South Asia Chat

Episode 191: Indian Foreign Policy amidst India’s G20 and SCO Presidency

2023 will go-down as one of the most action-packed years for India, as it assumes the presidency of not one but two inter-governmental forum, the G20 or group of 20 economies and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Both the presidencies would require India to do heavy-lifting on significant geo-political issues such as the Ukraine-Russia Conflict, US-China competition, post-conflict stabilisation in Afghanistan, and severe energy and food security crisis; however, the true challenge for India would be to bring all stakeholders on one table. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms. Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Happymon Jacob, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at ISAS to discuss what the Indian presidency means for the international order, the Global South and most importantly, India’s foreign policy.

Episode 190: South Asia Geoeconomics

The recent Indo-Japanese initiatives in South Asia, including the initiative to promote sub-regional connectivity with Bangladesh and the joint effort by Delhi and Tokyo to support Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring, marks a major structural change unfolding in the subcontinent. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS is in conversation with Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor, ISAS. They discuss India's recalibration in its regional policies, China's role in South Asia, the implications of the Russia-Ukraine war on the subcontinent, the increasing importance of the Indo-Pacific Region, and the benefits of rising regional competition for small countries.

Episode 189: Indian Foreign Trade Policy 2023

On 31 March 2023, Indian Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal announced the country’s latest Foreign Trade Policy (FTP 2023). This policy replaces the previous FTP (2015-2020), which was extended several times due to the pandemic and geopolitical developments. In the episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses the new policy and its implications with Ms R V Anuradha, Partner, Clarus Law Associates, New Delhi. They cover the key features of the FTP, its new aspects as well as the implications on India's overall economic outlook.

Episode 188: Examining a Decade of the BRI and CPEC

Since President Xi launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in September 2013, the global infrastructure development strategy has been a focus of many contemporary studies on China. Many academics and professionals have investigated several issues surrounding the sources of funding, project viability, accusations of tricking countries into ‘debt traps’ and implications of elite capture under the BRI. Despite the occasional criticisms, the BRI remains attractive to many countries in need of infrastructure development and investment. As of January 2023, 151 countries have signed up. In this podcast episode, Claudia Chia, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses with Ammar Malik, Senior Research Scientist, AidData, the evolution of BRI over the last 10 years and the challenges it faces in Pakistan.

Episode 187: Political and Economic Crisis in Pakistan

Pakistan is in the midst of major instability and polarisation in the political and economic spheres. Former Prime minister, Imran Khan, is leading a popular opposition movement across Pakistan. This contention and conflict continues in courts and on the streets. Simultaneously, the economic situation in the country has been on the brink of default. Foreign reserves dropped to dangerously low levels, an energy crisis ensued, and Pakistan was back in conversation with foreign lenders for bailouts. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Imran Ahmed, Research Fellow, ISAS. They discuss the structural aspects of the Pakistan polity that have led to the emergence of today’s situation.

Episode 186: The IPEF Negotiations

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is an economic initiative launched by United States President Joe Biden in May 2022. Comprising 14 member countries, the framework is considered to have formidable potential to further regional economic integration. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Mr Bipul Chattopadhyay, Executive Director, Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS International). They discuss the four pillars of the IPEF, India's negotiating objectives, the response of the business communities and the likely next steps in the negotiation rounds.

Episode 185: Connectivity and Cooperation in the Bay of Bengal Region

The Bay of Bengal region is marked by abysmal levels of connectivity, missed economic opportunities, and rising security risks. In February 2023, the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), New Delhi, released a report titled, ‘Connectivity and Cooperation in the Bay of Bengal Region’, which addresses nine areas of growing interdependence and proposes solutions to reduce the connectivity-cooperation gap. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with the editors of the report - Dr Constantino Xavier, Fellow, Foreign Policy and Security Studies, CSEP, and Non-resident Fellow, Brookings Institution; and Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics), ISAS. 

Episode 184: State Elections 2023 - BJP and Northeast India

Three Northeast states of India –Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya – went to polls in February 2023. In Tripura, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its regional ally, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, won 33 seats. In Nagaland, the BJP and its ally, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, secured 37 seats. In Meghalaya, the BJP has formed a coalition government with the ruling National People's Party. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Wini Fred Gurung, Research Analyst at ISAS, interviews Professor Kham Khan Suan Hausing, Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Hyderabad, India. They discuss the electoral success of the BJP and the position of opposition parties in these states.

Episode 183: Critical Minerals in India

With the world’s energy system transitioning from a fuel-intensive to a mineral-intensive one, countries across the world are racing to access critical minerals like cobalt, lithium and rare earths. As a result, exploration for these minerals has grown in manifolds. Their use in manufacturing green technologies, in semiconductors and in defence and telecommunication equipment explain their appeal. India’s recent findings of inferred lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir, India, raise India’s potential in critical minerals. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Rajesh Chadha, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), India. They discuss India’s critical mineral supply chain and its vulnerabilities and opportunities. 

Episode 182: Air Pollution in North India

It is now widely known that parts of Northern India are amongst the most polluted in the world. As the winter months approach, the region extending from Punjab up till West Bengal experiences a rapid decline in air quality. This exposes people living in this densely populated region to deadly illnesses. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Mr Siddharth Singh, Author of the book 'The Great Smog of India'. They discuss the recurring issue of air pollution, its effects on large parts of Northern India and approaches to address it.