Episodes
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Episode 257: Political Developments in Post-Hasina Bangladesh
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Bangladesh has seen major political developments in the last few months. Student-led protests against the quota system, made widespread by Sheikh Hasina's irresponsible remarks and violent clampdown, led to the end of her 15 year rule as prime minister. Since then, a new interim government has taken shape, led by Muhammad Yunus. As things begin to settle down, conversation around the future of Bangladesh have emerged. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS-NUS, is in conversation with Dr Sohela Nazneen, Senior Fellow, Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom. They discuss the formation of the new government, the immediate challenges it faces and the process of building trust between the state and its citizens.
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Episode 256: Sri Lanka's Presidential Election in September 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Sri Lanka’s presidential election is scheduled to be held on the 21st of September 2024. This is the first election after the 2022 economic crisis and mass street protests which ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. To understand the complexities surrounding the upcoming election, ISAS Research Fellow Dr Rajni Gamage, is joined by Mr Ameer Faaiz, a senior lawyer, Chair of One Text Initiative, and a member of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka.
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
Episode 255: The Taliban in Afghanistan - Three Years On
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
On 30 June 2024, Taliban officials representing Afghanistan joined the United Nations (UN) and other stakeholders in Doha for the third set of UN-led talks on the Afghanistan peace process. Since 2021, Afghanistan has been rife with economic regression, political instability, and humanitarian crises. Furthermore, the Taliban regime has been criticised internationally for their human rights record. To discuss some of these issues, Mr Muhammad Saad Ul Haque, Research Analyst, ISAS-NUS is in conversation with Dr Shanthie D’Souza, Founder and President, Mantraya Institute of Strategic Studies (MISS) and Visiting Faculty, Naval War College, Goa, India.
Friday Jul 26, 2024
Episode 254: The Indian Budget 2024
Friday Jul 26, 2024
Friday Jul 26, 2024
On 23 July 2024, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025. Presented as the first budget in the newly elected National Democratic Alliance government, this budget brought to the forefront the dynamics of coalition politics and shed light on new schemes for employment and more- in short- providing a statement by the newly-elected government on its way forward for the next year. To help deconstruct the Indian budget, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics), ISAS, to discuss various social, political and geo-economic aspects of the budget along with delving into the announcements made in it.
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Episode 253: Islamist Militancy and Counterterrorism in Pakistan
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Pakistan and its regional security landscape remains a critical issue for its leaders. The country continues to grapple with Islamist militancy and this is impacted by various internal and external factors. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Imran Ahmed, Research Fellow at ISAS-NUS, is in conversation with Abdul Basit, Senior Associate Fellow at Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University, to discuss extremism in Pakistan and its neighbourhood. They delve into the impact of the Taliban's return to Afghanistan, the ongoing threat of cross-border terrorism, and unpack the specifics of Pakistan's recent counterterrorism operation, Azm-i-Istekham (Resolve for Stability).
Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
Episode 252: Food Systems Transformation in South Asia
Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
Food systems, which encompass networks needed to produce and transform food, and ensure it reaches consumers, are facing increasing pressures globally from volatile climate, geopolitics and rising costs. With persistent challenges around food security, undernourishment, soil degradation and food losses and wastage in the supply chain, there is a need to transform these systems. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS-NUS is in conversation with Dr Puspa Sharma, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, ISAS-NUS to discuss issues around food systems transformation in South Asia. The conversation draws on insights from food sovereignty in Nepal and the recent farm laws in India to understand policymaking around food in the subcontinent.
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
Episode 251: India's Cabinet Formation
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
In this episode of South Asia Chat, Mr Raghaw Khattri is in conversation with Mr Vinod Rai, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow at ISAS, and former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, to discuss the recent cabinet formation following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in on 10 June 2024. The new coalition government includes 71 ministers, with 30 Cabinet Ministers, 5 holding independent charge, and 36 Ministers of State, featuring 9 new faces. Mr Rai provides insights on the representation of the National Democratic Alliance allies, the balance of regions, castes, and seniority in the cabinet, including the potential impact on governance and upcoming elections. The discussion further explores significant appointments, such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Minister for Agriculture, and the notable absence of Muslim ministers in the council.
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Episode 250: Sri Lanka's Economic Progress and Challenges in 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
In June 2024, Sri Lanka has secured the third tranche of a US$2.9 billion IMF bailout programme and is expected to finalise its debt bilateral restructuring agreements with key creditors this month. To understand the state of Sri Lanka’s economy, its progress and challenges, ISAS Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Rajni Gamage is joined by Dr Ganeshan Wignaraja, Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the ISAS, NUS, Visiting Senior Fellow at ODI in London, and Professorial Fellow in Economics and Trade at Gateway House in Mumbai.
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Episode 249: Myanmar Conflict - Regional Ripples
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
The escalating conflict between Myanmar’s military and ethnic armed organisations (EAO) is a matter of concern for both India and Bangladesh as both countries share borders with Myanmar. In the early months of 2024, civil servants and military personnel from bordering areas in Myanmar escaped fighting and crossed the border into Bangladesh. The conflict in Myanmar has escalated since last October when a coalition of the Arakan Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army launched a joint attack on the Myanmar military units, which subsequently led to the Arakan Army capturing the commercially significant Paletwa town near the India and Bangladesh borders. Ms Tanujja Dadlani, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Genocide Department, Dhaka University, to discuss the conflict in Myanmar.
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Episode 248: Decoding India’s Foreign Policy in Modi 3.0
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
In this episode, we delve into the foreign policy outlook of India in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term. Unlike previous terms, PM Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured 240 seats, falling 32 seats short of the majority mark of 272. This shift means Mr Modi will need to navigate coalition politics for the first time in his career. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Mr Raghaw Khattri, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with our distinguished guest, Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor at ISAS and Non-Resident Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New Delhi, to explore the implications of this new political dynamic on India's foreign policy. Professor Mohan, a prominent commentator on India's foreign policy, will provide insights into the potential continuities and changes in the coalition government's approach to international relations, engagement with major powers like China and the United States and strategies towards neighbouring countries and the Middle East.