Ever wondered how automation will change the world? Maybe you puzzle over what India could do to ease traffic congestion, or how China's 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 you'll need to understand the world (and appreciate your breakfast) better.
Energy access can greatly impact healthcare, education, and quality of life. What seen or unseen policy issues exist at the interplay between energy and development? Join Akansha Saklani and Satya Sahu as they discuss the critical role energy access plays in fostering the development of rural and underserved communities worldwide.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 3.42 lakh people are still missing and untraced in India as of 2021. A vast majority of missing persons are women. In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS and DGP of Uttar Pradesh) speaks to Shrikrishna Upadhyaya on the various reasons behind missing persons, kidnapping and abduction, human trafficking, enforced disappearances, and the urban-rural divide in terms of people going missing. Readings: Where do most people go missing in ...
In this episode, Amit Kumar talks to Anushka Saxena about some elements of India's cybersecurity policy and priorities, including the nature of the threat the country faces, its domestic policy imperatives, and its engagement with the multilateral fora on the issue of responsible cyber behaviour.
In the episode of All Things Policy, Shambhavi Naik and Saurabh Todi discuss the recent news from China where scientists have successfully restored hearing in kids born deaf. They discuss the consequences of this achievement and the ethics of gene therapies.
Deep technologies involve scientific and technological advancements that serve as the foundation for innovative products or services. In this episode of All Things Policy, Vishnu Rajeev, investment principal of VC firm Speciale Invest, talks about the deep tech industry and why he's so excited about its future in India. Bharath Reddy and Satya Sahu from Takshashila join him in the conversation.
The UPI has come as a boon to Indian consumers making receiving and paying money easy at every level. But how does this interface fare with visitors from other countries? What can India do to make it easier for visitors? Suman Joshi talks to Josiah W Neal about his experiences in India. Reading: UPI: The world needs India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, but can’t see the benefit
Kingshuk Saha discusses with Aditya Ramanathan and Bharat Sharma the Israel-Hamas crisis that has engulfed the Middle East. They talk about how it affects India’s interests and its response to the emerging challenge. (As it is a developing event, please note that the podcast was recorded on October 20, 2023)
Malathi Renati (Head of Takshashila’s Policy School) and Sowmya Nandan (Head of Corporate Affairs at Takshashila ) are in conversation with Gowthami Saraf who shares her first-hand experience of homeschooling, the benefits and challenges, and how government policies, markets and society can support this emerging but niche education segment.
Police raids are search and seizure operations conducted by the police for investigation and evidence collection. They often become media spectacles or are used as intimidatory tactics. Police raids have severe consequences for individual freedoms and privacy. In this episode of Police Chokwi, Javeed Ahmad (former IPS and DGP of Uttar Pradesh) speaks to Shrikrishna Upadhyaya on the use of raids by police, the procedural safeguards available to individuals and the legal gray area around digital e...
Using high-resolution satellite images. Dr. Nithiyanandam, Head of Geospatial Research Programme at the Takshashila Institution, analysed three operational dual-purpose airports and two airbases under construction in Central Tibet, namely, Shigatse Peace Airport, Lhasa Gonggar Airport, Nyinghchi Manling Airbase, Shigtase Tingri Airbase, and Damxung Airbase. According to him, “China's rapid construction pace and utilization of cutting-edge technology indicate its commitment to maintaining a long-...
What is 'Open RAN', and why have countries and groupings rushed to advocate for its deployment within the telecom industry? In this episode of All Things Policy, Bharat Sharma speaks with Bharath Reddy on what has made Open RAN attractive, how technology interacts with geopolitics, and current obstacles in Open RAN deployment.
In a significant decision this week, the Supreme Court of India held that there is no fundamental right to marriage and refused to grant legal recognition to same-sex couples. In this episode, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya speaks to Saurabh Todi about the failure of the court to recognise marriage or civil union of same-sex couples, the remedies granted by the court, and the implications of the decision for queer rights in the future. Reading: Plea for Marriage Equality: Judgement Matrix - Supreme Court...
Growth in global trade has helped reduce abject poverty around the world very significantly. Rising protectionism since 2008 has led to a drop in global trade as a percentage of global GDP and threatens efforts in poverty alleviation. Growing tensions in Europe and the Middle East are not helping. The potential for growth in trade in services is a silver lining. Despite 63% of global GDP comprising of services, only 21% of global trade is in services. Can services trade be the answer to economic...
The National Statistical Office recently released India's GDP data for the first quarter of 2023-24, and this release prompted debate around the veracity of the data. In this episode, Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi try to make sense of the controversy around India's GDP numbers.
In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar quizzes Anushka Saxena on her latest book review on Paul Scharre's 'Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence'. The two discuss data, talent, computing, and institutions as the key pillars of the geopolitical quest for technological supremacy in AI.
Last weekend, the Chinese Communist Party concluded a two-day National Ideological and Cultural Work Conference. The big outcome of this was the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. In this episode, Anushka Saxena and Manoj Kewalramani discuss why the canonisation of such ideas as thoughts matters in Chinese politics and what are the implications of this new thought.
With India achieving its biggest haul ever of 107 medals at the Hangzhou 2023 Asiad games that just concluded, it is important to look at some of the good policies that had been put into place many years prior to make this happen. As a nation, India has a lot of potential and its athletes were able to capitalise on some of the government initiatives. Can the Indian society, markets, and government now work together to take sports to the next level? Malathi Renati, who heads the policy school at ...
In this episode of All Things Policy, Shambhavi Naik and Saurabh Todi discuss the recent announcement by the European Union to conduct a risk assessment of critical and emerging technologies and how emerging technologies are increasingly being seen through the prism of national and economic security.
On October 7, 2022, the United States Department of Commerce implemented controls related to semiconductor manufacturing in China in order “to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests”. The recent announcement of Huawei’s 7nm Kirin 9000s chip has raised concerns that the kerfuffle created by the sanctions has all been for nothing and China apparently has next to leading-edge fabrication facilities. So, have the sanctions failed to achieve their objectives and will the US doubl...
In this episode, Sowmya Nandan from Takshashila Institution hosts author Shoba Narayan for a conversation on her latest book Namma Bangalore: The Soul of a Metropolis. They go through the layers of food, language, art, start-up ecosystem, citizen-led movements & homes in Bangalore. And of course, traffic. Buy the book here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0CG6J6V9P/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena and Amit Kumar discuss the structural challenges besieging the Chinese Economy, as well policy responses by the central leadership (or lack thereof).
Over the last two years, China has been working on three global geostrategic initiatives: the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI). Takshashila's Sachin Kalbag and Manoj Kewalramani discuss what they mean for China, for India, and for the rest of the world.
In this episode of All Things Policy, Saurabh Todi and Shambhavi Naik discuss the importance of the Green Revolution and Dr. M.S. Swaminathan's role. They discuss how science and policy intersect and the steps needed to usher in the next green revolution. Recommended readings: MS Swaminathan’s farsightedness for Punjab: Discouraged free power to tackle groundwater crisis, wanted ‘evergreen revolution’ without harming ecology MS Swaminathan’s evergreen revolution: Productivity without ecological ...
India has plans to put one of its citizens on the International Space Station in 2024. But why do governments bother to put people into space when they can use robots? And how should India approach such costly missions? Satya Sahu and Aditya Ramanathan discuss.
In this episode, Amit Kumar quizzes Anushka Saxena on the industrial and policy ecosystem surrounding drone technology in the Chinese military. Anushka describes types of Chinese drones, increasing emphasis on the modularity and autonomy of drones, and the challenges the Chinese ecosystem is currently facing.
After being in discussion for more than a decade, the Women's Reservation Bill has been passed, but could it be a non-starter? What are the implications? Are there other alternatives that could've been explored to increase women's representation? Saurabh Todi and Suman Joshi discuss. Readings: India’s first women MPs punched above their weight | The Indian Express The Women's Lottery Bill NBER Working Paper Series Women As Policy Makers: Evidence From A India-Wide Randomized Policy Experiment by...
TRAI has released a consultation paper discussing the potential regulation of OTT platforms, reigniting discussions on net neutrality. The key questions raised: Should communication and entertainment platforms compensate for network usage? And should they be regulated in the same way as telecom service providers? Should selective banning of apps be allowed instead of blanket internet bans? Join Sridhar Krishna as he discusses these topics with Rijesh Panicker and Bharath Reddy. Reading: Takshash...
Join Satya Sahu and Saurabh Todi as they have a conversation on the geopolitics and the complicated diplomatic path ahead for India and Canada in the aftermath of Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of India’s ties to the killing of a Khalistani supporter on Canadian soil.
In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS & DGP, Uttar Pradesh) and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya discuss crime prevention initiatives of the Indian police. They talk about predictive policing, using evidence-based policing techniques, and the successes and drawbacks of community policing initiatives.
Kingshuk Saha and Bharat Sharma discuss the likely Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting at the sideline of UNGA. They discuss some of the issues that might come up during the meeting and its geopolitical implications.
