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
Looking Ahead to a Xi-Biden Meeting
November 10, 2023 00:30 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena discusses with Manoj Kewalramani and Amit Kumar tensions in US-China relations, and whether the upcoming Xi-Biden meeting at the APEC Summit signals a thaw in relations. Manoj and Amit also highlight the significance of the high-level diplomatic dialogue that has taken place between the two sides in the past few months, and its role in creating stability and guardrails in a largely tenuous relationship.
India's role in the Israel-Hamas War
November 09, 2023 00:30 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBHours after the horrific terror strike on Israel by Hamas on October 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced unequivocal support to Israel in its hour of grief. Within days, India reiterated its stand on the two-state solution, and clearly differentiated between Hamas and the Palestinian people. On October 19, Modi spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Takshashila's Sachin Kalbag and Yusuf Unjhawala break down the unique position that India is in, and how it could use it...
G’Day MATES! On the New Australia-India Visa
November 08, 2023 00:30 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBAccording to a 2021 census, 710,380 Indian-born people were living in Australia, effectively making them the second-largest migrant group in the country after those born in England. The Department of Home Affairs (Australia) granted 382,000 student visas between July 2022 and February 2023. This is a 41.3 percent increase compared to the same period of 2019-2020. Should immigration continue to be encouraged in Australia? What draws Indian students to Australia, as opposed to the US and the ...
Energy Access and Community Development
November 07, 2023 00:30 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBEnergy 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.
The Curious Case of Missing Persons | Police Chowki
November 06, 2023 00:30 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBAs 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 missin...
India's Cyber Security Priorities
November 03, 2023 00:30 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBIn 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.
Curing Deafness through Gene Therapy
November 02, 2023 06:19 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBIn 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.
A Deep Dive into Deep Tech
October 31, 2023 00:30 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBDeep 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.
Overcoming Roadblocks to Make UPI Universal
October 30, 2023 00:30 - 15 minutes - 14 MBThe 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
Israel-Hamas Crisis: India’s Response and Challenge
October 27, 2023 00:30 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MBKingshuk 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)
Homeschooling: A Perspective & Policy Suggestions
October 26, 2023 00:30 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBMalathi 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.
What Happens During a Police Raid? | Police Chowki
October 25, 2023 00:30 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBPolice 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 digita...
Chinese Air Force Expansion in Tibet
October 23, 2023 00:30 - 29 minutes - 27 MBUsing 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 l...
What is Open RAN?
October 20, 2023 00:30 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBWhat 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.
Supreme Court's Decision on Marriage Equality: What's Next?
October 19, 2023 00:30 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBIn 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 C...
Changing Face of Global Trade
October 18, 2023 00:30 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBGrowth 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 econo...
Understanding India's GDP Controversy
October 17, 2023 00:30 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBThe 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.
'Four Battlegrounds' of Artificial Intelligence
October 16, 2023 00:30 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBIn 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.
What to Make of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
October 13, 2023 00:30 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBLast 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.
India's Success Factors at the 2023 Asiad
October 12, 2023 00:30 - 32 minutes - 30.3 MBWith 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...
EU Critical Technology Risk Assessment
October 11, 2023 00:30 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBIn 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.
Have the 1-year US Chip Sanctions Failed?
October 10, 2023 00:30 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBOn 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 do...
What Makes Bengaluru a City of Ideas?
October 09, 2023 00:30 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBIn 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
Assessing China's Economic Crisis
October 06, 2023 00:30 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBIn 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).
Understanding China's New World Order Ambitions
October 05, 2023 00:30 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBOver 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.
Need for an Ever-Green Revolution
October 04, 2023 00:30 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBIn 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 ecolo...
Should People Go To Space?
October 03, 2023 00:30 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBIndia 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.
The Chinese Military Drones Ecosystem
September 29, 2023 00:30 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIn 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.
Women in Parliament: Hits & Misses
September 28, 2023 00:30 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBAfter 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 Expe...
Net Neutrality Revisited: TRAI's OTT Conundrum
September 27, 2023 00:30 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBTRAI 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: Taks...
Geopolitics Surrounding India-Canada Relations
September 26, 2023 00:30 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBJoin 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.
From Predictive to Community Policing | Police Chowki
September 25, 2023 00:30 - 41 minutes - 38 MBIn 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.
Upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting
September 22, 2023 00:30 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBKingshuk 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.
Analysing the Critiques of Industrial Policy
September 21, 2023 00:30 - 39 minutes - 35.9 MBShould the state shape the composition of economic activity? What are some arguments in favour of and against the use of the Industrial Policy? Anupam Manur and Sarthak Pradhan analyse and discuss some recent literature and trends on Industrial Policy. This paper analyses some trends in industrial policy: The Who, What, When, and How of Industrial Policy: A Text-Based Approach This paper explores the rationale behind industrial policies: The New Economics of Industrial Policy
Did You Get World Cup Tickets?
September 20, 2023 00:30 - 34 minutes - 32 MBIn this episode, we unravel the ticketing fiasco in relation to the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in India. From scheduling delays to inefficient ticket sales, the tournament organiser, the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), had quite a surprise for fans. Carl Jaison speaks to Jaideep Vaidya, who writes on sports business for The Signal, a business & tech newsletter. They cover the opportunity cost of the scheduling delay, scarcity of tickets, the economy of ticket distr...
Power Sector in India
September 19, 2023 00:30 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBMalathi Renati (head of policy school, Takshashila Institution) is in conversation with Jaydeep Daripa, Debashree Chatterjee, and Avantika Srivastava, all current students of Takshashila's 48 week Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy, where they share their insights on the state of affairs in India's Power Sector. They explore market structures & failures, government interventions via tariff control and cross-subsidies, its disproportionate role in power purchase agreements between Genco...
How Does the Juvenile Justice System Work ? | Police Chowki
September 18, 2023 00:30 - 58 minutes - 54 MBThe Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act of 2015 governs children in conflict with the law and those needing care and protection. The treatment of juvenile delinquency is based on, among other things, the principle of fresh start which enables children to start with a clean slate upon competing their sentence. In this episode of Police Chowki, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya hosts experts Shyni S (IPS and IG, Training, Biju Patnaik State Policy Academy, Odisha and Javeed Ahmad (Ex-IPS and DGP, U...
Has Huawei aced 7nm chip fabrication?
September 15, 2023 00:30 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBIn this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar discusses with Anushka Saxena the implications of Huawei's release of its latest smartphone, Mate 60 Pro, for the US-China tech contestation. He delves into topics such as the sustainability of China's quest for self-reliance in chip manufacturing and the prospects for large-scale commercialisation of the SMIC-Huawei 7nm collaboration. Reading: The signals from this ‘Made in China’ smartphone story - The Hindu
Need for Reforms in India's Nuclear Power Sector
September 14, 2023 00:30 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIn the episode of All Things Policy, Saurabh Todi and Aditya Ramanathan discuss recent domestic and international developments related to India's nuclear power sector. They discuss the need for reforms to enable further growth of this sector.
Can't snooze aging, So let's face it!
September 13, 2023 00:30 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBIn this episode Sowmya Prabhakar, Malathi Renati & Nidhi Chawla delve into two tangents of aging - elderly welfare & elderly care. They grapple with some solutions & explore how other countries are tackling them, and conclude with the role of society, government & markets.
Comments on the Deep Tech Startup Policy
September 12, 2023 00:30 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBThe Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor has released the draft deep tech startup policy and is seeking stakeholder comments. Satya S Sahu, Sai Rahul Poruri and Bharath Reddy talk about the need for such a policy required and are some preliminary thoughts on the draft policy.
Who Speaks for the Global South?
September 11, 2023 05:36 - 37 minutes - 34 MBOne of the pivotal tenets of India's agenda as G20 President this year is highlighting concerns and issues of the "Global South". India hosted the "Voice of Global South Summit" in January earlier this year. Anushka Saxena hosts Manoj Kelwalramani and Bharat Sharma to talk about what conceptual meaning the Global South carries, how India and China have pitched themselves as leaders of the Global South, the distinction in their approaches, and what their leadership means for Global South count...
Insights from a Think20 Insider
September 08, 2023 00:30 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBIn this episode, Anushka Saxena quizzes Dr. Shambhavi Naik of Takshashila on her experience working with the Think20 working group of the 2023 G20 under India's presidency. Dr. Naik, who has been a Co-Chair of the Task Force on SDGs at the T20, shares her insights on the T20's mandate, the vetting process of Policy Briefs submitted as recommendations to the G20, and her encounters with "competitions of ideas".
Chinese Radar Signals on the Indian Border
September 07, 2023 00:30 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBIn this episode, Anushka Saxena is joined by Dr. Nithiyanandam and Amit Kumar to discuss the use of remote sensing technologies in detecting traits of Chinese military radars along the Indian border, with a focus on Tibet and Aksai Chin. Reading: #3 Shifting Shadows: Military Radar Dynamics in Tibet
Six More BRICS in the Wall
September 06, 2023 00:30 - 33 minutes - 31 MBSix new members were added to the grouping in the recently concluded BRICS Summit in South Africa. The new BRICS will take shape in January 2024. In this episode, Sachin Kalbag and Anushka Saxena of Takshashila discuss what exactly this new grouping means. Given the latter's military and economic heft, how will India counter the China question in BRICS?
How Can G20 Mitigate Supply Chain Disruptions?
September 05, 2023 00:30 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MBIn this episode, Anushka Saxena and Amit Kumar discuss a proposal for the G20 to develop a transparent and collaborative data-sharing mechanism to reduce vulnerabilities induced by supply chain disruptions. The ideas discussed here are part of a Policy Brief submitted to the G20's working group, Think20, and can be perused here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/618a55c4cb03246776b68559/t/645f7f66f46ae72ee221a24d/1683980136318/T20_PolicyBrief_TF1_Data-Asymmetry-SupplyChain.pdf.
What’s New in Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023? | Police Chowki
September 04, 2023 00:30 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBThe Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 is set to replace the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 as the country’s primary criminal procedural law. In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex IPS & ex DGP of Uttar Pradesh) and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya break down the various significant changes proposed in the Sanhita and discuss its ramifications on the right to fair and speedy trial, individual liberties and police powers.
India-Australia Bilateral Relationship
September 01, 2023 00:30 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBThe India-Australia bilateral relationship has achieved great heights. Both countries have worked extensively across various areas, but two particular areas of interest have been defence and critical technology. In this episode of All Things Policy, Bharat Sharma and Josiah Neil speak about India and Australia's growing defence engagement in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific regions, and what leads to an increasing convergence of security interests between them. They also discuss how critical ...
Sustainable vs Fast Fashion: Policy Implications
August 31, 2023 00:30 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBWhile growth in disposable incomes has led to better access to clothing, the problems that fast fashion has brought on the environment are non-trivial. Shambhavi Naik and Suman Joshi discuss the dilemmas around fashion and sustainability in this episode Readings: Synthesis Report on United Nations System-wide Initiatives related to Fashion 7 Reasons I Wear The Same Thing Every Day
Role of Data in AI Development & Competition
August 30, 2023 00:30 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBAI Governance is a topic of great interest today. Within the context of AI governance, often data is discussed from a perspective of data privacy, data security and so on. Sridhar, Bharath and Satya are looking at the fact that the few companies that have access to large amounts of data and discussing how this may impact AI development. They raise a lot of questions around the law, data ownership and access to promote competition, innovation and human progress. Reading List: Computing Mach...