South Asia Chat

Episode 203: Feminist and Colonial Discourses in India

Feminist and Colonial discourses are key in understanding India’s socio-political landscape. Studying the contemporary operationalisation of these discourses draws from historical contexts, personal experiences and comparative analysis. To discuss these factors on this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Suruchi Thapar-Bjorkert, Associate Professor, Department of Government, University of Uppsala. They discuss feminism and colonial thought and how they operate in politics and policy in India.

Episode 202: Modi’s Visit to France - 25 Years of Strategic Partnership

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France celebrated 25 years of strategic partnership between India and France. This occasion was marked by the release of a roadmap – Horizon Communique 2047- which emphasised on the key areas of cooperation between the two states. Partnership in Security for Sovereignty, Protection of Planet and People-to-People Connect were critical themes under discussion during the bilateral talks. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Jean-Loup Samaan, Senior Fellow at Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore to discuss India and France’s multidimensional partnership, and what the recent bilateral talks and roadmap of future relations mean for the two countries and geopolitics in Europe and Indo-Pacific.

Episode 201: SCO Summit 2023

In July 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for which India holds the rotating presidency this year. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Mr Nandan Unnikrishnan, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, India. They discuss issues pertaining to the SCO and the Quad, the composition of the SCO, Russia-China relations and India's strategic identity.

Episode 200: Modi’s Visit to the US

In June 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an official state visit to Washington, marking the third official to be hosted by United States (US) President Joe Biden during his term. The visit has been hailed as a demonstration by both sides to take their bilateral cooperation to the next level. While there have been significant developments over the past years, a number of challenges remain. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, discusses Modi's recent visit and its implications on India-US ties with Dr Yogesh Joshi, Research Fellow at ISAS.

Episode 199: IPEF: Turning a New Corner - Thai and Regional Perspective

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a group of 14 countries led by the United States, was launched in May last year. As a non-traditional economic arrangement that does not offer market access concessions and tariff liberalisation to its members, the IPEF presents a blueprint for a new but untested kind of economic engagement in the region. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Kaewkamol "Karen" Pitakdumrongkit, Assistant Professor and Head of the Centre for Multilateralism Studies, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, and Ms Priyanka Kishore, Economic and Forum Director, IMA Asia, Singapore. They discuss the decisions delivered by the IPEF till now and examine the prospects of its further progress. 

Episode 198: IPEF: Turning a New Corner - an Indian Perspective

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a group of 14 countries led by the United States, was launched in May last year. As a non-traditional economic arrangement that does not offer market access concessions and tariff liberalisation to members, the IPEF presents a blueprint for a new but untested kind of economic engagement in the region. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Ms R V Anuradha, Partner, Clarus Law Associates. They discuss the decisions delivered by the IPEF till now and examine the prospects of its further progress.

Episode 197: IPEF: Turning a New Corner - an Australian Perspective

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a group of 14 countries led by the United States, was launched in May last year. As a non-traditional economic arrangement that does not offer market access concessions and tariff liberalisation to members, the IPEF presents a blueprint for a new but untested kind of economic engagement in the region. In this episode, Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Professor Peter Draper, Professor and Executive Director, Institute for International Trade, School of Economics and Public Policy, University of Adelaide, Australia. They discuss the decisions delivered by the IPEF till now and examine the prospects of its further progress.

Episode 196: India-Nepal Bilateral Relationship

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India between 31 May and 3 June 2023 marked his first foreign visit since he took office in December last year. During the visit, India and Nepal announced several projects on trade and energy. The Prime Ministers expressed their desire to take the partnership between the two countries to “Himalayan heights”. The unique relationship shared by India and Nepal has seen its share of highs and lows and this visit is being hailed as a success for the bilateral relationship. In this episode, Mr Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Mr Amish Mulmi, Author, All Roads Lead North. They discuss the outcomes of the visit in the context of broader India-Nepal relations. 

Episode 195: ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise

The inaugural ASEAN-India maritime exercise (AIME) took place at Changi naval base in Singapore from 2 to 8 May 2023. This exercise holds immense importance for the region and signifies a turning point in the relationship between India and ASEAN. While India has previously engaged in bilateral exercises with individual ASEAN member states and even conducted a trilateral exercise with Singapore and Thailand, this is the first joint exercise between India and ASEAN as a collective entity. In this episode, Shavinyaa Vijaykumarr, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Rajeshwari Pillai Rajagopalan, Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology, ORF, to discuss the implications of the ASEAN-India maritime exercise and delve into the evolving landscape of this vital regional partnership.

Episode 194: India-EU FTA - Issues and Implications

The European Union (EU) and India are currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to strengthen their economic and strategic partnership. After the failure of talks in 2013, both sides resumed negotiations in 2022 for an agreement on trade, investment protection and Geographical Indication (GI). In the run-up to the fifth round of negotiations between the two sides, this episode looks at the background, issues and implications of the India-EU FTA. Ms Ramita Iyer, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Ms Pallavi Bajaj, International Trade Policy Advisor and Partner at TCube Consulting, India.