Sexual Harassment AASHA which helped bring laws against sexual harrasment in Pakistan.
Labour Law Reforms in India
48 min 34 sec
Sudisha Mishra sits with labour economist Professor KR Shyam Sundar to discuss how these labour law reforms affect the working class, do establishments benefit, and what we can hope for the future.
Understanding India’s poverty data
27 min 44 sec
In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane and Sarthak Pradhan talk about the state of data on Indias poverty levels.
Why Curtis LeMay Matters
43 min 51 sec
Aditya Pareek speaks to author Warren Kozak to explore the complex legacy and wartime actions of Gen. Curtis LeMay.
73 Years of PLA Navy
27 min 25 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi talks to Suyash Desai about PLA Navys journey.
NFTs Could Revolutionise Policies
32 min 13 sec
Aarushi Kataria talks to Aritra Sarkhel Director, Public Policy and Governance at WazirX about the implications acceptance of NFTs could have on Indias policies.
Time to Focus on Inflation Again
30 min 45 sec
Anupam Manur and Mihir Mahajan discuss the evolution of central bank mandates, the inflation targeting mechanism and why the RBI has been letoff easily this time despite inflation breaching the comfort zone.
Are Health Star Ratings Enough?
23 min 5 sec
Mahek Nankani and Dr. Harshit Kukreja discuss in detail the FrontOf Pack Labels in India.
The Roe v Wade Debate
24 min 2 sec
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Megha Pardhi and Priyal DAlmeida on the history and context behind the verdict along with future implications of the courts recent decision.
Informal Matters - Future of Quad in the Indo-Pacific
31 min 11 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi talks to Dr Brendon Cannon on various aspects of Quad in the IndoPacific and the future of Quad.
Solving Goa's Unemployment Crisis
28 min 52 sec
Sridhar Krishna and Sudisha Mishra discuss these reasons behind the unemployment rate, what can possibly boost employment in Goa, and how to get tourism to create more jobs in India.
Ukraine War’s Impact on Space
26 min 23 sec
Aditya Pareek joins Aditya Ramanathan to discuss the future direction of impact on space activities around the world in light of the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine.
Chinese Democracy: Some Guns and Some Roses?
36 min 34 sec
Megha Pardhi talks to Dr. Sungmin Cho about Chinas attempts to define its own version of democracy.
Sri Lankan Crisis and India’s Challenges
16 min 47 sec
Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss how the latest events in Sri Lanka impact India and what New Delhi can do for the Sri Lankan democracy.
The State of abortion policy and access in India
24 min 55 sec
Priyal Lyncia D Almeida, Aarushi Kataria and Atish Padhy discuss the state of abortion access and policy in India.
Counting COVID'19 deaths in India- The WHO report
35 min 32 sec
Mihir Mahajan and Suman Joshi discuss the WHO report, how deaths are measured in India, and why it is important to have up to date and accurate data on mortality.
Political Commitment in Policy Implementation
34 min 30 sec
Aarushi Kataria talks to Swarnashree Chaktraborty about the role of political commitment in policy implementation and some ethical questions surrounding the PDS.
Obesity: India's growing health burden
30 min 42 sec
Priyal Dalmeida talks to Harshit Kukreja about this growing problem, the risks associated and the ways India can tackle this issue.
Policy implications from NFHS5 data
24 min 22 sec
In this episode, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the public policy implications of some of these findings.
Despite High Unemployment, A Worker Shortage
24 min 42 sec
Sridhar Krishna discusses with Anupam Manur and Sudisha Mishra the reasons why this might be happening, how the shortage inadvertently conveys what gig workers want, and what can be done to make these jobs more attractive.
Do we need to improve Government Healthcare usage?
26 min 38 sec
In this episode of All Things Policy, Mahek Nankani and Harshit Kukreja discuss how India can improve its healthcare infrastructure.
NFHS-5: India's declining fertility rate
17 min 9 sec
Rohan Pai talks to Priyal Dalmeida about the declining fertility rate and the reasons for the same.
Quad Summit and Future of the Indo-Pacific
27 min 3 sec
Megha Pardhi talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss the recent Quad summit and the future of the IndoPacific.
The Primacy of Trade Policies in Building Semiconductor Ecosystems
36 min
Priyal DAlmeida talks to Arjun Gargeyas on his recent paper with Pranay Kotasthane on how trade policies can be harnessed by India to improve its existing ecosystem.
Indo Pacific Economic Framework
30 min 22 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Manoj Kewalramani discuss various aspects of IPEF.
The Return To Office Debate
30 min 32 sec
Aarushi Kataria speaks to Priti Kataria CHRO, iCORE, Wipro about the Return to Office debate in organizations, the role of policymakers, and the impact on employees.
Wang Yi's Pacific Island Tour
26 min 29 sec
In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Megha Pardhi discuss significance of this visit in backdrop of growing geopolitical activity in the region.
Elinor Ostrom and her framework for effective group coordination
34 min 7 sec
In this podcast, Priyal Dalmeida and Ritul Gaur talk about her work on governance of commons, the 8 core design principles that she derived from her extensive travel and study of thriving communities, and their implication in the Indian context.
Lancet Commission Report : Financing Primary Health - Part 1
34 min 51 sec
In this episode, Priyal Lyncia Dalmeida and Harshit Kukreja discuss these statistics, primary healthcare, paying for primary healthcare and achieving Universal Health care.
Talking Space Security in the OEWG
22 min 55 sec
Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav R Satyanath unpack these issues and understand the core tenets of the OEWG discussion.
Online Fantasy Sports are booming in India. But for how long?
35 min 3 sec
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria and Atish Padhy talk about one specific sector within the broader online gaming industry: Online Fantasy Sports OFS.
Why aren't Indians looking for jobs?
35 min 4 sec
Sudisha mishra and Aarushi Kataria discuss the potential reasons for Indias unemployment rate.
Do Tech Sanctions Actually Work?
26 min 17 sec
Priyal DAlmeida talks to Arjun Gargeyas on the implications of tech sanctions and whether they can act as deterrence or punitive actions against a robust tech economy like China.
Lancet Commission Report : Financing Primary Health - Part 2
40 min 29 sec
Priyal Lyncia Dalmeida and Harshit Kukreja talk about ways to finance PHC, fixed payment, incentives for providers, capitation based financing and reducing Out of Pocket expenditure in the second part of a 2 part series.
Talks with the TTP: Peace in Sight for Pakistan Army?
18 min 48 sec
Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida talks to Shrey Khanna about the ongoing negotiations between the TTP and Pakistan Army.
India needs more institutions, not fewer
31 min 18 sec
A popular way to think about strengthening the Indian republic is to ponder on improving its institutions. Sridhar Krishna speaks to Pranay Kotasthane who goes beyond this to talk about the institutions that dont exist.
Techno-strategic Doctrine for India
32 min 20 sec
Tune into this episode of All Things Policy to know more about The Takshashila Institutions A TechnoStrategic Doctrine for India.
GST council - what lies ahead?
28 min 7 sec
Recently the Supreme Court held that the Goods and Services Tax Councils suggestions are mere recommendations and have only persuasive value. In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the implications of the judgment.
The role of inequality and economic prospects in political violence
37 min 37 sec
Aarushi Kataria and Atish Padhy discuss the reasons why society perform protests and the factors that contribute to political violence.
Democracy in Pakistan: What Went Wrong?
39 min 11 sec
Aarushi Kataria and Shrey Khanna join Atish Padhy to discuss the role of class composition of the independence struggle and how it feeds into the characteristics of the political party in Pakistan.
The Great Tech Game
55 min 25 sec
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Anirudh Suri, the author of the book The Great Tech Game for his insights on how technology will shape the global order in the coming decades.
Unpacking Agnipath: The anatomy of the new recruitment scheme
26 min 57 sec
In this episode, Pranav R Satyanath is joined by Pranay Kotasthane and Lt Gen ret Prakash Menon to discuss the fundamental of the Agnipath scheme, the unintended consequences it creates and the alternatives.
Will early education help in combating climate change?
30 min 59 sec
Priyal Dalmeida talks to Mahek Nankani regarding climate change, who is responsible and how effective conversations to combat climate change should start in schools.
A Tech Billionaire's take on preventing the next pandemic
27 min 32 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Harshit Kukreja discuss Bill Gatess plan to prevent the next pandemic, the GERM team and much more.
Why China fears the growing US-Nepal relationship?
17 min 25 sec
Why did the SPP became controversial and why does China fear the growing USNepal relationship Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida talks to Shrey Khanna about General Flynns Nepal visit and the Chinese fears of growing USNepal cooperation.
Decoding Bihar's unemployment crisis
31 min 7 sec
Aarushi Kataria and Sudisha Mishra discuss the reasons why these riots are directly related to unemployment, why Bihar is heavily jobdeprived and what this means socioeconomically.
Evaluating India’s trade policies
45 min 41 sec
What were the features of Indias pre1991 trade policy How has it evolved What are some policy lessons for the current context Anupam Manur talks to Sarthak Pradhan about changes in Indias trade policy.
Closing the Women's Data Gap
43 min 16 sec
Aarushi Kataria and Atish Padhy discuss Caroline Perezs 2019 book, Invisible Women to understand the data bias and the urgency in bridging the existing gap as our world runs on data.
How can policies governing Non-Timber Forest Produce be made more sustainable?
33 min 26 sec
In this episode, Rohan Pai talks to Ananya Rao about her experiences from Chhattisgarh around NTFP policies in action and the benefits of integrating NTFP trade with CFRRbased governance.
14th BRICS Summit
27 min 59 sec
In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani and Megha Pardhi discuss the outcomes of the BRICS summit and Chinas objectives in the BRICS.
Immigration in India
33 min 45 sec
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria and Sudisha Mishra trace the history of immigration in India with an emphasis on Bangladeshi immigrants, address some pertinent questions on immigration, and discuss the role these immigrants pay in India economy.
Parental leave policy - perspectives on the way forward
37 min 36 sec
The idea of gender neutral parental leave policies is gaining ground. What would this look like Why is it important What can we do to make it more equitable Shambhavi Naik, Sridhar Krishna, Sowmya Nandan and Suman Joshi discuss this.
The Role of Ideology in Xi Jinping’s Policies
35 min 14 sec
In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani speaks to Joseph Torigian, Asst. Professor at the School of International Service at the American University in Washington DC, about his new paper Xi Jinping and Ideology.
Geoengineering and Why it Matters
26 min 48 sec
The climate crisis is worsening everyday and theres a need to find some mitigation factors. This is where the field of geoengineering comes in. Priyal DAlmeida discusses with Arjun Gargeyas the pros and cons of geoengineering.
Insights from Biology: Deep Dive into Learning Biases
33 min 40 sec
In this episode, Priyal Lyncia Dalmeida and Harshit Kukreja discuss culturalgene convolution, costly information hypothesis and learning biases.
Solving Bihar's Unemployment Crisis
25 min 51 sec
Sudisha Mishra and Srijay Raj discuss the ways in which Bihar can improve its agricultural and industrial output and the role improvement in law and order plays in that.
The Evolution and Influence of Kinetic Kill Vehicles
33 min 17 sec
In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav R Satyanath talk about the evolution of Kinetic Kill Vehicles since the Cold War and how this technology has come to space todays nuclear arms race.
Measuring public policy outcomes
37 min 13 sec
In this episode, Sarthak Pradhan and Ritul Gaur speak to Veenu Singh about the history of programme evaluation in India. They discuss Indias OutputOutcome framework, Monitoring Evaluation frameworks across the world
Global Liveability Index : What makes for a good Indian city
37 min 2 sec
In this episode, Ritul Gaur speaks to Varun Kaushik, Architect and Urban Planner about the latest Global Liveability Index 2022 by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Implications of a depreciating rupee
29 min 23 sec
This year the Indian Rupee has depreciated almost 7 against the US dollar. Why is the rupee falling against the dollar What will be the impact on the economy Is there anything the government can do Anupam Manur talks to Sarthak Pradhan.
Community engagement - understanding policy through the lens of street vendors
32 min 2 sec
Understanding policies and their effect on intended beneficiaries as illustrated by the Street Vendor Act. Shailesh GK, student of GCPP, who studied this as part of the community engagement project of GCPP, discussed with Suman Joshi.
Can nuclear-powered submarines be hunted down?
20 min 44 sec
For decades, it has been assumed that placing nuclear weapons inside nuclearpowered submarines is the best way of ensuring the survivability of a countries nuclear arsenal. But can the same be said today
India's Approach to Malnutrition
24 min 45 sec
India is suffering from a double whammy of malnutrition. On the one hand, we are dealing with undernutrition and overnutrition on the other. In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Harshit Kukreja talk about malnutrition, public nutrition and clinical nutrition
Long COVID in children
25 min 30 sec
Priyal Dalmeida talks to Arjun Gargeyas about what long COVID is, its symptoms and what can be done.
Civic Technology - The use of technology to engage with the Government
37 min 33 sec
In this episode, Sowmy and Ritul are joined by Antara Vasudev Founder, CIVIS and Divya Pinge Senior Associate, CIVIS in discussing the relationship between state and citizens and its evolution in the wake of CIVIC tech platforms.
How can an optimist create jobs in Bihar
49 min 2 sec
Sridhar Krishna talks to Dr. Sudhanshu Kumar of the Centre for Economic Policy and Public Finance in Patna seeking solutions to the huge unemployment in Bihar and bridge the gap.
Heat waves, droughts and floods: The Climate Emergency
30 min 38 sec
In this episode, Mahek Nakani and Harshit Kukreja discuss climate change, its effects, who is responsible for this and what can India do to be prepared.
Battery Swapping Policy in India
20 min 6 sec
Priyal Dalmeida talks to Rohan Pai about the highlights of the policy and what lies ahead when it comes to battery swapping in India.
The Pakistani economy is in trouble, yet again.
35 min 41 sec
With foreign reserves at a historic low and the rupee losing its value by the day. Pakistan is yet again seeking a loan from the IMF. Will it go down the Bangladesh way Will the World watch a nation with nukes to collapse
What’s up with the Communist Party’s 20th Party Congress?
28 min 45 sec
Will Xi Jinping secure a third term as the Partys General Secretary at the Congress Manoj Kewalramani and Megha Pardhi discuss all this and more.
The Concept and Practice of Open Prison System in India
32 min 58 sec
we are joined by Smita Chakraborty, Founder of PAAR an organisation focused on prison reforms open prison advocacy. We discuss the concept of open prisons, its public policy implications and how it helps us rethink questions of law, justice punishment
The new Chilean constitution - Beacon of hope or an unrealistic promise?
25 min 15 sec
Chile votes on a new constitution on Sep 3rd. What does it mean for the country, and what can it mean for constitutionalism Shreekrishna Upadhyay, Ritul Gaur and Suman Joshi discuss.
Is China's Semiconductor Rise Inevitable?
24 min 25 sec
Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida talks to Arjun Gargeyas about why it is essential to watch out for the postpandemic semiconductor rise of China.
How can we contain the spread of Monkeypox in India?
17 min 59 sec
Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida talks to Rohan Pai and unravels all that is currently known about Monkeypox. She highlights the prevention measures that individuals and health authorities must take to contain the further spread of the disease in India.
Understanding the intricacies behind ONDC
36 min 38 sec
In this episode, Arjun Gargeyas and Bharath Reddy talk to Mr. Sanjay Jain, a Fellow at iSPIRIT, on how exactly ONDC works and how it might evolve in the near future.
India's manufacturing success depends on making its firms bigger
31 min 52 sec
Sridhar Krishna and Minu Chawla discuss how recent labour reforms and other efforts could help alleviate some of Indias labour manufacturing woes.
The story of Article 370: Looking back and looking ahead
1 hr 1 min 50 sec
Arghya Sengupta, Founder and Director of Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, walks Mihir Mahajan through Article 370 and the constitutional challenges the nullification action faces.
Reviewing the NPT RevCon
28 min 37 sec
In this episode, Pranav R Satyanath and Aditya Ramanathan discuss how these changes affect the deliberations at the RevCon.
The End of Happy Hours: Un-Liberalisation of Delhi's Excise Policy
27 min 1 sec
In this episode, Ritul Gaur, Pranay Kotasthane and Harshit Kukreja discuss Delhis Excise policy, the importance of alcohol in a states revenue and the way forward.
IPL Digital Media Rights
25 min 43 sec
In this episode, Bharath Reddy, Ritul Gaur and Rohan Pai unfold the implications of the big players investing in the digital media landscape, and why the IPL is just a starting point for digital domination.
The rise of TB in India
16 min 18 sec
The COVID 19 pandemic has caused an increase in Tuberculosis disease burden. In this episode, Dr. Harshit Kukreja and Priyal DAlmeida discuss TB, COVID19 and much more.
Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan Visit
25 min 51 sec
In this episode, Megha Pardhi and Manoj Kewalramani discuss the significance of this visit, the difference between the One China Principle and One China Policy, and Indias position on Taiwan.
Withdrawal of the Data Protection Bill
26 min 5 sec
In this episode, Bharath Reddy speaks with Prateek Waghre and Tejasi Panjiar from Internet Freedom Foundation on the complicated legacy of the bill and the way forward.
Reimagining justice delivery in India ft. SAMA
47 min 57 sec
In this episode, Ritul Gaur and Shrikrishna Upadhyay are joined by Pranjal Sinha and Akshetha Ashok, the Cofounders of SAMA, an ODR platform, about the evolving dispute resolution landscape, their conception of justice, and their work.
Ease of doing business in Kolkata
23 min 41 sec
Sudisha Mishra asks Rahul Sanghavi a businessman from Kolkata, pertinent questions regarding the business landscape in Kolkata and can businesses in Kolkata create enough jobs.
Being Aware of Space Situational Awareness
28 min 31 sec
In April 2022, India and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share Space Situational Awareness SSA data. But what exactly is SSA and why data sharing is important for both India and the US
Humans of AI - The Women Labour behind Data Annotation
40 min 22 sec
In this episode, Carl Jaison speaks to Karishma Mehrotra, Journalist Fulbright Scholar on her story about women from Ranchi and Mannarkad who play an unglamorous but critical role in the machine learning pipeline.
The Market for Blood
19 min 37 sec
Blood was always a scarce resource in the country. A demandsupply mismatch has always existed. In this episode of all things policy, Dr. Harshit Kukreja and Dr. Mansi Sharma discuss this market, blood substitutes, breast milk, organ trade and much more.
Freebies - are they really free ?
22 min 24 sec
Recently the Supreme Court suggested constituting an expert body to look into freebies offered by political parties to voters. In this episode, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan attempt to understand the nuances concerning the debate around freebies.
Will the Chip4 Alliance Work?
21 min 12 sec
Ever since Pelosis visit and Bidens CHIPS Act, news reports are emerging of kickstarting of the Chip4 Alliance. Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida talks to Arjun Gargeyas and deconstructs the entire aspect behind the Chip4.
An Open Source Future for Science & Technology Research
24 min 25 sec
Shambhavi Naik and Manoj Kewalramani discuss what this shift towards open access is likely to mean for individual researchers, journals and research ecosystems in countries like India.
Solving India’s Transportation Problem
38 min 16 sec
In this episode, Ritul Gaur and Sowmya Nandan speak to our alum Anand A about his entrepreneurial journey in solving Indias transportation problem.
Gorbachev and his Nuclear Legacy
29 min 22 sec
In this episode, Shirikrishna Upadhyaya talks to Pranav R Satyanath about Gorbachevs role in negotiating the most significant arms control agreements at the end of the Cold War.
Why India's women labour force participation is low
20 min 56 sec
Sudisha Mishra invites Nitya Maniktala to discuss the reasons behind this problem and what can actually help in the long run.
Rationalising subsidies to create more fiscal space
30 min 27 sec
How much does India spend on subsidies What is its implication Can there be a better solution In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane and Sarthak Pradhan analyse subsidies from a public finance perspective and evaluate some policy alternatives.
Australia's Space Ambitions: A Conversation with Enrico Palermo
23 min 45 sec
In this episode, Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav Satyanath host the Head of the Australian Space Agency, Enrico Palermo, to learn about Australias space ambitions and the growth of its space industry.
How does China's Techplomacy Work?
34 min 8 sec
In the Information Age, technology is slowly becoming a tool of foreign policy and diplomacy. Shrikrishna Upadhyaya speaks to Arjun Gargeyas on how China has managed to get a foothold in this field and what India can learn from it.
India-China Border Disengagement: From LAC to SCO
32 min 45 sec
Shrikrishna Upadhyaya speaks to Manoj Kewalramani on the significance of the latest developments, its connection with the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet, and the likelihood of thaw in bilateral relations between India and China.
Scihub and the Battle for Access
22 min 48 sec
In this episode of All Things Policy, Harshit Kukreja and Carl Jaison talk about Scihub, the ongoing litigation before the Delhi High Court, supplydemand mismatch in relation to research output and much more.
Credit, livelihoods and transforming communities
42 min 31 sec
Sridhar Krishna talks to Smita and Ram, cofounders of RangDe, about the need for credit and how peer to peer lending can transform lives in a sustainable way.
Reintroduction of Cheetahs in India
24 min 14 sec
In this episode, Ananya Rao and Rohan Pai deliberate over the implications of bringing cheetahs back into the Indian ecosystem.
Gene Editing: What Do Americans Think?
26 min 10 sec
Pew Research Centre conducted a survey to understand the public opinion on gene editing. Arjun Gargeyas talks to Priyal Dalmeida about the results of the survey and what it means for the future of gene editing policies.
Online Privacy 101 to Commemorate 5 Years of the Puttaswamy Judgement
25 min 9 sec
Its been 5 years since the Puttaswamy judgement on privacy. Indias data protection bill which came about as a result of this judgement has been in the works for the past 4 years.
Western Australia’s Business Diplomacy in India
28 min 45 sec
Carl Jaison speaks to Nashid on the various deals that were struck, the key Indian states Western Australia is focused on and much more.
Overcoming learning losses- lessons from the Tamil Nadu experiment
23 min 59 sec
Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi summarize findings of a new working paper titled COVID19 Learning Loss and Recovery: Panel Data Evidence from India and discuss possible implications for policy making
Can sustainable cities create more jobs?
28 min 14 sec
Anupriya Mohta and Sudisha Mishra discuss the role of sustainability in building new cities with a special focus on Gurugram.
Cycling to Work - Hear from the Bangalore Bicycle Mayor
46 min 41 sec
In this episode, Ritul Gaur and Sowmya Nandan speak to our guest, Sathya Sankaran. He has been working towards a sustainable vision for Bengaluru, campaigning for solutions around Urban Planning, Non Motorised Transport Public Transport.
Math with CCP Characteristics
44 min 46 sec
In this episode, Pranay Kotasthane and Manoj Kewalramani decode the math of CCP slogans.
Is “Make in India” a distant dream or an impossible goal?
29 min 59 sec
Sridhar Krishna speaks to Preeti Ahluwalia about creating manufacturing jobs in India. They discuss what the Indian manufacturing sector needs besides just labour law reforms and PLI schemes.
Reducing logistics costs in India
32 min 9 sec
Anupam Manur and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the recent policy moves significance and the challenges ahead.
AI Hardware Ecosystem In India
29 min 48 sec
In this episode, Arjun Gargeyas and Priyal Dalmeida get into a conversation on AI hardware, the need for AI hardware policy for India, and the strengths and opportunities for Indias AI hardware ecosystem.
An Indian Approach to Tech Diplomacy
37 min 11 sec
In this episode, Arjun Gargeyas discusses his recently published paper with Rohan Pai, and explains the nuances of an Indian approach to tech diplomacy.
Moonlighting and the Future of Employment
23 min 46 sec
Suman Joshi and Sridhar Krishna join Bharath Reddy in looking at issues around moonlighting and how the future of work might look like.
Preserving vernacular languages
43 min 19 sec
In this episode, Ritul Gaur and Sowmya Nandan are joined by Vasant Shetty CoFounder MyLang and Aakash Athawasya Cohost Kannada Gothilla Podcast to discuss their work in widening the reach of Kannada.
Land laws of West Bengal
22 min
Sudisha Mishra invites Rahul Sanghavi to discuss the land laws that have curtailed business growth in West Bengal, inadvertently impacting job creation in the state.
Social Media’s Rule of Three
30 min 20 sec
Shrikrishna hosts Pranay Kotasthane to discuss three interrelated mechanisms, namely, reference networks, Overton Window and disproportionate rewards for extreme content, understanding which could contain the key in cracking the social media problem.
Vaccine Nationalism
25 min 6 sec
Priyal Dalmeida talks to Mahek Nankani about what Vaccine Nationalism is, its implications on LMICs and what are the ways to tackle it.
FIFA WC 2022 & Future of Sports OTT market in India
25 min 34 sec
Dr. Harshit Kukreja hosts Carl Jaison who shares his thoughts on Viacom18s decision to make the FIFA WC available to stream for free, the longterm strategy of the Relianceowned subsidiary and the future of the sports OTT market in India.
Biological Reasoning: Kinship and Policy
30 min 41 sec
People tend to undertake costly behaviour for their family and kin. In this episode of All Things Policy, Harshit Kukreja and Carl Jaison unpack this kinship behaviour and discuss its implication for public policy.
What is Millennial Subsidy and Why is it Coming to an End?
34 min 43 sec
Shrikrishna Upadhyaya hosts Ritul Gaur and Saiyed Kamil to discuss millennial subsidy, economic cycles and the future of startup funding and innovation.
Escalation in the US-China Tech War
28 min 8 sec
In this episode, Pranav Satyanath is joined by Pranay Kotasthane to unpack the contents of these documents, the objectives of the regulations and their implications for the future.
Supreme Court Ruling on Expanding Abortion Rights
35 min 10 sec
Shambhavi Naik, Harshit Kukreja and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya analyse the judgement and its implications from a policy, medical science and legal viewpoints.
Analysing India’s Higher Education Sector
30 min 28 sec
What are some potential solutions to improve access and quality in higher education Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi discuss these questions in this episode of All Things Policy.
Why does India get only 1.64% of all global tourists?
32 min 5 sec
Sridhar Krishna and Anupriya Mohta discuss how the Indian tourism industry has been on a decline since a little before the pandemic. However this sector has an opportunity to contribute close to 2.4M jobs per year over the next decade.
Evaluating India's Efforts to Tackle Manual Scavenging
38 min 39 sec
Mahek Nankani and Priyal Lyncia DAlmeida discuss some key data points and recommendations to address the issue in this episode of All Things Policy.
Transforming Justice Through Innovation & Technology
41 min 52 sec
In this episode, Sowmya Nandan and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya host Supriya Sankaran, cofounder of Agami India, engage in a wideranging conversation on justicemakers, legaltech startups, digital transformation in courts.
Interrogating Southern Asia’s Nuclear Dynamics
39 min 29 sec
In this episode, Pranav Satyanath welcomes Dr Ashley J Tellis, a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the continuity and change in the nuclear trajectories of Southern Asia.
Newsroom Economics & Why It Matters
44 min 33 sec
In this episode Shrikrishna hosts Sachin, who has vast experience in running newsrooms, to discuss the importance of media freedom, business models of newsrooms, the alternative offered by subscriptionbased models, and the role of public broadcasters.
The Promise and Peril of Lunar Exploration
26 min 49 sec
Pranav R. Satyanath and Aditya Ramanathan discuss the goals of this USled lunar programme and the new challenges it can create for outer space governance.
Biological Reasoning: Costly Information Theory and Learning Biases
20 min 43 sec
In this episode of All Things Policy, Harshit Kukreja and Carl Jaison discuss costly information theory, learning biases and their implication for public policy.
Nation-States in Sports: Does Sportswashing Work?
23 min 53 sec
Carl Jaison is joined by Jaideep Vaidya, sports journalist at The Signal who writes a weekly newsletter on the business of sports.
A Holistic Assessment of MGNREGA
38 min 59 sec
Sridhar Krishna and Sudisha Mishra carry out a holistic assessment of this scheme, covering themes such as objectives, benefits, shortcomings, outlay, and unintended consequences.
Genetically Modified Mustard: A Step in the Right Direction
24 min 31 sec
In this episode of All Things Policy, Harshit Kukreja and Shambhavi Naik discuss genetically modified plants, their safety, efficacy and regulations.
CCI's Antitrust Verdicts Against Google
34 min 20 sec
The Competition Commission of India has imposed fines and several restrictions in two antitrust verdicts against Google for abusing its market dominance in the Android operating system and app store markets.
Competitive Federalism in India
30 min 21 sec
Can Indian States compete with each other for investment and development If so, how do we ensure that States big small and developed underdeveloped compete on an equal footing
Telecom Sector in India
33 min 14 sec
In this episode Shrikrishna hosts Aaditya Dighe to discuss foreign investment in the telecom sector, domestic manufacturing of telecom equipment, the challenges in the ongoing 5G rollout, and alternatives like satcom based internet services.
Space Stations & Future of India's Human Spaceflight
23 min 21 sec
In this episode, Pranav Satyanath talks to Aditya Ramanathan about his new discussion document, which questions the possibility of a Quad space station.
Where’s China headed after the 20th Party Congress?
35 min 15 sec
Xi Jinping won an unprecedented third term as General Secretary at the Communist Partys 20th National Congress in late October. This cemented his hold on power for the foreseeable future.
Reservations in India: The EWS Question
33 min 12 sec
The 103rd Amendment to the Constitution of India dealing with reservations for the Economically Weaker Sections EWS was upheld by the Supreme Court last week. Shrikrishna Upadhyaya and Suman Joshi discuss in this episode.
The Road Ahead for UPI
20 min 36 sec
Rohan and Mahek discuss the recent paper published by RBI, and deconstruct the hidden costs of UPI.
Making Education More Accessible to Rural Women
32 min 50 sec
Sudisha Mishra and Sowmya Nandan talk to Uthara Narayanan, founder of Buzz Women, an organization that works towards providing knowledge, skills, and tools to rural women at the doorstep.
India Must Take the Lead on Medical Pluralism
31 min 2 sec
India has a long tradition of different systems of medicine. Medical pluralism looks at integrating these systems with modern evidencebased medicine. Mahek Nankani and Dr. Harshit Kukreja discuss AYUSH, Covid19 and the potential of Indias traditional knowledge.
Women & India's Sports Policies
29 min 30 sec
Malathi Renati, Associate Dean of Takshashilas Policy School and a sportsperson who has represented Karnataka in three sports, speaks with Pranay Kotasthane about designing sports policies that encourage participation of women.You can follow Pranay Kotasthane on twitter: https://twitter.com/pranaykotasCheck out Takshashilas courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/featuredDo follow IVM Podcasts on social media.We are IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.https://twitter.com/IVMPodcastshttps://www.instagram.com/ivmpodcasts/hlenhttps://www.facebook.com/ivmpodcasts/Follow the show across platforms:Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon MusicDo share the word with your folksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What’s Driving Australia’s Indo-Pacific Policy?
40 min 47 sec
Australia has emerged as a key actor shaping the future trajectory of the IndoPacific. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani speaks to Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, about the principles underpinning the countrys approach to the region, developments related to the Quad and AUKUS and the future of the IndiaAustralia relationship.You can follow Tim Watts on twitter: https://twitter.com/theChinaDudeYou can follow Manoj Kewalramani on twitter: https://twitter.com/TimWattsMPCheck out Takshashilas courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/featuredDo follow IVM Podcasts on social media.We are IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.https://twitter.com/IVMPodcastshttps://www.instagram.com/ivmpodcasts/hlenhttps://www.facebook.com/ivmpodcasts/Follow the show across platforms:Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon MusicDo share the word with your folksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why Should We Protect & Promote Our Languages?
50 min 1 sec
A loss of language is accompanied by a loss of history, heritage, cultural expression and identity. Nearly half of the worlds languages are endangered today and Indian languages form the largest group among the endangered languages.In the words of our guest, Losing a link with ones own language is like losing a slice of culture every day. Slowly. It is like the peanut butter you started slathering on the kids bread, instead of the sugar inside the hot gheefilled chapati amma made.In this episode, Sowmya Nandan and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya host Vasanthi Hariprakash, journalist, radio personality, media entrepreneur and founder of Pickle Jar to discuss the vulnerability of Indian languages and their many dialects, homogenisation of languages, and politics surrounding languages. Vasanthi enlists various initiatives for conserving and growing languages arising out of the society and the markets today.Further Reading: English is a phunny language, but it is having the last laugh Deccan HeraldYou can follow Sowmya Nandan on twitter: https://twitter.com/sowmyanandanYou can follow Shrikrishna Upadhyaya on twitter: https://twitter.com/shrikrishna5You can follow Vasanthi Hariprakash on twitter: https://twitter.com/vasanthihariCheck out Takshashilas courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.You can check out our website at https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/featuredDo follow IVM Podcasts on social media.We are IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.https://twitter.com/IVMPodcastshttps://www.instagram.com/ivmpodcasts/hlenhttps://www.facebook.com/ivmpodcasts/Follow the show across platforms:Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon MusicDo share the word with your folksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elon Musk's Twitter
42 min 30 sec
Karthik Srinivasan, renowned social media consultant and author, speaks with Sachin Kalbag on what Elon Musks takeover of Twitter means for political discourse in particular and the evolution of social media in general.
Federalism and Health Sector in India
33 min
In India, the Union and the State Governments play a role in the health sector. How are the responsibilities divided What are some of the issues arising out of the allocation Dr Harshit Kukreja and Sarthak Pradhan discuss.
Biological Reasoning: Kinship Financing
30 min 24 sec
Kinship explains a lot of costly endeavours that people do. A lot of informal financing takes place through kin based networks. In this episode of All Things Policy, Harshit Kukreja and Carl Jaison discuss kinship, financing, MSMEs and much more.
Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022
29 min 38 sec
The Ministry of Electronics Information Technology has released the draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 for public consultation. This long awaited bill is the fourth iteration of the draft data protection law and is intended to bring in much needed reforms that will protect personal data of individuals.
Zero-COVID protests in China
30 min 35 sec
Over the past week, cities across China saw unprecedented demonstrations, as people took to the streets to call for an end to the countrys zeroCovid policy. Whats driving these protests and what do they mean for the future of COVID containment and politics in China Manoj Kewalramani and Pranav R. Satyanath discuss.
Missiles: History, Design and Nuclear Race
24 min 55 sec
Missiles are intimately tied to the nuclear arms race. For the first time in 40 years, the Russian military has given the public an unprecedented look into the design of its nucleararmed missiles. Shrikrishna Upadhyaya takes this opportunity to quiz Pranav Satyanath on the history of rockets during the Cold War, differences in the Soviet and American approaches to building missiles, and the future of missile programmes.