All Things Policy

Ep. 621: How Social Media is Reshaping Politics

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Nitansha Bansal and Prateek Waghre discuss some of the defining characteristics of social media and digital communication networks, a...

Ep. 620: China's New Missile Silos

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pranav Satyanath and Suyash Desai join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss what this development means for China's evolving nuclear strategy, and the US-Chin...

Ep. 619: The Queens of Medieval Kashmir

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Academic and author Dr Devika Rangachari joins Anirudh Kanisetii for a fascinating discussion on women in the making of Indian history.

Ep. 618: How Indians Shaped their Constitution

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Suman Joshi and Apurva Kumar talk about the role common citizens played in building constitutional values through the years.

Ep. 617: Cracking Down on Didi

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rohan Seth talks to Manoj Kewalramani to understand what’s driving this dramatic move by China’s authorities.

Ep. 616: India, the Moon and the Artemis Accords

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nitansha Bansal, Aditya Ramanathan, and Aditya Pareek discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the Accords and examine the choices that lie ahead for I...

Ep. 615: Theatre Commands: Are they Necessary?

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Nitin Pai discusses this with three former decorated officers from India's armed forces, Lt. General Prakash Menon, Vice Admiral Anil...

Ep. 614: The Syncretic Rituals of South Indian Catholics

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to independent researcher Vivek Joseph to learn about the peoples and practices involved in these connected dynamics.

Ep. 613: CPC@100: The Challenges Ahead

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss the big ideas and major themes of the build-up to the celebrations and the challenges that the party faces ...

Ep. 612: The Constitution & India's Democracy

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the motivations and intentions of the framers of India's constitution.

Ep. 611: Fortress Russia

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On 23 June, news emerged that Russian forces had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of Royal Navy’s HMS Defender.

Ep. 610: To DARPA, or not to DARPA

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Aditya Pareek joins Pranay Kotasthane to discuss the various issues around the Indian defence R&D space and what we can learn from the DARPA model.

Ep. 609: Policies for the Entertainment Sector

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Biren Ghose talks to Sarthak Pradhan about the need for a policy to enable this sector to thrive in the coming years.

Ep. 608: The Mirage of High-Tech Self-Sufficiency

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

China's growing technology prowess has led many countries to rollout old-style industrial policies of their own

Ep. 607: India Needs a Robust Cyber Security Strategy

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last decade, India has been facing a flurry of cyber attacks targeted at critical infrastructure sectors for reasons such as espionage or inf...

Ep. 606: Consumer Protection & E-commerce

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anupam Manur and Rohan Seth join Prateek Waghre to unpack the changes proposed and the impact they might have on India’s e-commerce industry.

Ep. 605: One Year After Galwan

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Ameera Rao to discuss the possible Chinese motivations and India's response.

Ep. 604: What Archaeology Really Tells Us About the Harappans and the Sarasvati River

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to archaeologist and history communicator Disha Ahluwalia, who is conducting a study of the region, to find out.

Ep. 603: Improving Learning Outcomes in Schools

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Devang Bhandari and Aanchal Govindani talk to Sarthak Pradhan and suggest some measures to improve learning outcomes. The discussion ...

Ep. 602: Investigating the Wuhan Lab Leak

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In May, US President Joe Biden ordered an intelligence probe into the origins of the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2. Suspicions that the virus potent...

Ep. 601: Can You Unbundle Social Media?

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some proposals aim to strike a balance between competition and free speech by unbundling functions and features on social media platforms

Ep. 600: Lessons from Odisha's Direct Income Transfer Scheme

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Shilpa Kumar talks to Sarthak Pradhan about the policy thinking behind KALIA, as well as it's design and implementation.

Ep. 599: What Fiction Teaches us About Indian History

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to journalist and author Rajat Ubhaykar, author of Truck De India.

Ep. 598: Bring Petrol under GST

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anupam Manur and Pranay Kotasthane discuss the potential benefits of this and how it can be achieved.

Ep. 597: Apple, Network Effects and China

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference was held earlier this month and had some interesting implications for both privacy and how the company is go...

Ep. 596: Do Influence Operations Work?

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Prateek Waghre discuss how their effectiveness is measured and how platforms respond.

Ep. 595: The Challenges of Governing States

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

India's states have often followed very different trajectories. In this episode, Suman Joshi and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the performance of some state...

Ep. 594: India: Continent or Subcontinent?

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a continent? Is it the tectonics of plates? Is it geographical boundaries? Is it population?

Ep. 593: Vaccines and Intellectual Property

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As the world continues its vaccination drive, countries like India and South Africa have been calling for an intellectual property waiver to make vacc...

Ep. 592: Battling Future Disease Waves

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 pandemic in India has savagely illustrated the need to develop institutional wherewithal to prepare for future health crises.

Ep. 591: In Google We Antitrust

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rohan Seth and Prateek Waghre join Anupam Manur to discuss recent developments in France, Germany, and the US and Google’s dominance in online adver...

Ep. 590: DeSWIFTing Russia?

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some in IR academia circles see the prospects of Russia being cut off from SWIFT as a new proverbial financial iron curtain descending upon the world....

Ep. 589: Examining Nehru's Approach to Tibet & China

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani speaks to AS Bhasin about his new book Nehru, Tibet and China to understand the challenges, limitations and failures of Indian diplo...

Ep. 588: The Race to Acquire Vaccines

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ameera Rao and Shambhavi Naik examine the key decisions the EG needs to take in the race to vaccinate Indians.

Ep. 587: The Evolution of Indian Science

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Hari Pulakkat talks to Aditya Ramanathan and Aditya Pareek about his new book, Space. Life. Matter., which chronicles the work of India's s...

Ep. 586: What Next for Facebook and India?

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Suchir Kalra and Atish Padhy join Prateek Waghre to discuss the possible outcomes and their consequences on the market.

Ep. 585 Xi’s ‘Red Footprints’ & History Learning Campaigns

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani tells Aditya Pareek what these tell us about the state of Chinese politics and Xi Jinping’s grip on power.

Ep. 584: India and the ‘Israeli Model’

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a conversation with Ameera Rao, Pranay Kotasthane argues that Israel's experience has little to offer India and that adopting an 'Israel Model' may...

Ep. 583: Intertwined Histories in South India's Local Legends

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to independent researcher Vivek Joseph to unravel this tapestry of stories and what they tell us about the interactions betwe...

Ep. 582: US-UK Special Relationship and China

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

However, with Brexit, Russian actions, and the rise of China, the two traditional allies are finding that some of their interests diverge. How will th...

Ep. 581: The Life and Times of the Facebook Oversight Board

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Prateek Waghre and Rohan Seth join Atish Padhy to discuss these cases and tackle the larger fault lines that have come to define content moderation an...

Ep. 580: Will India’s Military Remain Apolitical?

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tthe civil-military relationship in India is slowly changing. Can the armed forces maintain their independence? Lt General Menon talks to Ameera Rao.

Ep. 579: South India and Ancient Rome

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Archaeologist and musician Aditya Mohanan joins Anirudh Kanisetti to explore the literary and archaeological evidence from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and w...

Ep. 578: Investigating SARS-CoV-2

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As calls for a thorough investigation into the origins of SARS-CoV-2 re-emerge, Shambhavi Naik and Aditya Ramanathan discuss how novel viruses emerge,...

Ep. 577: Unpacking Xi’s New Development Strategy

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to this conversation between Suyash Desai and Manoj Kewalramani as they unpack the jargon to discuss China's development strategy.

Ep. 576: Northern Ireland's Uncertain Future

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Northern Ireland Protocol following Brexit. Ameera Rao joins Aditya Pareek to discuss.

Ep. 575: China’s Once-in-a-Decade Census

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss what these trends mean for China's society, its economy, and its future.

Ep. 574: A Defence Minister with a Military Background?

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lt. General Prakash Menon argues it is perhaps time for India to have a defence minister with a military background. Ameera Rao joins Lt Gen Prakash M...

Ep. 573: Truck De India: Rajat Ubhaykar on India's truckers

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to journalist and author Rajat Ubhaykar, author of Truck De India!: A Hitchhiker's guide to Hindustan, about his months spent...

Ep. 572: Finland, Russia and the Arctic

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Aditya Pareek joins Aditya Ramanathan to talk about Finland’s approach to great powers and changing geopolitics.

Ep. 571: China's Health Silk Road

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai discuss the drivers of China’s HSR and the implications it will have on the geopolitics of the subcontinent.

Ep. 570: The Narrow Corridor of Liberty

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the book "The Narrow Corridor", which examines the specific state-society dynamics needed for liberty to flou...

Ep. 569: The Most Undiplomatic Affair: China & the Philippines

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join Ruturaj Gowaikar to examine the events leading up to the minister’s outburst and place it in the context of ...

Ep. 568: Digital Monitoring of Global Public Health

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Shambhavi Naik and Ruturaj Gowaikar discuss the origins of these organizations, how they function, and why they were not enough to prevent the COVID-1...

Ep. 567: Why Russia’s Far East Matters

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Artyom Lukin of Vladivostok's Far Eastern Federal University joins Aditya Pareek and Aditya Ramanathan to discuss Russia’s geopolitical am...

Ep. 566: France, India and the Seas

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Dr Virginie Saliou, Research Professor at France’s naval school, discusses her country’s unique approach to maritime affairs, its...

Ep. 565: Biden's Turn to the Indo-Pacific

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Aditya Ramanathan talk to Suyash Desai about Biden's approach to the Indo-Pacific and the opportunities and challenges it presen...

Ep. 564: How to Depoliticise India’s Police

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ameera Rao discusses with Lt. Gen Prakash Menon and Ruturaj Gowaikar.

Ep. 563: A Single Source for all Laws?

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, P R Sandhya of DAKSH talks to Takshashila's Sarthak Pradhan about the idea of “a single source for laws” and how it can be design...

Ep. 562: Active Measures Short of War

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ruturaj Gowaikar joins Aditya Pareek for a discussion on Russian and Western Active Measures.

Ep. 561: Free speech on India's Internet

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How social media platforms respond in India has been termed as one of the defining battles for free speech on the Internet. Manoj Kewalramani and Prat...

Ep. 560: Reflecting on India's COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In September 2020, a multi-disciplinary team at Takshashila came out with a policy proposal to vaccinate 80% of India's population by December 2021.

Ep. 559: The Dragon’s Anniversary at Sea

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The PLA Navy is now the world's largest in terms of pure numbers. While some of China's rivals enjoy

Ep. 558: Supplying COVID-19 Therapeutics

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As urgent requests for convalescent plasma, Remdesivir and Tocilizumab increase, Ruturaj Gowaikar and Shambhavi Naik discuss the application of these ...

Ep. 557: How an FDI Hike Could Boost Pensions

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Indian government is reportedly planning to hike the FDI limit

Ep. 556: Understanding the US’s Tri-Service Naval Strategy

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A new strategy document outlines the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard's joint vision for

Ep. 555: Intellectual Property Un-reform

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month, the Union government passed the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service)

Ep. 554: Ending America's Forever War

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ameera Rao joins Anand Arni and Lt. General Prakash Menon to discuss whether the Taliban and the Afghan government can work out a durable settlement.

Ep. 553: Cracking Down on China’s Tech Giants

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani and Rohan Seth discuss what this means for the future of anti-trust regulation in China and the country’s technology ecosystem.

Ep. 552: Of Freedom of Navigation and Outrage

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Manoj Kewalramani joins Aditya Pareek and Aditya Ramanathan to discuss US FONOPs and how such actions may affect India-US ties.

Ep. 551: Impact of China’s policies in Tibet on India’s National Security

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From rail connectivity, new dams and border villages to increasing sinicization of religion, Beijing is ramping up efforts to tighten its control over...

Ep. 550: What Lies Ahead for Antitrust Reform

09 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Democratic Party, which has strongly advocated regulation of large technology corporations, effectively controls Congress and the White House in t...

Ep. 549: Does India's Vaccine Diplomacy Work?

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

India has practiced vaccine diplomacy during COVID-19, engaging its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. But are there advantages in extending this diplomacy...

Ep. 548: Rethinking Indian Healthcare

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

India performs poorly in most of the health indicators. Yet, there isn't much popular demand for a robust healthcare system. In this episode, Apurva K...

Ep. 547: Is Privacy a Competition Issue?

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Google and Facebook have cornered the largest parts of the global digital advertising marketplace. The way these markets operate has a significant imp...

Ep. 546: How Britain Plans to Engage the World

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The UK’s recently published but long-awaited Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, is being hailed as a visionary ...

Ep. 545: Panchsheel - How a Dream Ended

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru choose to pursue the 1954 Panchsheel Agreement with China? Was it mere naivete? Or was there realpoliti...

Ep. 544: How to Provide Reliable Power

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

India's power generation capacity is underutilized, and the Indian consumer is still underserved. In this episode, Jisha Cherian talks to Sarthak Prad...

Ep. 543: Making the Net-work

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why didn't everyone switch from WhatsApp to the Signal messaging service earlier this year? Network effects, lock-in, and switching costs shape up our...

Ep. 542: Quad to Anchorage - Shifting sands of the international order

26 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The past two weeks have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity, from the Quad summit to the US-China talks in Alaska. Listen to this conversation betwee...

Ep. 541: A New Law for Assisted Reproductive Technology?

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare came up with a report on the The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regula...

Ep. 540: India's Approach to Welfare

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

India's welfare architecture has changed over time. But have these changes been for the better? Apurva Kumar and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the evolution...

Ep. 539: Welcome to the Splinternet

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Russia recently attempted to throttle Twitter, while China has blocked access to Signal and instituted new rules which require social media users to h...

Ep. 538: Is the Quad ushering a new era in the Indo-Pacific?

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The first-ever Quad leaders summit ended with leaders of the US, India, Japan and Australia agreeing to work towards furthering shared values and inte...

Ep. 537: How Does China Think About Nuclear War?

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A recent report indicates China is doubling the number of its nuclear missile silos. Does this suggest Beijing is moving towards a hair-trigger's laun...

Ep. 536: Is it Safe to Breathe in India?

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A new report from air technology company IQAir concludes that despite an 11% reduction in PM2.5 levels, India emerged as the world's third-most pollut...

Ep. 535: The Missiles of Lady Liberty

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The US military’s Indo-Pacific Command is seeking additional funding to strengthen the US security umbrella in the region under the Pacific Deterren...

Ep. 534: Safe Water for Big Cities

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As we record this episode, residents in East Delhi are facing an acute water shortage. The shortages come soon after the Delhi Government went to the ...

Ep. 533: Will the Internet FLoC to Google’s Standards?

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In early March, Google announced that it would not support alternatives to third-party cookies to track user behaviour at an individual level. It will...

Ep. 532: Peace for Afghanistan?

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A draft agreement proposed by the US to “jump-start” the peace talks in Afghanistan envisages the formation of a transition government with the Ta...

Ep. 531: Does the Government Spend as Promised?

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Does the government's demand for funds actually match the outcomes it has promised?

Ep. 530: What’s China Planning in 2021?

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

China’s Two Sessions prioritised the roadmap for the country’s 14th Five Year Plan and flagged areas of development to achieve sustainable growth ...

Ep. 529: Fixing Mumbai's Air Pollution

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mumbai, one of the most densely populated cities, is reeling under growing levels of air pollution. Compared to 27 other cities globally, Mumbai bears...

Ep. 528: The Long Arm of the Law Crosses Borders

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Electronic evidence has become an integral part of criminal investigations. This often requires access to data stored in other jurisdictions. What pro...

Ep. 527: Northern Sea Route - A New Dawn for Russia?

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Russian LNG carrier Christoph De Margerie’s latest voyage along the NSR is being seen as a watershed. Is Moscow’s dream of year-round access t...

Ep. 526: Citizen Science - A Solution to Fake Information?

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 pandemic brought along with it increased transmission of disinformation as well. Can 'citizen science' offer solutions?

Ep. 525: China's New Coastguard Law

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed a law authorizing its coastguard to open fire on foreign vessels in the contested wat...

Ep. 524: A New Era for Indian Internet

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week the government notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The rules have some ...

Ep. 523: China’s Naval Expansion and India’s Options

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

China has publicized its current naval strategy of “Near Seas Defense and Far Seas Protection,” which calls for the People’s Liberation Army Nav...

Ep. 522: How Did Rome Defeat the Armies of Alexander's Successors?

26 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Greek historian Polybius tried to analyze how Rome's armies vanquished the world-conquering Hellenistic armies centered on...