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.
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Episodes
Ep. 397: Does History Shape Foreign Policy?
August 24, 2020 00:35 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBPublic discourse often attempts to explain the actions of nation-states through "civilisational worldviews". China, for example, is believed to have a "Middle Kingdom" approach to foreign policy,
Ep. 396: An Extraordinary Life in the British Raj
August 21, 2020 00:35 - 27 minutes - 25 MBStuck 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. 395: Restructuring India's Public Health Sector
August 20, 2020 00:35 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MBThe Ministry of Health and Family Welfare suffers from a lack of clear division of responsibilities, a platform for inter-sectoral coordination and conflicts of interest.
Ep. 394: Regulating India's Wet Markets
August 19, 2020 00:35 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBWhile a wet market in Wuhan has become notorious for being the likely place of origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, some of India's own wet markets are plagued
Ep. 393: How Big Tech Sees the World
August 18, 2020 00:35 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBGeographies 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. 392: Pivoting towards Taiwan
August 17, 2020 00:35 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBThe standoff in Eastern Ladakh has led to a number of calls for India to deepen the relationship with Taiwan.
Ep. 391: The Secrets of Bengaluru's Past
August 14, 2020 00:35 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBThe recorded history of Bengaluru, one of India's most dynamic cities, goes back well over a thousand years. However, it's a past that offers us only the most tantalising glimpses
Ep. 390: Ensuring Nutrition Amid a Pandemic
August 13, 2020 00:35 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MBCOVID-19 has worsened the problem of malnutrition in India because it has disrupted two critical programmes: the ICDS and Mid-Day Meal Scheme. However, after initial setbacks,
Ep. 389: Reforming India's Agricultural Markets
August 12, 2020 00:35 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBAgricultural markets in India have long been characterized by multiple trade barriers and uncompetitive policies.
Ep. 388: The Promise and Perils of Facial Recognition
August 11, 2020 00:35 - 26 minutes - 23.8 MBFacial 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. 387: Confucian Confusion: India Reviews Work of CIs
August 10, 2020 00:35 - 32 minutes - 30 MBAmid the standoff at the LAC, the Indian government is reportedly reviewing the work of Confucius Institutes in the country.
Ep. 386: Gender and the Indian City
August 07, 2020 00:35 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBAre 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. 385: Is India Prepared for Gene Edited Humans?
August 06, 2020 00:35 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBThe technology to modify the human genome is here, potentially signaling a transformation of societies and economies.
Ep. 384: The Puzzle of Tech Clusters
August 05, 2020 00:35 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBTech clusters play a leading role in fostering innovation, creating jobs, and attracting investments. In this episode, Sarthak Pradhan and Pranay Kotasthane
Ep. 383: Antitrust Enquiry and Tech Giants
August 04, 2020 00:35 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBSundar 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. 382: Securing the Future: India’s Options Amid the LAC Standoff
August 03, 2020 00:35 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBWhile India and China are in talks to disengage in Eastern Ladakh, what are the long-term implications of the standoff for bilateral ties? Manoj Kewalramani talks to Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Lt. General Prakash Menon on the measures
Ep. 381: Did India Win in Doklam?
July 31, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBThe 2017 India-China 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. 380: Disconnecting From Huawei
July 30, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23 MBThe 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. What’s prompted this change? Is India also likely to follow suit? Manoj Kewalramani and Pranay Kotasthane talk about rec
Ep. 379: The Twitter Hack and Data Protection
July 29, 2020 00:35 - 26 minutes - 24 MBTwitter’s 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. 378: India's Arctic Ambitions
July 28, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23 MBWhy 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 India's fascinating history of polar diplomacy.
Ep. 377: Why Don't We Have Underwater Aircraft Carriers?
July 27, 2020 00:35 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBIn 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 dead-end? Anirudh Kanisettti and Aditya Ramanathan delve
Ep. 376: Personal Memory and History
July 24, 2020 00:35 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBWhy 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. 375: The Grand Challenge of Weaponising the Economy
July 23, 2020 00:35 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBEconomic interdependence was supposed to bring peace but it also gives states the leverage they can use to coerce each other.
Ep. 374: Beijing's Bid for Supremacy in the South China Sea
July 22, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBEven as China seeks to enforce its territorial claims in the South China Sea, the United States has reacted strongly.
Ep. 373: Getting Children Back to Schooling
July 21, 2020 00:35 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on school education. But if schools can't open, how can students continue their education in a country with limited Internet access? Takshashila's Sunila Dixit
Ep. 372: How to do More COVID-19 Testing
July 20, 2020 00:35 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBIndia has no shortage of diagnostic labs but it isn't testing enough people for COVID-19. To understand why, Takshashila's Pranay Kotasthane talks to NIPFP researchers Harleen Kaur and Siddhartha Srivastava and molecular biologist Ameya
Ep. 371: A COVID-19 Vaccine Made in India?
July 17, 2020 00:35 - 23 minutes - 22 MBThe ICMR recently stoked controversy by asking hospitals to participate in clinical trials for developing a COVID-19 vaccine by August 15. Is this a realistic deadline?
Ep. 370: How China Sees India
July 16, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBHow do China's public policy thinkers and strategic community view India's rise? How did social media in China react to the Galwan clash? Delhi Policy Group's
Ep. 369: Should Companies Boycott Social Media?
July 15, 2020 00:35 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBSocial 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. 368: A Mountain Strike Corps to Deter China?
July 14, 2020 00:35 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBAs 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. 367: The State of India's Judiciary
July 13, 2020 00:35 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MBHow has India's judiciary functioned in India's 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. 366: Talking Turkey in India
July 10, 2020 00:35 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBAre there parallels between Turkish and Indian politics? Why has Turkey been drawn into the Middle East's wars? And how do Turkey and India see each other? Journalist Madhuvanthi Srinivasan talks to Anirudh Kanisetti and Aditya
Ep. 365: Crafting India's Strategy for China
July 09, 2020 00:35 - 37 minutes - 34 MBShould India balance against China by drawing closer to the United States?
Ep. 364: China Tightens it Noose Around Hong Kong
July 08, 2020 00:35 - 31 minutes - 29 MBChina is tightening its grip on Hong Kong through a new national security law. The law's sweeping provisions give Beijing powers to crack down on political opposition both offline and online. Manoj Kewalramani, Suyash Desai, and Rohan Seth examine
Ep. 363: Oil Prices and the Hidden Game of Governments
July 07, 2020 00:35 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBWhy 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. 362: COVID and Coronil
July 06, 2020 00:35 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBAyurvedic formulations touting to cure COVID-19 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 Patanjali's
Ep. 361: China Through Indian Eyes
July 03, 2020 00:35 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBWhat's 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. 360: Will the TikTok Ban Work?
July 02, 2020 00:35 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBThe 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. 359: China's Ambitions in the Subcontinent
July 01, 2020 00:35 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBThere’s been a growing debate in India about China’s influence in the Indian subcontinent.
Ep. 358: How Should India Deal With China?
June 30, 2020 00:35 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBEven 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. 357: Galwan Clash: Understanding Chinese Propaganda and Reportage
June 29, 2020 00:35 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MBHow 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. 356: Making Sense of the Galwan Valley Incident
June 26, 2020 00:35 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBThe 15 June clashes in the Galwan Valley have resulted in heightened military and political tensions between India and China.
Ep. 355: Can India and China Fight and Trade?
June 25, 2020 00:35 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBShould 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 they're wrong.
Ep. 354: Ordering the Information Disorder
June 24, 2020 00:35 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBCOVID-19 has also unleashed a parallel pandemic of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.
Ep. 353: COVID-19: A Testing Strategy for India
June 23, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBAs COVID-19 continues to spread in India, it’s becoming clear that governments at all levels, not just the Union, need to get involved in fighting it.
Ep. 352: How a Pandemic Creates New National Security Risks
June 22, 2020 00:35 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBWhat 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. 351: What the Second World War tells us about COVID-19
June 19, 2020 00:35 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBIn the 1930s, the US was an inward-looking country struggling with a collapsing economy and spiralling unemployment. But by 1945, it was on the winning side of the Second World War,
Ep. 350: The Geopolitics of a COVID-19 Vaccine
June 18, 2020 00:35 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBCompanies, institutions and governments around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against COVID-19. 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. 349: Treating COVID-19
June 17, 2020 00:35 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBWhile much attention is paid to developing a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, what are the treatments being tested or developed? Shambhavi Naik and Sunila Dixit
Ep. 348: How Russia Plans for Nuclear War
June 16, 2020 00:35 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBWhat does Russia's new document on nuclear deterrence say about how it thinks about the ultimate weapon?