All Things Policy

What’s Next for the Space Sector After FDI Reforms?

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, the Union Government liberalised the foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for the space sector and introduced graded automatic route appro...

India’s Deadly New Missile

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does India’s Agni-5 test really mean for its competition with China? What exactly are MIRVs and how do they affect the nuclear balance? Saurabh...

AI Models and Licenses

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A recent advisory by MeitY about the deployment of AI models which has caused a lot of angst and pushback from industry. Satya Sahoo and Bharath Reddy...

Two Sessions, Once Again

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Between March 5 and 11, the 'Two Sessions', which is an annual meeting of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultati...

I Think, Therefore Am I?

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As January drew to a close, the users of X were greeted with a startling announcement by the owner, Elon Musk. His company 'Neuralink' had successfull...

Understanding the MPCE

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The data on Monthly Per capita Consumption Expenditure was released last week. How should we read this data?  How can it inform policy making at vari...

The Political Promise of India’s Youth

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of All Things Policy, Carl Jaison speaks to Sudhanshu Kaushik, author of “The Future is Ours: The Political Promise of India’s You...

Science Funding in India

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of ATP, Saurabh Todi and Shambhavi Naik discuss the state of research and development funding in India, what ails it and what can be d...

SC Push to Fix Price Caps for Hospitals is a Bad Idea

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Supreme Court of India (SC) is entertaining a public interest litigation (PIL) asking for fixed rates for medical services in all hospitals in the...

The 'China Angle' in Indian Foreign Policy

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As contemporary Indian foreign policy evolves to navigate an increasingly complex regional and global geopolitical environment, the China factor bears...

Are we going to be quicker on roads?

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get ready for an insightful journey with Dr Y Nithiyanandam and Shreya Ramakrishnan as they dive into the future of road travel with a focus on India'...

Indian Media and the 2024 Elections

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The world's largest democracy is going to the polls this year. As much as a logistical challenge it will be given the sheer size, it will also be a te...

China's property crisis

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode. Manoj Kewalramani and Shambhavi Naik discuss the ongoing property crisis in China, the developing story of the Evergrande decline and...

Can AI shift India from a "flailing" state to a more successful one?

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Lant Pritchett has described India as "flailing state", one where the limbs are not in sync with the head and the outcomes sought are not delivered. S...

China's History Learning Regulations

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has released regulations on studying the Party's history. It outlines the key objectives a...

Fixed Cab Fares in Karnataka

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, the Karnataka government fixed uniform kilometre-based fares for all types of cabs plying in the state. In this light, Saurabh Todi speaks t...

Chinese Diplomacy at the Munich Security Conference

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024 Munich Security Conference has recently concluded on February 18, and key discussions surrounded both traditional and non-traditional securit...

Why music education matters

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Music has played a complimentary role in all our lives. In this tuneful episode, Malathi Renati has a chat with Lakshmy Iyer, a music exponent in carn...

Magic Tricks: Chinese Foreign Policy under Xi Jinping

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena interviews Kerry Brown, professor of China studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at Kin...

Is Mandatory Conscription the Way for India?

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Article 23 of India's constitution allows the union government to mandate conscription to secure the nation’s interest and public well-being. There ...

Understanding India's demographics

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In her interim budget speech, the finance minister announced that a high-powered committee will be constituted to consider the challenges arising from...

Why China Dominates Solar PV Supply Chains

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Technologies like Solar PVs have become critical to enabling shifts towards the use of more renewable energy. In this episode, Anushka Saxena quizzes ...

The Quad in the Indo-Pacific

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Quad's rise as a strategic grouping has received much attention in recent years. In this episode of All Things Policy, Bharat Sharma hosts Arzan T...

Policing on Horseback in India | Police Chowki

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From anti-dacoity operations to crowd control to participation in equestrian games, mounted police enjoy a distinct position in Indian law enforcement...

Good riddance to bad governance

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Could the average citizen become more involved in the process of developing solutions to problems that affect them? Yes! But well before that, maybe w...

Why Israel Plans to Recruit Indian Workers

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the wake of the ongoing conflict, Israel is looking to address a major labor shortage by recruiting tens of thousands of Indians at a time when Pal...

China's Influence on Global Media

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every country should have the ability to tell its story to the world. However, a nation's narrative should be based on facts and rise and fall on its ...

Fake It Till You Legislate It

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Deepfakes. Everyone has seen a deepfake by now, whether consciously or unconsciously. They’ve taken the digital world by storm and their rapid sprea...

Decoding the Union Budget 2024-25

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The interim budget for 2024-25 was presented by the Finance Minister on Thursday,1 Feb 2024. What are some of the key takeaways? How will this impact ...

China's Research Vessels Concern India

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

China's comprehensive research and survey vessel, the Xiang Yang Hong 03, is expected to make a port call in Malé, Maldives, sometime soon. The vesse...

Does India Need Sovereign AI Compute Infrastructure?

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The union government has recently announced plans for a sovereign AI computing mission to provide computing resources as a service to Indian startups,...

How to decode a government budget?

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow, the Union Finance Minister is set to present the Budget. In this episode, Sarthak talks to Suman, highlighting key aspects to pay attention ...

GM Mustard and Supreme Court

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of ATP, Saurabh Todi and Shambhavi Naik discuss the recent developments related to GM Mustard and controversy around GMOs

How is the Digital Impact Alliance Shaping DPI?

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL) has a vision of a world where data and technology serve people, society, and the planet. DIAL connects governments, fun...

How does Australia approach Preventive Care

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this ATP episode Bhargavi Battala  & Sowmya Prabhakar discuss the finer details of how smart nudges such as display boards in the park, mobile van...

AI in Mental Healthcare

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Satya Sahu, and Shristi Srivastava (CEO and Founder, Infiheal) in this episode of All Things Policy, as we explore how AI is reshaping mental hea...

One Nation One Election - Feasibility and Implications for India

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Simultaneous elections seem like an idealistic approach to tackle excessive election spending in India, but does that stand true once we read between ...

Complexities of University Rankings

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us on an enlightening journey through the world of higher education rankings as Dr. Nithiyanandam, a professor at the Takshashila Institution, en...

What are the Lessons from Odisha’s Disaster Response Model? | Police Chowki

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Police Chowki, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya hosts Amitabh Thakur (IPS officer & Transport Commissioner, Odisha) and Javeed Ahmad (former I...

The Moon Rules

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Moon is about to get crowded, with governments and private companies planning multiple missions over the next decade. India has its own ambitions ...

All About IPEF.

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of All Things Policy, Wini, Kripa and Ramita look at the basic principles of IPEF, the story behind its formation, its relevance, part...

Cooperation between the Quad and ASEAN

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is part of a series of podcasts on understanding the Quad’s role in the Indo-Pacific, where we host experts, analysts and scholars work...

Women Representation in Bureaucracy and Politics

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of ATP, Saurabh Todi and Pranav Gupta talk about rise in women representation in bureaucracy, its reasons and implications. They also ...

Why Taiwan matters to India

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Amit Kumar and Anushka Saxena discuss why the Taiwan issue should matter to India, how India's Taiwan policy has shaped up in the pas...

State of Prisons in India | Police Chowki

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The prison system is the most overlooked pillar of the Indian criminal justice system. Starved of funds, overcrowded with prisoners and laced with cor...

Advertising Lessons from the 2004 General Election Victory

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

20 years ago, the Congress Party took a drubbing in 3 state elections. The ‘India Shining’ slogan of the NDA government had taken everyone by stor...

Dual Citizenship- Way Forward

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The concept of nations, nationality and citizenship are being redefined in many ways. In such a scenario, what does Dual Citizenship mean? How can it ...

Making Imaging Sensors for Space Telescopes | SiliconPolitik

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So far, on SiliconPolitik, our limited edition podcast series on semiconductor chips, we have gotten insights into the geopolitical, economic, and tec...

Secularism: Indian, French, and Turkish Versions

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Secularism is conventionally understood to be the separation of state and religion. However, according to the Indian Constitution, citizens are govern...

Siliconpolitik: Chip Design in India

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us in conversation with Satya Sahu, as he quizzes G S Madhusudan, CEO of InCore Semiconductors, on what semiconductor chip design entails in the ...

The Year Ahead for India's Geospatial Policy

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Geospatial technology is expected to be a cornerstone of governance in India, given its civilian applications in satellite technology, Geographic Info...

What Does China's 2024 Economic Outlook Entail?

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this second episode of All Things Policy in the new year, Manoj Kewalramani and Anushka Saxena discuss the trends and developments in the Chinese e...

Forecasting 2024 | Special Episode

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This new year, it is time to make predictions once again. The members of Takshashila Institution get together to make their predictions for 2024 on pu...

International Law Versus Cyber-Enabled IP Theft

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the final episode of the All Things Policy podcast for 2023, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya and Anushka Saxena discuss the challenge of Cyber-enabled IP The...

Crisis in the Levant

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar and Harshit Sharma discuss the Levant crisis unleashed by the Houthis attacks in the Red Sea. Do che...

Unpacking Earth & Implications on Policies with a Geologist

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, R Srinivasan gives a fair idea about the stories that the rocks unfold. This is connected with the Industrial Revolution & the comfor...

UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub is Targeting a $1T Moonshot

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub is working on the challenge that “finance is not working for people or the planet”. They believe that the the ans...

Urban Flood: Chennai's Flood Crisis and Shaping Future Solutions

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kingshuk Saha and Dr Nithiyanandam Yogeswaran discuss the recent floods in Chennai, triggered by Cyclone Michaung, highlighting the vulnerability of I...

Global Deception: Navigating the Maze of GPS Spoofing

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode delves into the escalating issue of GPS spoofing, especially spotlighting recent incidents in the Middle East. Prof Nithiyanandam dissect...

Sustainable Transportation ft. Arshel Akhter

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

sustainable transportation, Bicycle Mayor of Guwahati, Arshel Akther, sustainable mobility, equitable transportation, accessible transportation, inclu...

Sectoral Analysis: Market Failures in the Indian Pharma Sector

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While the pharma sector is significant in India it is also plagued by many failures and government interventions have yet to be effective. What can be...

The Fundamentals of Economic Crimes | Police Chowki

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Economic crimes such as money laundering and corporate fraud affect the country's socio-economic fabric and economic security. India has diverse legis...

How New Delhi Sees the Quad

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

India is set to host the Quad Leaders' Summit in 2024. Over the years, the Quad has evolved to assume numerous domains as part of its public goods age...

How is Government Planning to Regulate OTT?

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023 is a new draft legislation introduced by the government to update a 30-year-old law, the Cable Telev...

Are Firecracker Bans a Pollution Solution?

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

India has regularly seen bans on fireworks during festive seasons, but knee-jerk policy reactions aren't enough. Centralised directives to curb air po...

Estimation Exercise: Welfare Gains from UPI

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With active government support, the UPI has become ubiquitous and has changed the way we transact. What are the welfare gains arising from this? Rama,...

Israel-Hamas War: China’s Interests & Crisis Diplomacy

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

China’s diplomatic efforts since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, indicate a clear decision to lean in favour of the Palestinian side. This de...

What Israel-Hamas War Means for India's Tech & Defence

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Could the war between Israel and Hamas impact India's tech and defence ties with Israel? And could a broader regional war create an energy crisis? Sat...

US Indictment of Indian National: What Lies Ahead

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On November 29, 2023, the US Department of Justice indicted an Indian national Nikhil Gupta in a foiled assassination attempt of a US citizen in New Y...

A Pathway to AI Governance

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune into All Things Policy for an eye-opening episode on AI Governance. We're dissecting our most recent Takshashila Discussion Document - delving in...

Interview with Australian High Commissioner on India-Australia Ties

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The past few years have witnessed the rapid growth of the India-Australia relationship. The agenda for bilateral partnership has expanded significantl...

Gun Control Laws in India: Hits and Misses | Police Chowki

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

India has one of the strictest gun control regimes where obtaining a gun license is difficult for ordinary civilians. Gun violence and death numbers a...

Australia's Cyber Security Strategy

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Australia's recently released cyber security strategy, aims to enhance cyber protection for individuals and businesses. Jade Donney, Counsellor at the...

Haryana’s Local Reservation Law is Unconstitutional-Part Two

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In continuation of yesterday’s episode of All Things Policy, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya speaks to Anupam Manur, Professor of Economics at Takshashila Ins...

Haryana’s Local Reservation Law is Unconstitutional | Part One

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The State of Haryana passed the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020 which provided 75% reservation to local candidates in all priva...

The Third Way: India's Approach to Data Governance

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rahul Matthan joins Rijesh Panicker and Bharath Reddy for a chat about his new book, "The Third Way." Together, they unravel  India's unique approach...

Policing in Conflict Zones of India | Police Chowki

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Indian state has long witnessed separatism, often backed by militancy, in various regions across the country. We have had periods of militancy in ...

Canada-India Crisis: Impact on Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kingshuk Saha and Manoj Kewalramani discuss the evolution of the Canada-India crisis and discuss how it has not only impacted the bilateral relations ...

Is Namma Metro a Solution for Bengaluru Traffic?

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In February 2023, the Tom Tom traffic index found Bengaluru to be the world’s second-most traffic congested city. In September, the city experienced...

Doklam 3.0 - Developments in Recent Years

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Kingshuk and Dr. Nithyanandam delve deeply into the most recent events in the Doklam region, as reported in the most recent news arti...

Analysing India's Electric Vehicle Policy Landscape

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

India's Electric Vehicle ecosystem has grown remarkably in the last few years. However, questions arise about the sustainability of this growth and po...

Updates From India-US 2+2

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar and Bharat Sharma speak to Anushka Saxena about the recent Indo-US 2+2  ministerial dialogue. They d...

What Causes Gender Disparities in Organ Transplants?

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A recent report suggested that Indian men outrank women as organ recipients. Meanwhile, women are far more likely to donate their organs to male count...

Can AI Help the Cause of Liberal Democracy?

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many scientists and policymakers around the world are standing up and highlighting the potential harm that AI can do but Sridhar Krishna and Rijesh Pa...

Solid Waste Management: Best Practices

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rapid urbanization presents a pressing challenge for solid waste management as burgeoning cities generate increasing amounts of waste, necessitating i...

What does the Australian education template look like?

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The journey of education is a combination of many experiences put together. What goes into the nuts & bolts of the Australian education system? Josiah...

Looking Ahead to a Xi-Biden Meeting

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena discusses with Manoj Kewalramani and Amit Kumar tensions in US-China relations, and whether the u...

India's role in the Israel-Hamas War

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hours after the horrific terror strike on Israel by Hamas on October 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced unequivocal support to Israel in its ho...

G’Day MATES! On the New Australia-India Visa

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to a 2021 census, 710,380 Indian-born people were living in Australia, effectively making them the second-largest migrant group in the count...

Energy Access and Community Development

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Energy access can greatly impact healthcare, education, and quality of life. What seen or unseen policy issues exist at the interplay between energy a...

The Curious Case of Missing Persons | Police Chowki

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As 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 perso...

India's Cyber Security Priorities

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Amit Kumar talks to Anushka Saxena about some elements of India's cybersecurity policy and priorities, including the nature of the th...

Curing Deafness through Gene Therapy

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the episode of All Things Policy, Shambhavi Naik and Saurabh Todi discuss the recent news from China where scientists have successfully restored he...

A Deep Dive into Deep Tech

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Deep technologies involve scientific and technological advancements that serve as the foundation for innovative products or services. In this episode ...

Overcoming Roadblocks to Make UPI Universal

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The 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 f...

Israel-Hamas Crisis: India’s Response and Challenge

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kingshuk Saha discusses with Aditya Ramanathan and Bharat Sharma the Israel-Hamas crisis that has engulfed the Middle East. They talk about how it aff...

Homeschooling: A Perspective & Policy Suggestions

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Malathi Renati (Head of Takshashila’s Policy School) and Sowmya Nandan (Head of Corporate Affairs at Takshashila ) are in conversation with Gowthami...

What Happens During a Police Raid? | Police Chowki

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Police raids are search and seizure operations conducted by the police for investigation and evidence collection. They often become media spectacles o...

Chinese Air Force Expansion in Tibet

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Using high-resolution satellite images. Dr. Nithiyanandam, Head of Geospatial Research Programme at the Takshashila Institution, analysed three operat...

What is Open RAN?

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is 'Open RAN', and why have countries and groupings rushed to advocate for its deployment within the telecom industry? In this episode of All Thi...