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Raghav's Take

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In this episode of Raghav’s Take, we dive into the chaotic, fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence and how it’s reshaping everything we know. From writing desks to codebases, from newsroom editors to lights-out factories run by robots, AI is upending industries at a pace that challenges classical economic thinking. While understanding AI in its entirety remains a challenge, its power and its consequences are impossible to ignore. Raghav Bahl breaks down what AI is really doing to our jobs, our economy, and our future.
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India’s macroeconomy looks strong: low inflation, falling fiscal deficit, record capex, booming stock markets. Yet private investment and consumption are stagnant.
In this sharp analysis, Raghav Bahl explores why India’s so-called Goldilocks Economy is anxious, trapped in what he calls the 'Invisible Spectrum' of un-reforms.
From FDI outflows and millionaire migration to bans on new industries, judicial overreach, and endless tax disputes — the hidden forces sapping growth are revealed.
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India's GST is critiqued as a 'loser' using the ludicrous example of popcorn, which was earlier taxed at three different rates: 5%, 12%, and 18%. This complexity enabled corruption and draconian abuse. Will the proposed reforms truly fix it?
In this episode of Raghav’s Take, Raghav Bahl breaks down the new GST structure, the business community’s response, and his five essential fixes to make GST a fair, transparent, and workable tax system.
(Note: The video was recorded before the new GST rates were announced.)
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India and America have never had a simple relationship - moving from supplicants to adversaries, and finally, strategic partners. But with Donald Trump shaking up global trade, where does that leave India?
In this episode of Raghav’s Take, Raghav Bahl argues why India should not feel overawed or bullied by America and how our regulations, digital power, and economic resilience give us an edge.
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Barack Obama’s presidency reshaped South Asia’s geopolitics. From exposing Pakistan’s duplicity on bin Laden and nukes to backing India for a permanent UN Security Council seat, Obama left behind a legacy of mistrust with Islamabad and strengthened ties with New Delhi.
This final episode of our 7-part series explores how Obama’s decisions—from drone strikes and the Abbottabad raid to defence deals and strategic diplomacy—reshaped the America-India-Pakistan equation.
Watch the full series to see how 12 US presidents influenced South Asia’s balance of power.
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In Part 6 of the special "America-India-Pakistan" series, Raghav Bahl dives into the transformative role played by President George Bush Jr in reshaping US-India relations. During his tenure, Bush Jr ended India's nuclear isolation, lifted economic sanctions, and fostered deep cooperation between the two nations. Despite the post-9/11 shift in US policy towards Pakistan, Bush Jr’s focus on strengthening ties with India remained pivotal. This episode explores how the India-US nuclear deal, military exercises, and shared strategic interests marked a historic period in global diplomacy.
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In Part 5 of the series, Raghav Bahl delves into how after the Cold War ended, India and America went from estranged democracies to strategic partners. Clinton’s five-day India visit and frosty Pakistan stopover marked the moment the balance tipped. This is how trust was built - step by step.
This episode unpacks:
End Of Estrangement between India and US
Growing Isolation of Pakistan
Clinton’s Landmark Visit to India
Pressure On Pakistan
Don’t miss Part 1 to 4 on Truman, Nixon, Carter and others, and stay tuned for Part 6 on George Bush Jr. and 9/11.
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Part 4 of Raghav Bahl’s riveting historical series on the triangular relationship between America, India, and Pakistan dives into the high-stakes Cold War era of the late 1970s through early 1990s. As the world reeled from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and South Asia drifted into nuclear brinkmanship, US foreign policy under Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush underwent dramatic shifts.
From Carter's brief love affair with India to Reagan's billion-dollar arms deal with Pakistan and Bush Sr's sanctions on Islamabad’s nuclear programme, this episode unpacks:
1. India’s refusal to sign the NPT
2. Pakistan’s secret nuclear ambitions
3. Reagan’s covert support for Afghan Mujahideen
4. Indira Gandhi’s frosty ties with Washington
5. The changing strategic importance of Pakistan
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Why did Richard Nixon favour Pakistan while Indira Gandhi stood firm on India’s sovereignty? This video dives deep into a forgotten Cold War chapter when the US-India relationship hit rock bottom. From Nixon’s secret China deal brokered through Pakistan to his infamous "tilt" during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, we decode the geopolitics that shaped South Asia. Watch how Indira Gandhi pushed back against US hostility, signed a landmark treaty with the USSR, and turned India into a nuclear power. A gripping story of diplomacy, betrayal, and resistance.
🔔 Subscribe for more episodes from our US-India-Pakistan mini-series.
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In Part 2 of our Cold War mini-series on the US-India-Pakistan triangle, we explore how Pakistan won over the Kennedy White House while India struggled to keep up. From Nehru’s waning influence and Ayub Khan’s charm offensive to Kennedy’s diplomatic missteps and the Indo-China war, we unpack a volatile decade that shaped the region’s geopolitics.
We also examine LBJ’s humiliating ‘ship-to-mouth’ food policy towards India, Indira Gandhi’s criticism of the US over Vietnam, and India’s growing resolve to go nuclear.
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America’s foreign policy towards India and Pakistan has shifted since the 1940s, often influenced by global politics and the personalities of US presidents. Early years saw the US favouring Pakistan due to India’s nonalignment and socialist leanings. Raghav Bahl asks: Could America’s changing stance reshape South Asia’s power balance?
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In this thought‑provoking video by Raghav Bahl, we explore three devastating incidents — the Pahalgam terror attack, the RCB fan‑stampede, and the Air India crash — to understand what they reveal about life, death, and human resilience. Watch as we question our mortality, confront grief, and affirm the meaning behind loss.
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In this episode of Raghav's Take we discuss how President Trump's Mar-a-Lago Accord could pave the way for India to reintroduce its sovereign dollar bonds. We explore the historical context, the challenges faced during the 2019 attempt, and the potential benefits of this strategic move for India's economy. Watch as we analyze the implications of this development and what it means for India's financial future.
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This video traces India-Pakistan conflicts from 1965 to 2025 through personal memories and shifting US policies. From American support for Pakistan in 1971 to a hands-off approach in 2025, the narrative shows changing global dynamics. Raghav Bahl asks, 'What really drives America’s unpredictable stance on South Asia?'
From exposing misinformation to delivering impactful human rights reporting, our newsroom has relentlessly pursued stories that drive change. We remain committed to asking the tough questions — and we'd love for you to be a part of our journey.
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In this episode of Raghav's Take, we break down how Trump's Executive Order 14178 which was meant to roll back the U.S. digital dollar—may have handed a golden opportunity to Europe. With the European Central Bank pushing ahead with the Digital Euro, is the U.S. at risk of losing its long-held "exorbitant privilege" of dollar dominance?
Watch as Raghav Bahl unpacks the geopolitical and economic implications of Trump's move, the future of global currencies, and why this shift could change the balance of power in global finance.
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In this video, we delve into President Trump's Executive Order 14178, which halts the development of a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). We explore the implications of this decision on America's financial future, the rise of private Stablecoins, and how this move might cede ground to digital currencies like the Digital Yuan and Euro. Is this a safeguarding of privacy or a strategic blunder? Raghav Bahl unpacks the nuances of this critical policy shift.
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After a brief but intense escalation near Pahalgam, India and Pakistan have pulled back with a ceasefire now in effect. But the Indian stock markets remain volatile.
In this video, Raghav Bahl analyses how markets often respond after military conflict subsides. Drawing parallels from the Kargil War and WWII, could the return to calm trigger a delayed 'war boom' rally? Or are we heading for a new correction?
📖 Read more: https://www.thequint.com/opinion/indian-stock-markets-will-pahalgam-war-trigger-the-rally
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The American dollar is at a fatal crossroad. Will it die or will it have an angelic revival? Raghav Bahl answers.
For decades, the US dollar ruled global trade like an untouchable monarch—everyone needed it, but only America could print it. But has this so-called privilege become America’s biggest liability? From Alan Greenspan to Donald Trump, from globalisation highs to inflation woes. In this video, Raghav Bahl decodes how the mighty dollar shaped the world economy, and what Trump’s tariffs might mean for its future.
From exposing misinformation to delivering impactful human rights reporting, our newsroom has relentlessly pursued stories that drive change. We remain committed to asking the tough questions — and we'd love for you to be a part of our journey.
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Raghav's Take: Donald Trump loves to talk about taking a tough stance on China. From tariffs to trade wars, the US has tried to mirror Beijing’s economic playbook. But here’s the catch: America might copy China’s policies, but it can’t copy its people. Why? Because China’s system relies on a massive, low-paid, and compliant workforce that the US simply doesn’t have.
In this video, we break down why Trump (or any American leader) can’t win by playing China’s game, no matter how hard they try.
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