South Asia Chat

Episode 288: India-Pakistan After Pahalgam - Strategic Responses and Regional Implications

Following the April 2025 terror attack in Kashmir, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated, marked by India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the launch of Operation Sindoor. As military and diplomatic exchanges continue, questions around escalation management, international responses, and long-term regional stability have come to the forefront. In this episode, Raghaw Khattri, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor at ISAS, to discuss recent developments in India-Pakistan relations, shifts in regional security dynamics, and the international community’s response.

Episode 287: The Delimitation Controversy in India

There is a controversy brewing around the delimitation of constituencies in India’s lower house of parliament or Lok Sabha which is scheduled for 2026. The southern states of India in particular are fearing a loss of seats and political power if the redrawing of electoral seats is done based solely on population figures. The number of seats in Indian parliament has been increased thrice, based on the decennial census, since the country’s independence. The last time it happened was in 1972, following the 1971 Census, when the number of seats in the Lok Sabha was fixed at 543. Dr Ronojoy Sen, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Politics, Society and Governance), is in conversation with Dr Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about the intricacies of the delimitation process.

Episode 286: Realigning India-ASEAN Trade Ties

The economic relationship between India and ASEAN holds significant potential, yet is layered with complexity—especially when it comes to trade, which remains a central pillar of their engagement. With the decision to revisit the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement,  concerns over trade imbalances, shifting global supply chains, and the impact of recent geopolitical tensions are taking center stage. In this episode, Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS-NUS, is in conversation with Dr Evelyn Devadason, Professor, Universiti of Malaya, to discuss what is driving trade negotiations, Malaysia's role as ASEAN Chair, and the impact of recent US trade policy disruptions.

Episode 285: Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy - Navigating New Regional Realities

In the wake of recent political transitions in Bangladesh and shifting regional equations, Dhaka’s foreign policy is undergoing a subtle yet significant recalibration. From a growing openness toward Pakistan to navigating its strategic relations with India, China, and beyond, Bangladesh is stepping into a more assertive regional role while grappling with long-standing challenges like the Rohingya crisis and climate vulnerability. In this episode, Raghaw Khattri, Research Analyst at ISAS, NUS, is in conversation with Ambassador Tariq Karim, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at ISAS, NUS and Director of the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies at Independent University, Bangladesh. Drawing on his extensive diplomatic career, Ambassador Karim unpacks the key drivers behind Bangladesh’s evolving foreign policy and explores how the country is positioning itself amid South Asia’s shifting geopolitical landscape.

Episode 284: Trumps Discounted Reciprocal Tariffs - Implications for India

In a historic declaration of economic independence on 2 April 2025, President Donald Trump announced a fresh wave of tariffs on its trading partners and adversaries. Despite a relatively successful meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, India was unable to dodge a bullet on tariffs. President Trump declared a 27 per cent ‘discounted reciprocal tariffs’ on India. The move was seen as a response to India’s trade surplus with the United States (US), which has nearly doubled since President Trump’s first term and is projected to widen further, given India’s strong manufacturing and service sectors. The tariffs aim to address trade imbalances and promote domestic manufacturing in the US by countering what President Trump described as "unfair trade practices." This announcement comes at an important juncture, as both leaders in February 2025 agreed to work on the first phase of a bilateral trade deal in the second half of 2025. In this episode, Mriganika Singh Tanwar, Research Analyst at ISAS-NUS, is in conversation with Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics) at ISAS-NUS, to discuss the implications of reciprocal tariffs on the competitiveness of Indian exports. The discussion draws on the long-standing geoeconomic relationship between India and the US, as well as the salient reliance of the Trump administration on using tariffs as a prominent tool to shape global trade dynamics.

Episode 283: NPP's Inaugural Budget 2025

Sri Lanka’s national budget for 2025 was presented last month by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This marks the inaugural budget of the National People’s Power (NPP) government, which came to power in November 2024. To provide an overview and analysis of the 2025 budget, ISAS Research Fellow Dr Rajni Gamage is joined by Mr Umesh Moramudali, a lecturer at the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

 

Episode 282: U.S. Trade Policy - Tariffs and Turmoil

In the first 50 days of the Trump administration, President Trump has signed several executive orders, many of which focus on tariffs and trade issues. Tariffs have come to be used as instruments of foreign policy, and this has important implications for the global trading architecture. Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics), Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore in conversation with Mr Stephen Olson, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute unpacks the chaos, unpredictability and pauses emerging from the US and its implications for global trade.

Episode 281: Six Months In - Bangladesh’s Path to Reform and Accountability

Six months into the administration led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh finds itself navigating troubled waters. The country is currently grappling with socioeconomic instability, political issues, and governance challenges. The coming months will be crucial as more reports from the interim government's appointed reform commissions emerge and the government responds to allegations of human rights violations committed by the previous regime. In this episode, Mr. Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, converses with Dr. Sayeed Ferdous, Professor of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University. The podcast discusses the progress of reforms, responses to human rights violation allegations, and the constitutional reform commission's report.

Episode 280: Prime Minister Modi's Visit to Washington D.C.: New Opportunities in US-India Ties

In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst at ISAS, speaks with Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor at ISAS, on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington D.C. and the new opportunities and challenges the meeting set out for US and India.

Episode 279: Piety Politics and Post feminism in Pakistan

Populist leaders in South Asia leverage mass appeal, nationalism, and religious identity to consolidate power. In recent years, politicians such as Narendra Modi in India and Imran Khan in Pakistan, while often claiming to empower marginalised groups as part of their campaign rhetoric, frequently exploit religious cleavages as part of a strategy termed ‘piety politics’. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Tanujja Dadlani, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Afiya Zia, a researcher, writer and activist based in Karachi. She is the author of “Faith and Feminism in Pakistan”, having conducted extensive research on the role of religion in politics and the way it influences women and their voting behaviours.