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All Things Policy

All Things Policy
Author: Takshashila Institution
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Ever wondered how automation will change the world? Maybe you puzzle over what India could do to ease traffic congestion, or how China's aircraft carriers will transform Indian Ocean geopolitics? All Things Policy, a daily podcast brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, brings you all the answers. Every weekday, our researchers break down complex economic and geopolitical ideas through the lens of current events. For everyone from the busy executive to the curious student, All Things Policy is all you'll need to understand the world (and appreciate your breakfast) better.
1714 Episodes
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India's gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) is approximately 0.6%- 0.7% of its GDP and has remained relatively stagnant over the last 20 years. Its relatively low R&D spending contributes to India's lag in innovation and adoption of advanced technologies, which in turn slows technological adoption and weakens its global competitiveness. What could be some possible policy solutions for this challenge? Meher and Rohan, students from Takshashila's Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy, weigh in and propose the development of what they and their cohortmates call Bharat AVISHKAAR Yojana (Advancing Vigyan, Innovation, Skill-development, Human Capital, Knowledge-economy, and Advanced Research). All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
Nepal is navigating a critical phase of political transition, economic reform, and evolving regional dynamics. In this episode of All Things Policy, Wini Fred Gurung speaks with Professor S. D. Muni, Professor Emeritus at Jawaharlal Nehru University and India’s former Special Envoy to Southeast Asian countries, to discuss these developments and what the future holds for Nepal.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
While there is extensive literature studying Pakistan's policies and motivations over the decades, there is a limited understanding of the architecture of India's Grand Strategy towards Pakistan. Individual events, military actions, and diplomatic decisions are studied and deliberated, but India's actions are rarely understood within an analytical framework of a grand strategy. In this episode of All Things Policy, Shobhankita Reddy hosts Aishwaria Sonavane, who will present this framework and make the point that, despite tactical differences, successive Indian governments have pursued a consistent, coherent strategy at the centre of which is a core objective to limit Pakistan's ability to disrupt India's growth trajectory.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Ashwin Prasad and Adya Madhavan explore the connection between artificial intelligence and how it augments and changes different aspects of power. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
India is opening core conservation to private participation. In this episode of All Things Policy, Arindam Goswami and Ashwin Prasad break down the rationale, the problems it aims to solve, the guardrails needed to prevent commodification and more. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Shreya Ramakrishnan and Anwesha Sen discuss the book "Invisible Women" by Caroline Criado Perez which makes a case for how our world is built on a gender data gap. Systems are designed around the male body and male usage patterns, while women’s data is largely unexamined. This is something that many women are viscerally and often acutely aware of but that goes undiscussed, underreported and under researched. Shreya and Anwesha also discuss how this gap in data impacts policy, infrastructure, and research, and ways in which the gap can be bridged. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
A few weeks ago, China's State Council released the AI+ Initiative - a fairly significant policy document about the integration of artificial intelligence in key sectors of the economy. In this episode, Shobhankita Reddy and Anushka Saxena of the Takshashila Institution break down the key features of the document, the Chinese model of "command and control", and the state of China's diffusion capacity.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
On September 17th, 2025, the world witnessed what might either turn out to be the most consequential defence agreement since NATO's founding, or might fizzle out as something that's not as disruptive as it might seem. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia didn't just sign a mutual defence pact - they potentially rewrote the rules of nuclear deterrence, economic diplomacy, and regional power projection in one stroke.For the first time in history, a nuclear-armed state has formally pledged its atomic arsenal to defend a non-nuclear oil superpower. But this isn't just about military hardware or traditional alliances. We're looking at the birth of "nuclear arbitrage" - where atomic weapons become a tradeable commodity. We're seeing the emergence of what we might call "reverse petrodollars" - where military assets back financial flows instead of oil.The implications cascade far beyond the Middle East. India's multi-billion economic partnership with Saudi Arabia now sits uncomfortably alongside Riyadh's new nuclear patron. China's Belt and Road investments suddenly have Pakistani nuclear protection. Iran faces the prospect of a Sunni nuclear umbrella stretching from Islamabad to the Arabian Peninsula.Today, we're asking the questions that traditional geopolitical analysis misses: What happens when sovereign wealth funds start buying military power directly? Can the nuclear non-proliferation regime survive when deterrence becomes a rental service? And are we witnessing the birth of the world's first religiously-defined nuclear blocs?This isn't just another defence deal. This is the moment when 20th-century assumptions about money, military power, and atomic weapons collided with 21st-century realities. Welcome to the new great game.Join Yusuf Unjhawala and Arindam Goswami as we discuss all this and more in this episode of the All Things Policy podcast.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
Bengaluru entered a new era of governance on September 2, when the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) came into force. What does this mean for Bengaluru city dwellers and, more generally, urban governance? In this episode of All Things Policy, Suman Joshi and Bharath Reddy spoke to urban governance expert Mathew Idiculla to understand. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Abhishek Kadiyala is in conversation with Constantino Xavier, and Shruti Jargad from CSEP to discuss how India and China view the Indian subcontinent and each other's role in it. China views the subcontinent through different cultural and geopolitical lenses and views itself as a central player in the region. Although it acknowledges India’s role in the region, China also views itself as an equal player. India’s scepticism of China in the region can be seen in its reluctance to accept joint agreement proposals by China as a neighbouring country. India views itself as the central player and expects external powers to respect its role. However, the neighbourhood has the potential to be a point of convergence for both countries, with the growing disturbances in the region, and India’s attempts at strengthening its relations with China. But to achieve this, mutual trust and a shared vision of the region are essential. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode, Sowmya Prabhakar and Bhumika Sevkani sit down with Srividya Jandhyala, Associate Professor at ESSEC Business School, to unpack how today’s shifting geopolitical landscape is reshaping the world of business. From the evolving role of managers to strategies for navigating uncertainty, the discussion explores both the challenges and opportunities that the changing global order presents for companies and economies alike. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Swathi Kalyani and Anisree Suresh discuss the capabilities and challenges of India’s geospatial portals. They also examine what holds them back compared to global counterparts, and highlight how India can fine-tune its policies to make geospatial portals more accessible, innovative, and citizen-centric.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Vanshika Saraf is joined by Rushali Saha, a Maitri Fellow at the United States Studies Centre in Sydney. Together, they examine whether the Quad is beginning to drift in the choppy waters of the Indo-Pacific. Recent developments, from stalled trade talks to a sudden spike in visa fees, have tested the foundations of the India-US partnership. As these challenges unfold, what is India’s diplomatic strategy? And can the Quad survive domestic churn within its member states? Tune in for a conversation on trust, transitions, and the wishful transience of it all.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
On 10 August 2025, after a long delay, the yellow metro line was finally inaugurated by PM Modi in Bengaluru. But just a month after the inauguration, long wait times, overcrowding and underutilisation of potential continue to plague the nearly 19 km line that connects RV Road with Bommasandra. The reason? Geopolitics, because of the involvement of a Chinese supplier of rolling stock.In this episode of All Things Policy, Lokendra sits down with Tannmay Kumarr Baid, a junior adjunct scholar with Takshashila, who has examined the geopolitical angle of the yellow metro line in a recently published discussion document co-authored with Pranay Kotasthane, deputy director, Takshashila. Join in the conversation as Tannmay unpacks the geopolitical factors as lessons learned for future metro projects. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
Cyber scams, phishing links, ransomware attacks and digital threats are everywhere. In this episode of All Things Policy, Sowmya Prabhakar (COO, Takshashila Institution) chats with Vinay Nagaraj and Lokendra Sharma about how the society, government and markets can join forces to keep our data safe and our clicks smarter. Tune in for practical tips, sharp insights, and a fresh take on India’s cyber-awareness playbook.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
China plans to implement absolute caps on carbon emissions for its industries. The Chinese Emissions Trading System (ETS) covers the power, steel, cement and aluminium sectors, accounting for 60% of the country's total emissions. In this episode, Bhumika Sevkani, Research Analyst with the Indo-Pacific Studies programme, and Anisree Suresh, Research Associate in Geoeconomics at the Takshashila Institution, unpack how carbon trading works. We analyse the response of China to the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the two largest carbon markets, and what it means for India’s exports. Is China’s ETS a climate tool, a trade strategy, or both?All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Adya Madhavan and Anwesha Sen discuss the latest edition of India’s Technology Perspective Capability Roadmap, or TPCR, and consider its significance for defence procurement, industry, and modern military capability.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Sridhar Krishna (Senior Scholar), Suman Joshi (Staff Programme Manager, GCPP) and Kripa Koshy (Staff Programme Manager, PGP) take a high-level look at the state of Indian society vis-à-vis inequalities and contradictions that pervade it. They pay particular attention to the story beyond economic indices, with particular attention to privilege and the role of institutions. Listen to hear their musings on everything from the role of education in overcoming inequalities, how elite progressivism factors into this and what the implications may be for policymakers. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar and Anushka Saxena discuss the scenarios to witness during the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama. Given the importance of the issue to the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the believers of Tibetan Buddhism, and Beijing, there is both a religious and geopolitical vantage point from which to assess India and China's responses and counter-responses.Do check out Anushka's latest Takshashila discussion document, which includes her framework on assessing the 15th Dalai Lama's legitimacy and birthplace, and implications for Indian policy. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
In this episode of All Things Policy, Anisree Suresh and Swathi Kalyani unpack India’s agricultural trade policies, examining where the country holds export potential and what it must do to maximise gains from its agriculture sector. They discuss India’s farm trade policy and suggest calibrated liberalisation, tariff easing, and leveraging strengths in products where India is competitive to balance domestic sensitivities with trade opportunities. To know more about the topic, read Anisree's latest discussion documentAll Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
great podcasts, gives us the firsthand and expert information from the respective fields affecting the Indian Affairs. highly recommended.
A good blend of economics and philosophy.
Very Well Analysed.
hey I learnt a lot from the sinauli episode. Can u kindly do one episode on keezhadi excavation also?
ms.ahluwalia needs a better mic.
Good discussion Aniruddh and Rajat. I have read the book and wasn't sure if I should still spend the time listening to the podcast but I am glad I did. I liked the parts on historical aspects of Indian trucking, the difference that you saw between trucking in the north and the south, the structure of the industry and of course the characters and their stories. Rajat - Congratulations again on the book and looking forward to the next edition. There's a point in the discussion where you talk about book recommendations on the Battle of Kohima. I'd highly recommend reading "Road of Bones" by Fergal Keane (Aniruddh - you might disagree less with Subhash Chandra Bose after reading about the conduct of the Japanese soldiers and officers, at least before they started to run out of food)
Felt as if podcast was sponsored by Uber and Ola
It's not about the privacy issue it's about fair trade which China doesn't allow other countries app. So cut this crap of not being like another China. We shd fight it on all fronts
We all understand that these are unusual times with unusual challenges. But there is no point in coming up with a podcast episode if listeners can't listen.
RBI hinting depositors would ha have caused a run on the bank earlier.
Why two laymen are talking? I thought the idea is to have an expert. And what is Capital Adequacy again?
hello guys, can you please induct Q&A from your listen and allot 5 mins of each podcast in answering those queries. thank you Anand Sharma
Eye opening..good job
It's Kyasanoor not Kainasoor. It's a place near Jog Falls, Malnad region.
very comprehensive conversation :)
Interesting, Impressive and Inspiring 👍👍👍
great podcast! I didn't know about the green revolution causing air pollution
I am glad you mentioned the temporality of the process in the discussion. good discussion. thank you
certainly one of the best podcasts I have listed to
Very nerdy, very informative and very cool. One of the best professional podcasts from the Indian policy world - I'd highly recommend!