South Asia Chat

Green hydrogen is likely to play an important role in the global efforts against climate change. It is also an important element in India’s ambitious plans such as the goal to be energy independent by 2047 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2070. For that, India has launched several projects and policy measures to push the production of green hydrogen in the country as it aims to become a global hub of green hydrogen production. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS is in conversation with Dr Guncha Munjal, Program Manager – Hydrogen, WRI India and Mr Anuraag Nallapaneni, Senior Program Associate – Hydrogen, WRI India. They discuss the current and future trajectory of green hydrogen in India.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism or CBAM has emerged as the latest development within the intersection of environmental sustainability and trade. Its phased implementation will begin on 1^st October 2023. CBAM is geared at preventing carbon leakage and encouraging decarbonisation in sectors including electricity, cement, iron and steel, fertiliser, aluminium, and hydrogen. This policy will have important implications for India and other developing countries. In this episode Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS is in conversation with Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics), ISAS to delve into this policy and its implications for India and global trade.

India's G20 Summit brought to the forefront a new global governance agenda. In this episode, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Associate Professor Iqbal Singh Sevea, Director, ISAS, Mr Vinod Rai, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow, ISAS, and Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics), ISAS, to discuss significant outcomes of the G20 summit and the future of its agenda.

The G20 summit held under India's presidency in New Delhi, on 9 and 10 September 2023, brought with it significant geopolitical changes and new opportunities for Indian foreign policy. In this episode, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor, ISAS. They discuss what the G20 summit has meant for India's relations with the world, especially Europe, Middle-East and the United States, and Delhi's influence in the Global South. They also reflect on India's historical journey and the evolution of its position in the world order.

The 15th BRICS Summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 22-24 August 2023 where a major announcement was made regarding an expansion in the grouping’s membership. The current BRICS members include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa while the new entrants who will become full members from 1 January 2024 are Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses the economic and strategic potential of the BRICS with Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor, ISAS.

The Maldives is preparing for its upcoming Presidential elections on 9 September 2023, a significant event that will shape the country's leadership going forward. This election stands out due to the unusually large number of candidates participating, the highest since the 2008 Maldivian Presidential Election. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Dr Rasheeda Didi discusses potential election results, the challenges the current President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih faces, and the implications for the Maldives' relations with other countries. She is in conversation with Ms Wini Fred Gurung, Research Analyst, ISAS.

It has now been two years since Taliban took over control in Afghanistan, following the US withdrawal and the fall of the Afghan government. Afghanistan has since seen significant changes in most aspects of social, political and economic life. In this episode, Dr Imran Ahmed, Research Fellow, ISAS is in conversation with Dr Haroun Rahimi, Assistant Professor of Law, American University of Afghanistan. They discuss how Taliban came to power, how Afghanistan has evolved in the last two years, and how Afghanistan features in the global security landscape.

Globally, cities contribute to over 70 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, cities are also very prone to the effects of climate change and the extreme weather events emanating from it. This makes climate resilience and environmental sustainability a foremost issue in urban policy. In this role, cities emerge as spaces of innovation, and across the world we are witnessing newer ideas, policies, technologies and systems being deployed. To discuss these themes in the Indian context, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS is in conversation with Ms Anumita Rouchowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment.

Sri Lanka faced an unprecedented economic crisis in 2022, which culminated in the country declaring bankruptcy and long power cuts and fuel shortages. These led to mass street protests and the incumbent president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, being ousted from power. To discuss the 2023 economic and political situation in Sri Lanka, Dr Rajni Gamage, Postdoctoral Fellow, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Tilak Abeysinghe, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, ISAS. The podcast also discusses visits by the Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India, Singapore, and Japan, and what future trends can be expected with elections scheduled for 2024.

Nearly six years after the Indian Supreme Court declared that privacy was a constitutional right for all citizens, the government is now close to passing the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill (2022). The bill was cleared by the Indian Cabinet on 5 July 2023 and will be tabled in the parliament during the ongoing monsoon session. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses data issues and cybersecurity in India with Dr Anuradha Rao, Founder, CyberCognizanz, Singapore. Dr Rao is also Non-Resident Fellow, ISAS and Associate Faculty, Singapore University of Social Sciences.