All Things Policy
Episodes
‘Trials’ and tribulations of Covid-19 vaccine for kids
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With India approving a 4th Covid-19 vaccine for children, Priyal Lyncia D'Almeida and Ruturaj Gowaikar talk about the challenges involved with clinica...
Forked Tongues: The Language of Politics
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Conflict & Peace in India’s Northeast
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Manoj Kewalramani discusses these questions with author Sudeep Chakravarti as they discuss his new book The Eastern Gate: War and Peace in Nagaland, M...
Youth Unemployment in India
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Tech Amidst the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rohan Seth discusses the evolving picture with Sapni G K and Prateek Waghre.
Quantum in the Military
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Megha Pardhi talks to Arjun Gargeyas on the recent test conducted by DRDO and how militaries around the world are embracing quantum.
The Evolution of Article 21
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the history, evolution, interpretation of article 21 and also shed light on the concept of “...
Sex Education in India
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Priyal Lyncia D’almeida and Mahek Nankani discuss the problems associated with the current sex education system and the need f...
The War in Ukraine
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Pareek and Pranav R. Satyanath discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the role of conventional forces, geoeconomics, nuclear threats, conflict...
Mapping India's Legal Landscape on Online Harms
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rohan Seth, Prateek Waghre and Sapni G K discuss Sapni's document which maps the current legal landscape on online harms in India. Th...
How rare are "Rare" Diseases?
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 fo...
India and the Future of Space Stations
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Ramanathan and Aditya Pareek argue that the only way for India to catch up will be to aggressively seek out collaborations.
Just War Theory - Can War Ever be Just?
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Aarthi Ratnam and Megha Pardhi analyze the Just War Theory and how it's used as an ethical justification throughout historical war...
The US Strategy for the Indo-Pacific
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Biden Administration has come up with the US’ first Indo-Pacific Strategy document which aims to secure a free and open, connected, prosperous, ...
Blocking Apps and Scrutiny
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 Rul...
Synthetic Content Generation and China’s Worries
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is AI-generated content and why is China worried about it? In today’s episode, Megha Pardhi, Suyash Desai, and Varad Vishwarupe discuss synthet...
A Tale of two Bills, ART and Surrogacy
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill were passed during the winter session of the Parliament. These...
Reflecting on the Union Budget 2022-23
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Apurva Kumar, Pranay Kotasthane, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan, discuss the Union Budget 2022-23. They look at some interesting tre...
Jobs and the Budget
16 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sridhar Krishna speaks to Anupam Manur, Aarushi Kataria and Sudisha Mishra to evaluate the impact this budget has on jobs
The Full Spectrum of Russian Foreign Policy
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sapni G K and Aditya Pareek speak to Dr. Elena Chernenko about Russia’s foreign affairs across domains like cyberspace, outer space and public diplo...
Policy of Death
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Last month, The Lancet Commission on Value of Death released their report, advocating for a return to death as a socio-cultural event. Is death now "o...
Xi-Putin Meeting: A New World Order?
11 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week resulted in a detailed joint statement, pro...
Humanitarian Intervention - For Better or Worse?
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aarthi Ratnam and Priyal Lyncia D’Almeida discuss the criteria for intervention and the scope of responsibility.
“India Out” Campaign in the Maldives
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Pareek talks to Shrey Khanna to discuss the “India Out” Campaign and India-Maldives relations
Breaking down the Investigation on Pegasus
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The New York Times recently came out with a detailed investigation on Pegasus, the surveillance tool sold by Israel’s NSO Group to countries around ...
Warfare in the Digital Era
07 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of All Things Policy, Lt Gen Prakash Menon and Megha Pardhi discuss evolving notions of warfare.
Strategies for a New Space Age
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 aspec...
Nutrition Programmes in India - A Report Card
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ha...
Mind the Policy Implementation Gap
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria talks to Pranay Kotasthane about the gap that exists between policies on paper and what they actually achieve. They t...
Looking Ahead at a Quantum Future
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Arjun Gargeyas joins Siddharth Bannerjee, a senior policy advisor with the UK Civil Service, to discuss their upcoming document on the criticality of ...
Indian Health Services: Need of the hour?
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mahek Nankani and Priyal Lyncia D'Almeida discuss the history, the need, the concerns and the primary steps that have been taken in this direction.
Understanding China’s Approach to Regulating Tech Algorithms
28 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
China is rolling out a new law to regulate algorithms used on apps to bring the country’s Big Tech sector in line with state policies. Rohan Seth ta...
What is China’s two-front War Dilemma?
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Suyash Desai and Megha Pardhi discuss internal and external drivers of China’s two-front war dilemma.
Philippines gets BrahMos
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Pareek joins Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande(Retd.) and Megha Pardhi to discuss the BRAHMOS weapons system’s capabilities, China’s respon...
Importance of Digital Equity for True Progress
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sridhar Krishna talks to Raghav Rao, a Digital Innovation Fellow at The Cleveland Foundation, and Aarushi Kataria on the role of digital – whether i...
Kazakhstan Unrest and CSTO's Intervention
21 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Shrey Khanna joins Aditya Pareek to discuss the unrest, the CSTO intervention and the political situation in Kazakhstan.
Policy in Action: The Bihar Diaries
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The mention of Bihar conjures up images of abject poverty and state apathy. The ground reality, however, has been changing in the past decade. Economi...
Google v/s News Publishers
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a recently passed order, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has directed the Director-General to investigate these charges. Rohan Seth joins...
A Repository of India's Land Laws
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr Namita Wahi discusses with Sarthak Pradhan the project of documenting India's land laws and the potential benefits of a comprehens...
What are the Quad's plans in Biotech?
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shrey Khanna talks to Arjun Gargeyas on the potential of Quad collaboration in the biotechnology field along with the tools and technologies that the ...
Effect of the Pandemic on Pediatric Obesity
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Aarthi Ratnam and Ruturaj Gowaikar discuss the effect of the pandemic on increasing obesity cases and how digital marketing has on...
Emerging Technologies from Chinese Point of View
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Aditya Pareek and Megha Pardhi discuss the latest newsletter in the Takshashila family - “China Tech Dispatch”.
First Step Towards a Global Pandemic Response Treaty
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The World Health Assembly held a Special Session to kickstart a process to draft a global treaty geared towards pandemic management. Priyal and Rutura...
In Apple CCI Antitrusts
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rohan Seth joins Sapni GK and Prateek Waghre to discuss the details of the order.
Our 2021 Reading List (Part 3)
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
2021 has been a long year. One thing that remained constant was Takshashila’s love for books. Manoj Kewalramani talks to Rohan Seth to discuss their...
Omicron: Milder or More Lethal for India?
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Harshit Kukreja and Priyal Lyncia D'Almeida discuss how variants arise, the burden of the incoming third wave and the public heal...
Citizen's Role in Availing Welfare Services
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do citizens navigate through the complex state apparatus to acquire welfare services? What factors can facilitate this process? What obstacles do ...
Interrogating Industrial Policies for Semiconductors
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mathieu Duchâtel and Pranay Kotasthane discuss the merits and demerits of government subsidies for building domestic semiconductor industries.
Why China's Technical Standardisation Strategy Matters
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Megha Pardhi about the recently released National Standardisation Development Outline document and the key takeaways from the ...
A Year - End Review of China Tech
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Arjun Gargeyas talks to Megha Pardhi on the progress China made in certain critical and emerging technologies along with some landmark decisions taken...
The Year Gone By In Tech Policy
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Our 2021 Reading List (Part 2)
27 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
2021 has been a long year. One thing that remained constant was Takshashila’s love for books. Rohan Seth talks to Nitin Pai and Manoj Kewalramani to...
Will Russia invade Ukraine?
24 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prasanna Naidu joins Aditya Pareek to unpack the recent developments and possible scenarios in which the crisis may pan out.
From Romans to MDGs: The Stories of Public Health
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Mahek Nankani and Harshit Kukreja discuss some fascinating stories about the growth of public health from around the world. Tune in f...
The Fishermen Dispute and India - Sri Lanka Relations
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why is China looking to increase its footprint in northern Sri Lanka? How is this going to impact the larger India-Sri Lanka-China equation? Prasanna ...
Digital Communication Networks and their Benefits
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK join Rohan Seth to discuss their discussion document on the benefits of DCNs.
China's Developments in Tibet
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
China is building civilian and military infrastructure in Tibet. Based on Takshashila's recent publication, Suyash Desai and Manoj Kewalramani discuss...
Our 2021 Reading List (Part 1)
17 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
The Case Against Prohibition
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Samparna Tripathy and Meryl Mammen Kurien talk to Sarthak Pradhan about the consequences of prohibition policies. They also discuss a...
Importance of Financial Literacy for Jobs
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria and Sridhar Krishna discuss the impact of financial literacy on women, entrepreneurship, and the economy in light of ...
Understanding the Developments on Indian Internet Shutdowns
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prateek Waghre and Sapni G K join Rohan Seth to discuss the findings, recommendations and what the report left unanswered.
What Exactly Does Russia Want?
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Pareek talks to Shrey Khanna about Russia’s motivations, its insecurity with the G-2 and the logic behind its growing alliance with China.
The China Factor in the US - Australia Quantum Tech Agreement
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Megha Pardhi and Shrey Khanna discuss the Agreement, the role of China, and India's initiatives to promote research in quantum technologies.
Gender Inequality in the Fashion World
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Priyal Lyncia joins Aarthi Ratnam to discuss two key components - The gender inequalities that exist in the fashion world and what recommendations can...
Breathing New Life into India-Russia Relations
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Aditya Pareek and Aditya Ramanathan discuss the various points of divergences and rapprochement between New Delhi and Moscow.
Australia's "Anti-Trolling" Bill & Internet Anonymity
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Unpacking the National Family Health Survey (NFHS5) report
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 pol...
Regulating the Cyberspace and International Relations
03 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Omicron: The Harbinger of the third wave?
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
. In this episode, Harshit Kukreja and Mahek Nankani discuss Omicron, how different it is from Delta, its severity and what can be the possible initia...
Are Cities Still Relevant in the Metaverse Era?
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Dissent on The Personal Data Protection Bill
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 Parli...
What’s Climate Change Got To Do With Your Dinner?
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Arjun Gargeyas talks to Atish Padhy and Aarthi Ratnam on the potential effects of climate change on food production, diversification ...
India's COVID-19 Risk Communication Plan
26 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Mahek Nankani and Apurva Kumar talk about the communication successes and failures of the Union government and discuss the significan...
Talks with the TTP: Peace in sight for Pakistan?
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Priyal Lyncia D'almeida talks to Shrey Khanna to get insights on the nature of the talks and the prospects of peace in Pakistan.
India’s Jobless Growth
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Aarushi Kataria and Sridhar Krishna draw on ideas from Takshashila's 20 Million Jobs project to look for ways India can create new jo...
Mental Health and India's Police
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ruturaj Gowaikar and Aarthi Ratnam discuss the lack of systemic, institutional psychological support for India's police personnel. They also dwell on ...
Social Networks and Indian Women
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Suman Joshi, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the barriers women face in creating and accessing social networks. They also re...
Creating Safety Nets for Gig Workers
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
How Piped Water Empowers Women
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Piped water allows women, the primary caretakers of a household, more time for labour and leisure, thus improving their bargaining capacity at home an...
China's Military Power
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The US Department of Defense (DoD) released its 2021 China Military Power Report last week. Based on the report's findings, Aditya Pareekh and Suyash ...
Getting Our Feeds In Order
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers in the US has introduced a bill that would require online platforms to let users opt-out of having personal data...
China's Nuclear Expansion
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The latest Pentagon China Military Power Report highlights the PRC's development of new nuclear warheads and delivery systems as potential areas of co...
The Unique History of the Early Deccan
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
How Sports Shapes Diplomacy
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sports have been used to bolster diplomatic relations between states as well as to make political statements on the international stage. There is also...
The Geopolitics of International Technical Standards
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With a new technological revolution underway, emerging technologies are at the heart of geopolitical competition between States. Standard-setting is o...
How India’s Canals Shape its Cities
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
According to a recent study, towns situated close to canals in India witnessed faster urbanisation and demand for education but not industrialisation....
The EU’s Arctic Strategy and India
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The focal points of the strategy are the implications of melting permafrost on geopolitical developments, biosecurity, digital connectivity, and a pus...
Can Fortifying Rice Tackle Malnutrition?
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
India is set to fortify rice distributed through the PDS (Public Distribution System) and mid-day meal programmes to alleviate malnutrition. Will fort...
Digital Activism in China
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 onli...
Going Beyond Disinformation
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations about the impact of Digital Communication Networks on public discourse tend to focus heavily on misinformation and disinformation.
The Strange History of South Indian Coffee
29 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How did a bean from West Asia become one of India's most popular morning drinks? It's a story of innovation, trade, capitalism, and media.
India’s Hunger and Nutrition challenge
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The recently released Global Hunger Index sparked discussion on the methodology used to arrive at the figures. What exactly is this index?
Democratise Credit to Create Jobs
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Now that we have JAM, people want bread. Financial inclusion has been bandied about for decades with limited success but JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobil...
Cracks in CPEC
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is facing trouble on more than one front. These include China’s frustration with the lack of progress on...
AI Regulation: A Global Policy Challenge
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The use of Artificial Intelligence technologies is on a rise across the globe. Countries are increasingly demonstrating a keen interest in regulating ...
A Practical Agenda for the Quad
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Quad grouping has launched several new initiatives over last few months. While this is an encouraging development, there are concerns that the gro...
Should India Make Semiconductors?
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While semiconductor design has always been a strong suit for India, the extremely complicated manufacturing process of semiconductor chips has never t...
Can 'Gastrodiplomacy' Work?
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
‘Gastrodiplomacy' is a tool some states have used to promote themselves, a prominent example being Thailand.
Fantasy Sports and Karnataka's Online Gambling Ban
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Are the Balkans on Edge Again?
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With recent headlines warning of impending hostilities between Serbia and Kosovo, there is greater attention again on the proverbial powder keg of con...