All Things Policy
1,398 episodes - English - Latest episode: 26 days ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsEver 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.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Journey Through Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of Transport Infrastructure
June 14, 2024 10:47 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBJoin us for an insightful episode of " Journey Through Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of Transport Infrastructure," where Shreya Ramakrishnan, Programme Manager of the Graduate Certificate in Public Policy (Advanced Public Policy) program at Takshashila Institution, interacts with Dr. Y. Nithiyanandam, Professor and Head of Geospatial Research at Takshashila Institution. They delve into Dr. Nithiyanandam’s latest article, "#9 Unlocking Tibet: In-Depth Mapping of Transport Infrastructure Throug...
China at Shangri La Dialogue 2024
June 13, 2024 03:57 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena and Amit Kumar discuss China's Representation at the recently concluded Shangri La Dialogue 2024 in Singapore. They further talk about remarks made by Dong Jun and Cui Tiankai at the Dialogue, and the internal debate in the Chinese party-state apparatus regarding China's vision for regional security. They discuss other developments at the SLD vis-à-vis Chinese press conferences on the sidelines, and the rhetoric on Taiwan. All Things Poli...
Will the Coalition Government Witness Legislative Reforms?
June 12, 2024 00:30 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBIndian politics has re-entered the coalition era with the new government under PM Narendra Modi being sworn in last week. Given that coalition governments tend to witness greater political bargaining and deliberation, the fate of critical legislative reforms such as one nation one election (ONOE), delimitation of constituencies, women’s reservation in Parliament and assemblies, etc., hangs in the balance. In this episode, Saurabh Todi and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya reflect on the issue of legis...
Innovation policy and private sector R&D
June 11, 2024 06:48 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBThere is a lot of focus worldwide and in India in spurring innovation and private sector R&D. Join Arindam Goswami and Ashwin Prasad in this episode of All Things Policy as they look at this from a public policy angle, and discuss various frameworks and ideas around this. Arindam had written about using IP-backed financing to unlock innovation in the Technopolitik newsletter, which you can read here: https://hightechir.substack.com/p/88-using-ip-backed-financing-to-unlock You can also read...
How Xi Thinks of ‘Extreme Scenarios’
June 10, 2024 00:30 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBIn 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that his country must be prepared for “worst-case and extreme scenarios” both at home and abroad. Is China simply trying to manage risks amid a difficult external and internal environment? Or is there something else going on? Manoj Kewalramani delves into Xi’s logic in conversation with Aditya Ramanathan. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research a...
Foreign Policy And Strategic Priorities For The New Government
June 07, 2024 19:25 - 32 minutes - 30 MBAs a new government takes shape in New Delhi, what are some of the key foreign policy and strategic challenges that lie before it? This question will no doubt be on top of the minds of several policy professionals who look forward to the next five years as one where India continues to play a major role in the Indo-Pacific as well as the rest of the world. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our rese...
Protecting the welfare of farmed animals
June 06, 2024 00:30 - 42 minutes - 39 MBDo animals have a voice? Not many are aware that India's animal laws are actually forward looking. Come discover this and other empirical evidence that Malathi Renati unearths in her conversation with Shreya Swaminath: Director, Farm Animal Protection, HSI/India. While the focus is on farmed/ domesticaled animals, the concerns are similar across other flora and fauna. It continues to be riddled with apathy and poor implementation. From improving the living conditions of farmed animals to the...
China, Russia, and the Balance of Power
June 05, 2024 05:20 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBThe China-Russia 'no limits partnership' has become part and parcel of deliberations on the nature of the world order today. Most recently, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin met for the 43rd time, breaking a record for the number of times leaders of two countries have met. And especially since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022, the partnership between the two sides has grown economically, militarily, and politically. The two also share a common vision for a reformed world order – one that...
Decreasing Usefulness of Online Ratings
June 04, 2024 06:47 - 37 minutes - 34.9 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Saurabh Todi and Anupam Manur discuss the decreasing quality of online reviews and ways in which vendors, platforms and websites game the system to the detriment of consumers. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/ Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in/
Anti-Satellite Warfare: Direct Ascent Missiles
June 03, 2024 00:30 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBIn this episode, Ashwin Prasad and Nandika Rohith explore India's Direct Ascent Anti-Satellite (DA-ASAT) missile technology, detailing its capabilities and offering a look at how India is shaping its stance in space defence and diplomacy. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/ Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.t...
Beyond boundaries: exploring India's space odyssey
May 31, 2024 05:43 - 55 minutes - 51.8 MBIndia has recently taken huge steps to open up the space sector to private entities. Join Arindam Goswami and Ashwin Prasad in this episode of All Things Policy as they look at the trajectory of private sector participation in the Indian space sector, especially in the context of the recent reforms to open up the space sector to private entities and the guidelines issued by IN-SPACe to clarify more about these aspects. To know more, read Ashwin’s op-ed on this topic here - https://www.decca...
Drone Warfare: Eyes in the Air
May 30, 2024 00:30 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBIf you are curious to know about the evolution of drones & the way it's changing the landscape of Military Warfare, here's an episode put together for you. Sowmya and Lakshmi are in conversation with Anushka. They dwell into India's drone capabilities, technical details, materials used, AI & jobs. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/ Ch...
Are Main Battle Tanks Obsolete?
May 29, 2024 00:30 - 26 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Rakshith Shetty quizzes Amit Kumar on the utility and relevance of MBTs in modern warfare in the context of heavy losses suffered by Russian armoured campaign against a weaker adversary. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/ Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in/
Are Professions Noble?
May 28, 2024 07:14 - 38 minutes - 36 MBProfessions in India such as doctors, advocates and teachers have been accorded an elevated status of nobility. The idea that professions are noble has a range of consequences in terms of their regulatory and judicial treatment. In this hard-hitting episode, Anupam Manur & Shrikrishna Upadhyaya question the idea of nobility attached to professions. They discuss how professionals are burdened with restrictions relating to advertisements & marketing, client solicitation, and earning profits, ...
Role of Indian states in driving bioeconomy
May 27, 2024 04:58 - 23 minutes - 22 MBIndia's growth in bioeconomy will require strong regional inputs. In this episode, Shambhavi Naik and Saurabh Todi discuss why individual states should have dedicated biotechnology departments and a bioeconomy policy.
China's Great Green Leap Forward
May 24, 2024 07:44 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBIn this episode of "All Things Policy," Rakshith explores China's remarkable rise as a green energy superpower with Wanyuan Song, a section editor at the China Desk at Carbonbrief. China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has set ambitious targets to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Wanyuan traces the roots of these climate goals in China's national plans and discusses the key policies driving the country's clean energy transition. Howev...
Sports as an Accelerator of Social Change
May 23, 2024 10:46 - 53 minutes - 49.8 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, we are joined by Deepthi Bopaiah who is the CEO of GoSports Foundation, a National award winning non-profit organisation to support elite and emerging athletes across Olympic and Paralympic disciplines. Under her leadership in 2019, GoSports was bestowed with the prestigious ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar’ – National Sports Encouragement Award for identifying and nurturing budding young talent. Due to her incredible work in the field of athlete educa...
All Things Climate Policy
May 22, 2024 10:05 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBIn this episode of "All Things Climate Policy," Rakshith explores the complexities of climate policy and its global impact with Dr Simon Evans from Carbon Brief. As we navigate through a potential shift in the U.S. political landscape, Dr. Evans elaborates on how a Donald Trump victory could significantly increase U.S. emissions by 2030 compared to Joe Biden's plans. We also explore the historical emissions and responsibilities of various countries in contributing to the climate crisis. Dr. ...
Hurdles to India's Domestic Mobile Manufacturing
May 21, 2024 05:44 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBIndia is the second largest mobile phone market in the world and produces 97% of it's mobile phone demand locally. However, the sector is increasingly dependent on the imported components to manufacture it domestically. Mariam Azeemuddin and Anisree Suresh analyse whether the push towards domestic manufacturing is the right step to reduce the growing trade deficit.
What the Urban Heat Island effect means to us
May 20, 2024 04:02 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBThe year 2023 was globally the hottest on record. India was no different. Temperature spikes in 2024 are indeed worrying policymakers, but the common citizen is perhaps the worst affected. To understand what is happening in our cities, Dr Y Nithiyanandanam and Sachin Kalbag discuss the Urban Heat Island effect and its impact.
Nukes in Space?
May 17, 2024 05:10 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBThe United States has accused Russia of developing a space-based "nuclear device" capable of targeting other satellites. What could such a device be and why would states want such weapons? Ashwin Prasad and Aditya Ramanathan delve into the frightening rationales for waging nuclear warfare in our orbits.
Lessons from South Korea’s use of Industry Policies
May 16, 2024 00:30 - 39 minutes - 36.7 MBSouth Korea's economic trajectory from a low-income, agriculture-based economy in the 1950s to a high-income, technology, and innovation leader is a testament to its remarkable transformation. What facilitated this transition? Were there any unintended consequences? In this episode of All Things Policy, Anisree Suresh, Anupam Manur and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the insights that India can draw from South Korea's experience.
Did India attempt a self goal on Digital trade tariffs?
May 15, 2024 04:20 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBListen to this episode of All Things Policy where Anushka Saxena and Sridhar Krishna question India's stance on digital trade and opposing the moratorium on tariffs on electronic transmission. They ask why a country which is a net exporter and the fourth largest exporter of digital services would seek to impose tariffs on digital trade.
Beyond the Coastline
May 14, 2024 06:47 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBIndia’s regional connectivity strategy has seemingly focused its efforts on maritime domains. A recent working paper by the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) makes the case for greater inland connectivity, particularly between India's Northeast region and the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal sub-region, given the potential it holds for greater economic activity. Join Kripa Koshy and Riya Sinha, Associate Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) in this episod...
De(Generative) AI: Is ChatGPT Killing The Essay?
May 13, 2024 00:30 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Rohan Pai and Anisree Suresh discuss the various knee-jerk responses from educational institutions to prevent academic dishonesty in the ChatGPT era. Should bans be placed on the use of ChatGPT by students? Should schools and universities restructure assignment prompts to circumvent the capabilities of ChatGPT? Or, by contrast, should teachers use ChatGPT ethically as a tool for teaching? Listen to the episode to find out!
The Larger Message Behind Antony Blinken's China Visit
May 10, 2024 00:30 - 39 minutes - 36.9 MBUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China in the last week of April in what many feel is a landmark step towards some kind of normalisation of relations between the two superpowers. But, was it really? Blinken's trip is the latest high-level contact between the two nations that have tempered the public acrimony that drove relations to historic lows in 2023. Sachin Kalbag discusses this tricky yet far-reaching issue with Manoj Kewalramani and Anushka Saxena.
Technology and Elections in the Future: Part One
May 09, 2024 04:12 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBJoin Rohan Pai as he quizzes Satya Sahu on the way in which technology intersects with political parties' strategy within the broader context of elections in an information age. This is the first in a two part podcast series on Technology and Elections.
Women and cancer care
May 08, 2024 00:30 - 47 minutes - 44.2 MBCancer is fast emerging as a matter of public health concern in India. Challenges are aplenty with limited access to affordable and quality healthcare and shortage of skilled healthcare professionals. Additionally, for breast cancer, it’s also the cultural barriers, misinformation and stigma associated with this disease. Malathi Renati hosts the award winning oncologist Dr Soumya Holla, a senior breast cancer surgeon and entrepreneur who shares her insights about cancer treatment in India.
How does Tokyo view the Indo-Pacific?
May 07, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Bharat Sharma speaks to Dr. Saya Kiba from the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies, on how Japan views the Indo-Pacific, its regional objectives its interests, and the Quad's role in Japanese foreign policy. Dr. Kiba also comments on the trajectory of Japan's relations with India.
Unveiling the Intrigue: Chip-Based Hardware Backdoors Exposed
May 06, 2024 04:17 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MBThe ubiquitous semiconductor chips have acquired huge importance in today’s geopolitical environment. Join Arindam Goswami and Satya Sahu in this episode of All Things Policy as they uncover the intricate world of chip-based hardware backdoors, exploring their implications for cybersecurity, national security and public policy.
Behind the Red Curtain: What are China’s Economic Policy Priorities?
May 03, 2024 06:30 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBThe Politburo of the Communist Party of China met in late April to discuss the country’s economic situation. It also announced that the long-awaited third plenary session will be held in July. Third plenums historically have charted the course for economic policy. In this episode, Anushka Saxena and Manoj Kewalramani breakdown the readout of the Politburo meeting, analysing the CPC’s economic priorities.
Work Fair and Free
May 02, 2024 02:40 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MB93 percent of India’s workforce is informally employed and migrant workers, who move seasonally from villages to cities, form an extremely vulnerable group in this category. What are some of the chief concerns of such workers and how could India's recent plans to introduce a living wage by 2025 impact them? Join Kripa Koshy and Divya Varma, Co-founder and Director (Knowledge and Policy) at Work Fair and Free, an organization committed to advancing worker-centric knowledge and action, to lea...
So Long, SSF, and Hello, ISF
April 30, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Takshashila Research Analyst Anushka Saxena is in conversation with independent research scholar Suyash Desai. The two discuss the recent reform announced in the Chinese military vis-a-vis disbanding of its Strategic Support Force (SSF), and the institution of a new Information Support Force (ISF). Suyash places this development in the larger context of reforms in the PLA, and its preparedness to fight "informatised" wars.
Is Bangladesh on a New Journey?
April 29, 2024 00:30 - 30 minutes - 28.7 MBBorn out of war more than 50 years ago, Bangladesh has hauled itself out of poverty to become one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia Pacific region. But the nation still faces many challenges—climate change threatens to overwhelm its low-lying lands, corruption is endemic, and many critics complain that democracy and freedom of speech are under pressure. In this episode of All Things Policy, Rakshith Shetty quizzes Dr Sreeradha Datta on the current developments in Bangladesh. D...
The Evolving DigiYatra Story
April 26, 2024 00:30 - 30 minutes - 28 MBAn allegedly unscrupulous one person company has been handling data and infrastructure for DigiYatra, the biometric boarding system used at airports. Anupam Manur and Bharath Reddy discuss the implications.
How to think about public policy
April 25, 2024 00:30 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBJoin Ashwin Prasad, Shreya Ramakrishnan, and Tanay Ravichandran, three policy enthusiasts sharing their latest discoveries in the world of public policy! A new course on Unpacking Urban Governance on OpenTakshashila is now accepting applications. Click here for more information.
Colourism Inside the Lines
April 24, 2024 00:30 - 21 minutes - 20.2 MBIs it possible for AI to be racist? When Google's AI chatbot 'Gemini' launched a new text-to-image feature on February 1st, it received a barrage of accusations on social media for possessing an inherent reluctance towards generating images of light-skinned, Caucasian people. These accusations came after instances where the Founding Fathers were shown to be Native American and East Asian men, while the Pope was represented by an Indian woman. The Senior Vice President of Google responded s...
Nestle Baby Food Controversy
April 23, 2024 00:30 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Kripa Koshy and Saurabh Todi discuss the recent controversy around the high sugar content in Nestle baby food in certain countries. They discuss the need for informed regulation and better compliance in India. A new course on Unpacking Urban Governance on OpenTakshashila is now accepting applications. Click here for more information.
Trilateral Technology Dialogue between India, U.S. & South Korea
April 22, 2024 00:30 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBIn this episode, Ashwin Prasad quizzes Saurabh Todi on the recent Trilateral Technology Dialogue in Seoul. With a focus on strengthening supply chain resilience and fostering trade partnerships, Saurabh provides insights into the significance of this event. Join them as they unravel the discussions, explore key outcomes, and analyze the implications for technology geopolitics.
Safeguarding the Integrity of India's Public Examinations
April 19, 2024 00:30 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBThe Parliament recently passed legislation called the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aimed at curbing cheating and upholding the integrity of public examinations. How does the new law safeguard the public recruitment system against malpractices, such as paper leaks, and help to address the problem of state capacity shortfall? In this episode of All Things Policy, Carl Jaison speaks to Pranav Gupta about the context, causes, and consequences of the new law and th...
The Complex Contours of the Iran-Israel Conflict
April 18, 2024 00:30 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBTwo weeks after a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria, Tehran launched a massive drone and missile attack on Israel last Saturday. What does this mean for an already explosive situation in West Asia? Will the exchange of fire between the two countries lead to a larger regional conflagration? Sachin Kalbag and Yusuf Unjhawala discuss in the latest episode of All Things Policy. Check out Takshashila's public policy courses at https://school.takshashila.org.in/
Is Nepal Balancing or Tilting towards China?
April 17, 2024 00:30 - 35 minutes - 33.3 MBIn early April, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha travelled to China for his first foreign visit since taking office. While no major deals or breakthroughs were reported, this signalled a new proximity between the two countries. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani talks to author and journalist Amish Raj Mulmi about the recent developments in China-Nepal ties. Check out Takshashila's public policy courses at https://school.takshashila.org.in/
Exploring the Hidden Power and Need for Wastewater Recycling in Urban Landscape
April 16, 2024 00:30 - 42 minutes - 39.9 MBJoin Dr Nithyanandam, a Professor from Takshashila Institution and Mr Varun Sridharan, Co-founder and CEO of Greenvironment Innovation & Marketing India (P) Ltd, in a captivating podcast episode where they delve into the critical need for wastewater management in the Indian context. Amid the water scarcity crisis affecting southern cities, they explore sustainable solutions and technological advancements for treating water at household levels. The discussion also covers the economic aspects...
Willingness to make a Will
April 15, 2024 00:30 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBIn this episode, 'Willingness to make a Will,' Sowmya Prabhakar is in conversation with Niranjan Vemulkar & Nikhil Varghese to navigate through the why, what, how, and when of having a will in place. We draw insights from the Succession Act, data on unclaimed assets such as Demat accounts & the nomination process. It's important to understand the opportunity cost and the information asymmetry that exists in this landscape of emotions and the need to have a will. Tech solutions hold promise i...
China: Critical Player in Critical Minerals Supply Chains
April 12, 2024 00:30 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena of Takshashila quizzes Neha Mishra, Executive Officer at CII and a fellow with the pioneer cohort of Takshashila's Network for Advanced Study of China (NASC) Fellowship, on China's dominance in critical minerals supply chains. Neha discusses the findings from her Fellowship paper vis-a-vis China's policy architecture on critical minerals, the changing global sentiment towards dependence on China for the same, and the way forward for China'...
Why China’s Economy May Never Grow at 6 Percent Again?
April 11, 2024 00:30 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy hosted by Amit Kumar, Dr Michael Pettis, Professor of Finance at Peking University and Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), answers several critical questions about China's economy. Dr. Pettis weighs on what China's domestic consumption situation looks like; the underlying contradiction between domestic consumption and export policy, and the feasibility of new drivers of the economy and new productive forces. See omnystudio...
Analysing India’s Foreign Policy
April 10, 2024 12:10 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and Wini Fred Gurung, Communications Manager at the Takshashila Institution, discuss the complexities of India's foreign policy, exploring its perspectives on the global landscape, significant shifts in approach over the past decade, and the challenges and opportunities it faces in an ever-changing world.
Human-Animal conflict & their co-existence
April 09, 2024 06:43 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MBhuman-animal conflict, wildlife conservation, India, Malathi Renati, Humane Society International, Vinod Krishnan, Shubhra Sotie, government, markets, society, wildlife experts, conservation efforts, environmental protection, biodiversity, conservation challenges, conservation successes, wildlife management, wildlife protection
Analysing India’s municipal finances
April 08, 2024 11:36 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBWhat services do urban local bodies in India provide? Where do they get their revenues from? To what extent are these bodies self-reliant? What factors contribute to their financial vulnerability? In this episode of All Things Policy, Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi give an overview of the state of municipal finances in India.
Are many more women reluctant to have children today?
April 05, 2024 00:30 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBIn the past, people had many more children than they do today. There has been a global decline in the fertility rate since 1950. India's fertility rate has been going down steadily from 5.9 in the year 1960 to 2 in 2021. In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena, Shreya Ramakrishnan, and Sridhar Krishna discuss this and also the changing social norms and aspirations of women.