Ever wondered how automation will change the world? Maybe you puzzle over what India could do to ease traffic congestion, or how China's aircraft carriers will transform Indian Ocean geopolitics? All Things Policy, a daily podcast brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, brings you all the answers. Every weekday, our researchers break down complex economic and geopolitical ideas through the lens of current events. For everyone from the busy executive to the curious student, All Things ...
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Takshashila Institution Podcasts

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Making Sense of the Geopolitics of Rare Earths
48:58
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48:58Rare earths are not really 'rare'. They are quite abundant in the Earth's crust, and some of them are as abundant as copper or gold. But the misnomer sticks and continues to influence our popular imagination. But why is this so? With China imposing export controls on rare earth metals and magnets, Shobhankita Reddy and Tannmay Baid chat with Dr. Ju…
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Join Srinath Raghavan and Arindam Goswami in this episode of All Things Policy, where we explore the life and legacy of Indira Gandhi, one of India’s most influential and controversial leaders. Drawing on Srinath Raghavan’s insightful book, Indira Gandhi and the Years That Transformed India, we journey through the pivotal decades that reshaped Indi…
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Join Srinath Raghavan and Arindam Goswami in this episode of All Things Policy, where we explore the life and legacy of Indira Gandhi, one of India’s most influential and controversial leaders. Drawing on Srinath Raghavan’s insightful book, Indira Gandhi and the Years That Transformed India, we journey through the pivotal decades that reshaped Indi…
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Addressing Innovation: From Pin to DIGIPIN
28:43
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28:43Last month, India Post rolled out a 10-digit alphanumeric Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN), which represents geographic coordinates, developed by creating a uniform 4x4 metre grid of the country. This is a significant development in geolocation as well as the India Stack. In this episode of All Things Policy, Anwesha Sen and Swathi Kalyani dis…
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Sportspreneurship: Narrating Those Untold Stories
35:07
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35:07In this episode of All Things Policy, Arshi Yasin, founder of The Bridge, chats with Malathi Renati on her inspiring sportspreneur journey, marked by grit, purpose, and a deep belief in the power of untold stories. From navigating the initial hurdles to amplifying the voices of India's diverse sporting ecosystem, her story is a testament to the gro…
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In this episode of All Things Policy, Adya Madhavan, Yusuf Unjhawala, and Aniket Vijayvargiya delve into the intricacies of India's defence ecosystem. They explore the nation's defence imports and procurement processes, aiming to understand the needs of 21st-century warfare, the evolving requirements of the Indian armed forces, and the ongoing mode…
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India’s Balancing Act: Between Regional Realities and Global Ambitions
35:24
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35:24In this episode of All Things Policy, Vanshika Saraf is joined by Dr. Chietigj Bajpee, Senior Research Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, London. They discuss how India is managing the intersection between its neighbourhood constraints and its global power aspirations. From India’s recent charm offensive in the international rea…
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In this episode of All Things Policy, Sowmya Prabhakar, COO of Takshashila Institution, is in conversation with Uday Vijayan, Managing Trustee & President of Beyond Carlton, a citizen-led fire safety initiative established after the 2010 Carlton Towers fire tragedy in Bangalore. We unpack lived experiences, gaps in the system, and the sparks of hop…
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In this episode of 'All Things Policy', Col. KPM Das and Anushka Saxena talk about the story of the SATHI Handheld Battle Computer—a pioneering but ultimately shelved project that could have transformed the Indian Army’s battlefield operations. As a leading army officer for the project, KPM sheds light on how the product was developed, what SATHI a…
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The final ban on bike taxis in Karnataka is the culmination of a legal tussle between the government and commercial operators. The ban is not only deeply misguided, but also a reflection of the gap in governance that exists in the state and how it has been exploited by incumbent vested interests. In this episode of All Things Policy, Leah Govias an…
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An Island of Strangers? Why the UK is Pushing Migrants Away
24:18
24:18
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24:18In this episode, Maya Patra and Astha Rastogi break down the UK government's 2025 immigration white paper introduced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They discuss how the proposed policies—from extended residency timelines to new restrictions on international students and care workers—reflect a broader shift toward nationalism. What’s at stake as th…
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How is China Shaping the Global Weapons Market?
32:06
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32:06China's arms exports are enhancing, in both absolute numbers and quality. The construction of an expansive internal military-industrial complex is underway, fulfilling the purposes of both self-reliance and market capture. As war becomes the norm, how do China's arms sales fare? What is it selling, and to whom? And which are the conglomerates respo…
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In this episode of All Things Policy, Swathi Kalyani, research analyst with the Geospatial Programme at the Takshashila Institution and Akhil Siddharth, Part of the Product Team for the Health Campaigns Management platform at eGov Foundation — helping governments in Africa run better vaccine and health campaigns, dive deep into the transformative i…
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In this episode of All Things Policy, Anisree Suresh is in conversation with Sowmya Prabhakar to peel the unexpected ban on Thotapuri mango procurement from Karnataka & Tamil Nadu by Chittoor. What actually happened? Is it about quality, pricing, politics or all of these? We invoke all the stakeholders - States, factories & farmers. We also dwell i…
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Join Yusuf Unjhawala and Arindam Goswami in this episode of All Things Policy, where we examine the escalating tensions and military exchanges between Israel and Iran. The Middle East today stands at a dangerous crossroads. In June 2025, the long-simmering shadow conflict between Israel and Iran erupted into open warfare, with Israel launching unpr…
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Join Yusuf Unjhawala and Arindam Goswami in this episode of All Things Policy, where we examine the escalating tensions and military exchanges between Israel and Iran. The Middle East today stands at a dangerous crossroads. In June 2025, the long-simmering shadow conflict between Israel and Iran erupted into open warfare, with Israel launching unpr…
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Lessons from the Trenches of Policy Advisory in India
38:11
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38:11In this episode of All Things Policy, Carl Jaison sits down with Suryaprabha Sadasivan, Senior VP of Public Policy and FIPRA India Lead at Chase Advisors, to unpack what truly drives policy success in India’s complex political economy. Drawing from her cross-sectoral experience, Suryaprabha reflects on navigating Union–State dynamics, building mult…
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Courts Versus Trump’s Tariff Policy: What's Next?
35:37
35:37
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35:37In this episode of All Things Policy, Anisree Suresh sits with Anupam Manur to analyse the verdict by the US Court of International Trade, which ruled his Liberation Day tariffs illegal. They discuss the legal possibilities, alternative scenarios, and what the new uncertainty offers to the global economy. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on pub…
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As global efforts to decouple from China intensify, there has been a lot of hope and optimism about India being the benefactor of a China+1 strategy. However, it is safe to say that this has not materialised for India. Instead, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and to some extent, Bangladesh have seen increased investments and manufacturing act…
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Indus Water Treaty: Rethinking Climate and Resource Diplomacy
26:18
26:18
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26:18In this episode of All Things Policy, Aishwaria Sonavane speaks with Ambika Vishwanath, Director at the Kubernein Initiative, to revisit the Indus Water Treaty, long regarded as a rare success in India-Pakistan cooperation. As tensions persist and climate change reshapes regional water dynamics, they explore whether the treaty can endure, what its …
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Sikkim at 50: Democracy, Identity, and Integration
33:16
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33:16In this episode of All Things Policy, Wini Fred Gurung is in conversation with Professor Mahendra P Lama to discuss the remarkable journey of Sikkim from a Himalayan monarchy to becoming India's 22nd state in 1975. Marking 50 years since that pivotal transition, they discuss internal push for democracy, regional strategic shifts, and Sikkim’s evolv…
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In this episode of All Things Policy, Anwesha Sen and Anisree Suresh examine Pakistan's economic history with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and deconstruct why it never sparked a reform moment. They also unpack Pakistan’s political economy - its policies, weaknesses and potential. They also unpack Pakistan's political economy, exploring the…
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India's Cyber Defences and Operation Sindoor
34:48
34:48
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34:48In today’s episode of All Things Policy, Adya Madhavan speaks with Karthik Bappanad and Lokendra Sharma about India’s cyber defence capabilities. Karthik and Lokendra situate Operation Sindoor within the wider landscape of cyber defences. They look at successful models such as RBI’s ReBIT, and areas that require further capacity building. Lokendra …
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In this episode of All Things Policy, Shobhankita Reddy is in conversation with Adya Madhavan on her paper, "Revisiting Arms Control Paradigms in the Age of LAWS." They tackle the global debate over 'killer robots,' exploring the ethical and accountability dilemmas that arise when machines make lethal decisions. Adya breaks down why countries are s…
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Strengthening the Rule of Law: Role of the Finance Commission
43:32
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43:32In this episode of All Things Policy, Kripa Koshy (Programme Manager, Takshashila Institution) speaks to Surya Prakash (Programme Director and Fellow, DAKSH) and Rohith (Data Analyst, DAKSH) about the role of the Finance Commission in strengthening judicial reform. They discuss the budgeting process and the allocation of funds to the judiciary, and…
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