In Focus by The Hindu

In this special bonus episode at In Focus we have a special crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Global Faultlines podcast with Sharmada Venkatasubramanian and Stanly Johny. The UAE has emerged as one of the most influential powers in West Asia, using diplomacy, trade, investment and strategic partnerships to extend its influence far beyond the Gulf. But its relationships with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel have grown increasingly complex, while the Iran war has tested its carefully calibrated regional strategy. At the same time, Abu Dhabi is deepening its strategic partnership with India. In this episode, we examine the UAE’s rise, its regional ambitions and the changing alliances shaping its foreign policy. Expert: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu  Research, Editing and Production: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian  Camera: Shivaraj S Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of In Focus Weekend Podcast, we speak to Chandan Gowda, a noted sociologist. He is currently the Dean of School of Liberal Arts, Vidyashilp University, Bengaluru. He has formerly worked with National Law School of India University Bengaluru, Azim Premji University and Institute of Social and Economic Change. His recent book "Longing for an Elsewhere: Mysore and the making of India's Developmental State", traces the trajectory of the model of development free india adopted to one of its origins in the Mysore state during colonial times. It argues development is not just an economic argument, but deeply cultural. The book is also interesting in how it traces the rise of technocrats and experts in the administration and records contemporary dissent. The book while dealing with history surprisingly speaks to contemporary concerns. Host: Aditya Bharadwaj Producer: Shiksha Jural Video: Ravichandran N Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou saw India’s best ever performance – we came back with 107 medals, including 28 gold medals, and we finished fourth on the medals table, behind only China, Japan and South Korea. The 2026 Asian Games will officially kick off in from September 19, and the big question is: can improve on its performance? In this episode, we preview ’s prospects, and joining us is Uthra Ganesan from The Hindu’s Sports Bureau. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Producer: Jude Weston Editor: Jude Weston and Shiksha Jural Video: Tayyab Hussain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a strong pushback against unilateral western sanctions; criticism of Israel over the killing of civilians, the attacks on Lebanon, and the forced occupation of Palestinian territory; and support for United Nations reform as well as a BRICS payment mechanism, the New Delhi Declaration of 2026 has been likened to India’s foreign policy from its non-aligned past. But was it a compromise by New Delhi in order to build a consensus, or will the statement, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close engagement with the leaders of Iran, Russia, and China, have a bearing on India’s future foreign policy? Guests: Ajay Bisaria and Happymon Jacob Host: Suhasini Haidar Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Western Ghats in India is a mountain range that is considered next only to the Himalayas in terms of being a biological treasure trove with a high degree of endemism and scenic beauty. It has also been declared as one of the world’s hotspots of biodiversity. However, in recent times, it has been in the news for threats to its unique ecosystem, especially with every episode of an ecological disaster. Yet, every attempt that has proposed to address these problems - be it the Gadgil committee report or the Kasturirangan report - has met with opposition. The latest in this list is the draft notification issued by the Centre proposing the Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) that would cover a 20,668 square kilometre area spread across 1,449 villages in Karnataka, which has been vehemently opposed by the Karnataka government. In the first of this two-part podcast, AS Ponnanna, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister of Karnataka and MLA from Virajpet in Kodagu, nestled in the Western Ghats, talks about the concerns the Karnataka government has with the Kasturirangan report and the Centre’s latest draft notification. In Part 2, we will have TV Ramachandra from the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, who was also the local expert who gave his inputs to the Kasturirangan committee. Host: K C Deepika. The Hindu Producer and editor: Jude Weston Video: Ravichandran N Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices