South Asia Chat

Episode 163: India’s Strategic Choices

The year 2022 marks 75 years of Indian independence and foreign policy making where much has changed and remained unchanged both domestically and internationally. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses India’s strategic choices in a seemingly shifting world order with Professor C Raja Mohan, Senior Fellow, Asia Society Policy Institute, New Delhi and Visiting Research Professor, ISAS. They cover issues pertaining to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the growing interest in Central Asia, India's relations with Russia, the United States and its South Asian neighbours, and the country's minilateral endeavours. 

Episode 162: Beyond Floods Pakistan’s Climate Crisis

Pakistan is experiencing devastating floods. The catastrophic losses Pakistan has incurred due to the floods are evident. However, there is still much to enquire on the topic surrounding disaster management and humanitarian aid in Pakistan, and potentially, in South Asia. In this episode, Dr Ayesha Siddiqi, Assistant Professor, University of Cambridge, analyses the cause and impact of the floods, and what this means for Pakistan’s climate crisis management. She is in conversation with Ms Kunthavi Kalachelvam, Research Analyst, ISAS.

Episode 161: Tough Times for the Congress

The Indian National Congress has been on a freefall since the 2014 general elections when the Bharatiya Janata Party stormed to power. So far, no meaningful efforts have been made for the revival of the grand old party. Since 2014, several leaders at all levels have exited the party and questions have been raised on Rahul Gandhi's leadership. In this episode, Dr Ronojoy Sen, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Politics, Society and Governance), ISAS discusses the future of the Congress Party with Dr Rahul Verma, Fellow, Centre of Policy Research and Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Ashoka University.

Episode 160: India Commissions INS Vikrant

On 2 September, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned the country’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. The 45,000 tonne warship is the largest one to be built by India and has now successfully completed one year of sea trials. With the US$3 billion (S$4.2 billion) worth Vikrant, India has now joined an elite league of the world’s naval powers. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, spoke to Dr Yogesh Joshi, Research Fellow, ISAS about INS Vikrant, and India’s defence capabilities and naval strategy.

Episode 159: Recent Developments in Afghanistan

The 15^th of August marks a year since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Associate Professor Avinash Paliwal speaks to Dr Imran Ahmed, Visiting Research Fellow at ISAS, about recent developments in Afghanistan, taking stock of a year of turmoil, surprises and conflict in the country and its implications for neighbouring states and the international community. Afghanistan’s complex and evolving politics continues to beset significant challenges for regional and global powers alike.

Episode 158: India’s Foreign Trade Policy

India is expected to launch a new medium term foreign trade policy(FTP) that will succeed the earlier FTP (2015-2020). The FTP comes after the COVID-19 pandemic and India’s recent robust engagement in FTAs. In this episode, we join Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade & Economics) at ISAS-NUS and Ms R.V. Anuradha, Partner, Clarus Law Associates, as they discuss the thematic emphasis of the upcoming FTP, it’s prospects and alignment with new generation trade issues.

Episode 157: The Sri Lankan Crisis - Latest Developments

Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis in 70 years. The economic meltdown has also sparked a political crisis. Sri Lankans, who see no end to their financial burdens, have taken to the streets. The protests have pressured the Rajapaksas to leave not only high politics but also the country. This political vacuum formed by the Rajapaksas saw the former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, take office as President, with Dinesh Gunawardena serving as Prime Minister. Amidst these developments, Sri Lanka is seeking its seventeenth International Monetary Fund bailout loan. In this episode, Ms Shavinyaa Vijaykumarr, Research Analyst, ISAS, spoke to Dr Chulanee Attanayake, Research Fellow, ISAS, and Dr Rajni Gamage, Post-doctoral Fellow, ISAS. They discussed economic restructuring policies, diplomacy and foreign policy considerations, and Sri Lanka's domestic political outlook.

Episode 156: Indian Presidential Elections

On 25 July 2022, Droupadi Murmu took oath as the 15th President of India. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance candidate, President Murmu is a former governor of Jharkhand and a two-time legislator from Odisha. She is also the first person from a tribal background and the second woman to occupy the office. In this episode, Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, spoke to Dr Narayan Lakshman, Associate Editor, The Hindu, and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, ISAS. They discussed the role and powers of the president, the BJP's potential political gains, the state of opposition unity, and what we can expect over the next five years.

Episode 155: The Rise of Chinese Private Security Companies

With the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese private security companies (PSCs) have expanded their footprint worldwide to protect Chinese nationals and projects, making private security a lucrative emerging industry. Many observers and analysts have attempted to examine the emergence of such private security companies with Chinese characteristics. In this episode, Ms Claudia Chia, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses the presence of Chinese PSCs in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as related issues surrounding the global expansion of Chinese PSCs, with Dr Alessandro Arduino, Principal Research Fellow, Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore.

Episode 154: ‘The New BJP’ - A Book Discussion

In this episode of South Asia Chat, we look at the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through the prism of Hindu Nationalism, or Hindutva. Critics see the BJP’s back-to-back general election victories, the start of the construction of a Ram temple in the north Indian town of Ayodhya and the rise of ‘Hindu majoritarianism’ as a danger to India's liberally secular foundations. Proponents of Hindu nationalism, to compare, argue that it offers a “vital cultural corrective to the cultural foundation of the nation”, which is already grounded in a respect for diverse communities. Given the chasm in this debate, this episode dives into how the BJP is recasting modernity in the 21^st century. John Vater, an Independent Writer and Ex-Research Associate at ISAS, speaks to Professor Nalin Mehta, ISAS Non-Resident Senior Fellow and author of the book, ‘The New BJP’.