South Asia Chat

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. 

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.

In recent years, the discussion on the political, economic, and environmental crisis in the Himalayan region has gained significant prominence. These crises have implications not only on the ecosystem of the region but also spillover effects on aspects like border and human security, among others. In this episode, Ms Wini Fred Gurung, Research Analyst, ISAS, interviews Professor Mahendra P Lama, Senior Professor in the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of Sikkim. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of sustainability in the Himalayan region.

There is optimism around green hydrogen globally given its potential in aiding the drive towards decarbonisation and at the same time helping developing countries like India become energy independent countries. In January 2023, the Indian government launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which outlines an action plan to create a green hydrogen ecosystem in the country. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Mr Hemant Mallya, Fellow, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), New Delhi. They discuss the opportunities and challenges green hydrogen presents for India.

On 1 February 2023, the Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24. Presented as the first Amrit Kaal budget, it gains importance as it comes at a time when the world faces a gloomy economic prospect. It is also the last full budget of the current Modi administration before India heads to polls in 2024. To unpack the budget in detail, in this edition of South Asia Chat, Ms Divya Murali, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with two experts – Mr Vinod Rai, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow, ISAS and Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics), ISAS. They discuss announcements pertaining to direct taxes, indirect taxes, growth, and the political implications of the budget. 

The year 2023 presents several geopolitical opportunities and challenges for the South Asian subcontinent. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS interviews Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor, ISAS. They cover important foreign policy issues and considerations for South Asia, including the geopolitical impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, India-Pakistan relations, Sino-Indian ties, the role of the smaller South Asian nations, India's G20 presidency, and the growing interest of Western countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

In 2022, South Asia was impacted severely on account of global developments, such as the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and an impending global recession. South Asian states also faced issues due to their internal economic and political crises. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics). They discuss the economic prospects and challenges for the subcontinent in 2023. 

In this episode, Associate Professor Iqbal Singh Sevea talks to Dr Imran Ahmed on the year that has passed and the enduring sources and causes of political and geopolitical tension and contestation in the region. Professor Sevea touches on the political economy driving social upheaval within South Asian states, major power competition between India and China and its impact on the region, upcoming elections as well as significant turning points and future challenges for the region including inflation and food and energy security. 

Climate change is developing into a terrifying truth that the world needs to address immediately. The COP27, a global summit on the climate change held by the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the biggest and most important climate-related conference in the world. Recently held in Egypt, this year’s vision focused on 4 goals: mitigation of climate change, adaptation to face the challenges of a changing climate, financing efforts to address climate change and collaboration between member nations to achieve results in a balanced way. Ms Harpreet Kaur, Editor at ISAS, speaks to Ms Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, (CSE), in New Delhi, on the key outcomes of the summit.

It has been a tough year for South Asia. From changes in governments and terrorist traumas to climatic vicissitudes and pandemic challenges, the region is likely to continue facing several severe challenges, moving forward.  In recent times, Bangladesh has been one of the more positive stories coming out of South Asia, in terms of political stability and economic growth. However, it too seems to have fallen prey to this South Asian ‘curse’. Ms Harpreet Kaur, Editor at ISAS, speaks with Dr Masudur Rahman, Visiting Research Fellow at ISAS, as he assesses the volatile situation in Bangladesh and its repercussions.