Interpreting India

In this episode of Interpreting India, Shruti Mittal, research analyst at Carnegie India, speaks with Professor Mohan Yellishetty of Monash University on the India-Australia critical minerals partnership, what it has delivered so far, and where the two countries can build the most meaningful cooperation over the next decade. This episode explores: • How have India and Australia's mineral positions evolved individually over the last few years, and where do their trajectories stand today when viewed together? • Beyond the standard supply-demand complementarity, what do genuine areas of cooperation look like in practice? • What has the Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub (AICMRH) built over the past few years, and how has that translated into policy influence on both sides? • On a 5-to-10-year horizon, what would a mature India-Australia critical minerals partnership look like?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Konark Bhandari, speaks with Edward Fishman, author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare, on economic statecraft, how the U.S. built its playbook for economic warfare over time, and what the lessons are for India as it looks to build its own economic resilience. This episode explores: • What makes something a genuine choke point, and is there a playbook that other countries can actually replicate? • Why were China's rare earth export controls and Iran's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz among the most consequential acts of economic warfare in recent months? • Why does the U.S. tend to ratchet up export controls and sanctions incrementally, and what are the consequences of that approach? • What options does India have in an era of geo-economic fragmentation, and where does it stand in the U.S.-China technology competition?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh, speaks with Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog and Chief Architect of the NITI Frontier Tech Hub. With nearly three decades across Intel, NASSCOM, and now NITI Aayog, Debjani brings a perspective that is both deeply practical and genuinely optimistic. She co-chaired the working group on AI for Economic Growth and Social Good at the India AI Impact Summit, and in this conversation she reflects on what the summit delivered, what India's AI journey needs to get right, and why the human being has to stay at the center of all of it.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh, Associate Fellow at Carnegie India, speaks with Professor Balaraman Ravindran, Head of the Department of Data Science and AI at IIT Madras, and Co-Chair of the Safe and Trusted AI Working Group at the India AI Impact Summit. Since the summit, Professor Ravindran has also been appointed to the UN's Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. There is a narrative that has taken hold since the summit, that India moved away from safety and left frontier risks behind. This conversation sets the record straight. This episode explores: What did the Safe and Trusted AI Working Group actually deliver, and what are the Trusted AI Commons? and the AI governance guidance note designed to do? Was the India AI Impact Summit really less focused on safety, or did the conversation simply evolve when it moved to the Global South? How quickly is the frontier risk landscape changing, and are the frameworks we are building keeping pace? What does the growing concentration of the most capable AI models in the hands of two countries mean for a country like India?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Charukeshi Bhatt speaks with Pooja Bhatt, associate professor, Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal University, on a piece of infrastructure that is easy to overlook and very difficult to protect: subsea cables. Stretching over 1.5 million kilometres across ocean floors and carrying nearly 99% of global data traffic, these cables underpin everything from financial systems and cloud infrastructure to the everyday digital services that billions of people rely on. For India, a fast-growing digital economy with expanding data center ambitions, getting this right is not optional. Why subsea cables remain far superior to satellites for global data transfer, and what India's current footprint in the global cable network actually looks like? How do cable consortia work in practice, and what are the tensions that arise when private companies and sovereign governments have very different priorities? How real is the threat from China's rapidly expanding footprint in the global cable network, and what does the debate around trusted networks mean in practice? What has the Quad delivered on cable connectivity and resilience, and what should India's next steps be domestically and regionally?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Adarsh Ranjan, research analyst at Carnegie India, speaks with Jaspreet Bindra, founder of AI&Beyond and Tech Whisperer Limited, UK, and author of 'Winning with AI: Your Guide to AI Literacy.' Jaspreet brings a practitioner's perspective to questions that often get lost in the noise around AI: not just what is changing, but whether people, organizations, and policymakers are actually prepared for it. This episode explores: Is India's enthusiasm for AI actually translating into adoption on the ground, and which sectors are seeing real change? Is AI destroying jobs or transforming them, and what does that mean for a country whose economy was built on knowledge work and software services? What is AI literacy, why is it different from training, and why does Jaspreet think it is the most underappreciated variable in the AI policy debate? On deepfakes and copyright, are India's existing frameworks anywhere close to adequate?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh, associate fellow at Carnegie India, speaks with Saurabh Garg, secretary at the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India, who chaired the working group on democratizing AI resources at the India AI Impact Summit. The working group brought together over 30 countries and several international organizations to tackle a fundamental question: how do you make the foundational resources for AI, compute, data, models, and talent, accessible to countries that currently have very little of it? This episode explores: How did the working group build consensus across such a diverse set of countries and such different levels of AI maturity? How did India's own experience with digital public infrastructure inform the thinking behind these global initiatives? What are the next steps, and what role does India see itself playing going forward?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Tejas Bharadwaj is joined by Almudena Azcárate Ortega, senior program analyst at Secure World Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on how emerging technologies, particularly AI, are reshaping the landscape of space security. A space lawyer and policy scholar with deep experience in multilateral processes, Almudena brings both technical nuance and diplomatic realism to questions that most space conversations still treat as hypothetical. This episode explores: What is space security, and how is it different from space safety and why does that distinction matter more than ever in the age of AI? How is AI being used in space domain awareness, debris management, and Earth observation, and what are the limits of relying on AI for high-stakes decisions in space? What happens to accountability and liability when an AI system integrated into a satellite causes damage — either through malfunction or deliberate manipulation? Do we need new treaties to govern AI in space, or is the existing framework, built around the Outer Space Treaty, still fit for purpose?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Raymond Ononiwu, founder and CEO of Horus Labs, for a conversation that cuts through the noise around compute, data centres, and AI infrastructure to ask a more fundamental question: who is this all actually being built for? Raymond brings the perspective of someone building AI infrastructure on the ground in Africa, and his account of what the global AI conversation is still getting wrong is both practical and pointed. This episode explores: What is compute, why has it become a strategic resource, and does every country actually need to be training frontier models? What does AI infrastructure really require on the ground, and why is building it in the Global South a fundamentally different challenge from building it in Shenzhen? If you are a country in sub-Saharan Africa trying to build an AI strategy, what should you invest in and what should you ignore entirely? Are the global conversations happening around AI, including at the India AI Impact Summit, actually reflecting what builders on the ground need?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vrinda Sahai is joined by Nicolas Köhler-Suzuki, Advisor for Trade and Economic Security at the Jacques Delors Institute, for a detailed conversation on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. After decades of slow-moving negotiations, both sides have arrived at what is shaping up to be the most ambitious trade deal India has ever signed. Nicolas unpacks what is in the agreement, what is missing, and what its success will depend on in the years ahead. What finally brought India and the EU to the table after years of negotiations going nowhere, and why the timing matters as much as the deal itself? How does this agreement compare to India's previous trade deals and to the EU's agreements with other partners, and where are the clearest gaps? How significant are the non-tariff barriers including the EU's regulatory standards? What do the mobility provisions mean for Indian IT professionals, and how realistic are the promises given the political climate across EU member states?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and one of the very few people to have attended all four global AI summits, from Bletchley Park to Delhi. The conversation traces the arc of AI summit diplomacy, what has been accomplished, where the gaps remain, and what the process reveals about how different parts of the world are thinking about a technology that is moving faster than any single government or institution can keep up with. How has the conversation at AI summits shifted from existential risk and frontier safety to economic opportunity and beneficial deployment, and is that a sign of progress or a loss of focus? What did India bring to the AI governance conversation that the UK, South Korea, and France could not, and how does the scale of this summit change the trajectory of the summits? With the UK and the United States stepping back from multilateral consensus, can the summit series still deliver meaningful outcomes? What should Geneva, the next summit host, actually try to accomplish?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Nikhil Narendran, Partner at Trilegal, for a conversation on two of the most pressing issues shaping India's digital future: data protection and AI governance. From the nuts and bolts of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act to deeper questions about regulating artificial intelligence, Nikhil brings the perspective of a technology lawyer who is not just advising on these issues but actively living them. Is the DPDP Act really as consent-heavy as it's made out to be, and does India's regulatory design have the teeth to handle a Cambridge Analytica-scale misuse of personal data? Does India need a standalone AI law, or can existing frameworks handle the harms AI poses? How is AI reshaping the practice of law from within, and what does it mean that lawyers at Trilegal are now "vibe coding"? What is artificial intimacy, why is it a regulatory blind spot, and why should we start paying attention now?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Srinath Raghavan speaks with Gaddam Dharmendra, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Carnegie India and India’s former Ambassador to Iran about the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and what it means for the region. The conversation looks at Iran’s response to sustained attacks, the wider impact on energy markets and regional stability, and the changing relationships between Iran, the Gulf countries, and global powers. It also reflects on India’s position as it balances its ties across West Asia while navigating strategic and economic pressures, and what lies ahead as the conflict continues to shape the region. How is Iran seeing and handling the current conflict? Why has the Iranian system held together despite sustained attacks? How are regional relationships in West Asia shifting because of this conflict? What does all of this mean for India’s interests and decisions in the region?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vrinda Sahai is joined by Ana Garcia, Associate Professor at PUC-Rio and Coordinator at the BRICS Policy Center, to discuss the evolving direction of BRICS as India assumes the 2026 presidency. The conversation reflects on Brazil’s 2025 chairship, the bloc’s continued focus on reforming global financial governance, and the cautious progress on issues such as local currency trade, financial coordination, and institutional reform. Ana Garcia also highlights the limits of BRICS as a unified geopolitical actor and outlines key priorities for India, including strengthening financial mechanisms, advancing climate and health cooperation, and consolidating the expanded BRICS membership. Can India advance BRICS’ financial and monetary coordination while managing geopolitical pressures and US tariff tensions? How should BRICS balance its ambitions as a voice for the Global South with its internal divisions and constraints? What priorities should shape India’s presidency as the bloc consolidates its expanded membership?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Dinakar Peri is joined by Mohan Kumar, former Indian Ambassador to France and a veteran trade negotiator, to unpack the newly concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement and why he describes it as the “mother of all trade deals” for India. Kumar explains why the agreement is strategically significant, why the timing matters, and what it signals about India’s trade posture, competitiveness, and broader alignment between trade, technology, and security. Why is the India–EU FTA seen as India’s most consequential trade deal to date? Why did it take so long to conclude, and what explains the timing now? How do EU regulations shape market access, and what does “meeting standards” really require for Indian exporters? What is included in the deal, what is left out, and why were those exclusions important to getting it across the line?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Nidhi Singh is joined by Shalini Kapoor, chief strategist for Data and AI at the EkStep Foundation, and Tanvi Lall, director for strategy at People+ai. They unpack why so many AI initiatives get stuck after impressive demos, and what it takes to move from pilots to real, sustained adoption. Drawing on research spanning 1,000+ use cases across 25 countries, the guests introduce the Use Case Adoption Framework (UCAF) and explain how India can translate AI ambition into population-scale impact—especially across public services, agriculture, health, and other high-priority sectors. Why do AI pilots stall in “pilot purgatory,” even when the technology works? What does a concrete AI use case look like beyond a chatbot demo? And what institutional changes—trust, accountability, workflow redesign, safeguards, and data readiness—are required for adoption at scale?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Adarsh Ranjan is joined by Zoe Jay Hawkins, co-founder and deputy executive director of the Tech Policy Design Institute. They explore the evolving idea of AI sovereignty, the geopolitics of compute, and how countries are navigating access to the foundational infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence. Drawing from her research at the Oxford Internet Institute, Zoe unpacks the political geography of AI compute, the rising concentration of AI chips and data centers, and what this means for both developed and developing economies. What does “AI sovereignty” really mean, and how can countries conceptualize it across different levels? Why is access to compute becoming a critical geopolitical issue, and how concentrated is the global compute landscape today? How should countries, especially in the Global South, approach compute scarcity, supply chain risks, and long-term AI strategy?

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Tejas Bharadwaj is joined by P. J. Blount, an assistant professor of space law at Durham University. Together, they delve into the critical topic of cybersecurity in outer space, exploring the challenges and implications of protecting space-based assets amidst rising geopolitical tensions and technological advancements. Blount shares insights from his extensive research in international space law and cyberspace governance, highlighting the complexities of legal attribution and the evolving landscape of space security.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Shruti Mittal, research analyst in the Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India, speaks with Chinmayi Sharma, associate professor of law at Fordham Law School and nonresident fellow at the Stoss Center, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the Atlantic Council. Together, they explore the evolving and often misunderstood debate on openness in artificial intelligence. Drawing from her forthcoming paper, Unbundling AI Openness, in the Wisconsin Law Review, Sharma explains why the traditional “open versus closed” framing oversimplifies the reality of modern AI development. She introduces the concept of “differential openness,” a framework that views AI systems as composed of multiple interdependent components—each existing along its own spectrum of openness and carrying distinct implications for innovation, safety, democratic accountability, and national security.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Dinakar Peri is joined by Air Marshal (Retd.) Diptendu Choudhury, former Commandant of the National Defence College. Together, they unpack the evolution of India’s multilayered air defense network, tracing their journey from limited radar coverage in the 1960s to today’s multilayered, integrated network capable of projecting power into adversarial airspace. The discussion highlights how offensive and defensive air power work in tandem, lessons from Operation Sindoor, the growing challenges posed by drones, missiles, and cost-effectiveness, and the future direction of India’s strategy in the face of China–Pakistan cooperation.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Charukeshi Bhatt is joined by Shimona Mohan, associate researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). Together, they unpack the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the military domain, with a special focus on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). The discussion traces how AI’s dual-use nature complicates governance, highlights the risks of bias and miscalculation, and explores why progress in international negotiations has been slow despite nearly a decade of debate.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Nidhi Singh is joined by Sayash Kapoor, co-author of AI Snake Oil, to unpack the myths, misconceptions, and exaggerated expectations around artificial intelligence. Kapoor challenges the dominant narratives of both utopian and dystopian AI futures and advocates instead for a more grounded perspective, viewing AI as a “normal technology,” akin to electricity or the internet, whose impact will unfold gradually over decades. Through a wide-ranging conversation, the episode examines the limitations of benchmark-based evaluation, the dangers of speculative AI policy, and the need for domain experts in shaping meaningful governance frameworks.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Shruti Mittal is joined by Kailash Nadh, chief technology officer of Zerodha and co-founder of FOSS United, to provide a technologist’s perspective on one of the most consequential debates shaping the future of artificial intelligence: the open versus closed source AI debate. Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving AI landscape, this conversation examines risks, rewards, and the strategic implications of open-source AI for India.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Saheb Singh Chadha is joined by Aadil Brar, reporter at TaiwanPlus News and contributor to "Views from Taipei", to examine China’s evolving strategy across its contested borders. What connects China’s actions across these frontiers? How is it creating a new military normal around Taiwan? And has its assertiveness resulted in negative consequences for itself? This is the third and final episode in our special Interpreting China series, based on Views from Taipei, a collection of essays by young Indian scholars on China. Aadil’s essay, "From Land Border to the High Seas: Beijing Signaling at India, Taiwan, and the Philippines," provides the foundation for this wide-ranging conversation.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Saheb Singh Chadha is joined by Suyash Desai, nonresident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, to explore the transformation and challenges facing China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Over the past decade, the PLA has seen rapid changes under Xi Jinping, from sweeping structural reforms to new mobilization and training strategies. But how ready is it really for a conflict over Taiwan? And what do these changes mean for India? This is the second episode in our special three-part Interpreting China series, based on Views From Taipei, a collection of essays by young Indian scholars on China. Suyash’s essay, The People’s Liberation Army in the 2020s: Buoyed by Reforms, Limited by Roadblocks, serves as the foundation for this wide-ranging conversation.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Saheb Singh Chadha is joined by Amit Kumar, staff research analyst at the Takshashila Institution, to explore the structural imbalances in China’s economy and what they mean for the world. The conversation delves into three major dilemmas facing the Chinese economy—fiscal stimulus, property sector instability, and domestic consumption rebalancing. Together, they examine how these economic dynamics impact China’s foreign policy, foreign economic relations and China’s outreach to countries like India. India–China economic relations are also discussed. Amit Kumar is a contributor to the Views From Taipei compendium published by Carnegie India in May 2025. He is the author of the essay titled The Pulls and Pushes Within the Chinese Economy.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Tejas Bharadwaj speaks with Victoria Samson, chief director for space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation, about emerging challenges and opportunities in space security. As countries ramp up efforts to protect space-based assets from cyber threats, anti-satellite weapons, and other risks, the episode explores the strategic, technological, and diplomatic dimensions of space cooperation. How do bilateral and multilateral initiatives advance shared security goals in an increasingly contested space environment? Beyond the progress of the last few years, what other opportunities exist for India and the U.S. to collaborate on space security?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Lt Gen P. R. Shankar (Retd.) joins host Saheb Singh Chadha to unpack the state of India’s defense industry. While India has made gains in modernizing its military and expanding domestic defense production, challenges persist, for example, in research and development, and procurement. Gen. Shankar also provided recommendations that would allow India to reduce its imports, diversify dependence, and export indigenous systems.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Shatakratu Sahu engages with Anirudh Suri, a non-resident scholar at Carnegie India, to discuss the gaps in India’s AI ecosystem. They explore India’s National AI Mission, which prioritizes compute infrastructure and can build focus on talent, data, and research and development (R&D). The conversation highlights why these three elements are crucial to India's AI ambitions and how the country can build a globally competitive AI ecosystem.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Konark Bhandari engages with Peter Harrell, non-resident fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, to discuss the implications of U.S. trade policy under President Trump’s second term. They examine potential universal and reciprocal tariffs, the U.S.-India trade dynamic, and India's role in addressing Chinese overcapacity. The conversation explores how India's recent tariff reforms and EV policy efforts may factor into negotiations with the Trump White House.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Vrinda Sahai engages in a comprehensive discussion with Arun K. Singh on the evolving India-U.S. relationship under Donald Trump's second term as president. The conversation delves into key developments during Trump's first term, including challenges like trade disputes and immigration issues, and successes such as the revival of the Quad, defense partnerships, and technology cooperation. As Trump 2.0 begins, how can India navigate a complex geopolitical landscape shaped by U.S.-China competition, the Quad framework, and India's own strategic priorities?

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Saheb Singh Chadha engages in an in-depth conversation with Gaddam Dharmendra, a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India, on the evolving dynamics in Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. They explore the implications of this political transition on Syria's domestic politics, regional players like Iran, Turkey, and Israel, and global powers including Russia, China, and the United States. The discussion also touches upon India’s strategic interests in Syria and the broader region as it navigates a rapidly changing West Asian geopolitical landscape.

In this episode of Interpreting India, host Rudra Chaudhuri engages in an in-depth conversation with former Indian foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale and Ambassador D. B. Venkatesh Varma on India’s evolving diplomatic landscape amid complex global shifts. They discuss recent developments in India-China relations, including limited re-engagement efforts along the border following the BRICS Summit. The conversation also covers India’s diplomatic positioning in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its expanding partnership with the United States, especially as the U.S. gears up for upcoming elections. Our guests offer insights into India’s approach to multipolarity, its relationship with China, and the importance of building stronger partnerships with other global powers.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Tejas Bharadwaj sits down with Jatan Mehta, an independent space writer and author of the popular blog Moon Monday, to explore India's lunar exploration strategy in the context of growing global interest in the moon. The discussion covers the history of India's lunar missions, the scientific and strategic significance of lunar exploration, and how international partnerships are shaping the future of lunar exploration. The conversation also dives into India's participation in global programs like the Artemis Accords and its collaboration with other space-faring nations like Japan and the United States.

In this episode of "Interpreting India," Rudra Chaudhuri is joined by Arun K. Singh, former Indian Ambassador to the United States, to explore the evolving India-U.S. relationship under the Modi-Biden era. The discussion highlights significant advancements in defense, technology, and diplomatic engagements, set against the backdrop of global geopolitical shifts. Singh offers insights into how both nations navigate their strategic interests in an increasingly complex international arena, emphasizing key initiatives and collaborations.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Shibani Mehta is joined by Janka Oertel, director of the Asia Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), to discuss the rapidly evolving relationship between Europe and China. The conversation delves into how China’s assertive policies and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war have shaped Europe’s approach towards de-risking its economic ties with China. Oertel provides insights into the shifting geopolitical and economic strategies within Europe, the complexities of maintaining unity among European countries, and the challenges posed by China’s growing influence in sectors like technology, energy, and industrial supply chains.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Shibani Mehta is joined by Helena Legarda, lead analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) to unravel the complexities of China's foreign policy. Helena brings her expertise on China’s defense and foreign policies, providing a comprehensive analysis of the domestic sources that drive China's international behavior.

This episode celebrates the 5th anniversary of Interpreting India, reflecting on the journey, growth, and impact of the podcast over the past five years. The hosts discuss memorable episodes, the evolution of discussions, and the enduring relevance of the topics covered. They also share insights into the future direction of the podcast, focusing on more in-depth and diverse conversations. The episode features reflections from various hosts who discuss their favorite episodes, the most impactful discussions, and the enduring themes that have resonated with the audience. The hosts also share their plans for the future, aiming to delve even deeper into the issues that matter most, with more extended and in-depth conversations.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Suyash Rai is joined by Ajay Shah, economist and co-founder of the XKDR Forum, to explore the complexities of India's fiscal policy and the current economic challenges. Shah brings his extensive experience and insights from his roles as an advisor to the Ministry of Finance and as a professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. What are the implications of the union budget for 2024–25? What are the strategic choices underlying fiscal deficit management? How can broader institutional and policy reforms drive sustainable growth in India?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Quentin Verspieren, Space Safety Programme and Protect Accelerator Coordinator at the Directorate of Operations, European Space Agency (ESA) joins Tejas Bharadwaj to discuss the importance of a zero-debris approach in space sustainability. They discuss space debris mitigation, the role of private and public sectors, and international cooperation in ensuring space remains usable and safe for future generations. What are the key tenets of a zero debris approach? How can private companies contribute to space sustainability? What challenges do emerging spacefaring countries face while adopting these practices?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Saheb Singh Chadha hosts former general officer commanding in chief of the Indian Army's Army Training Command (ARTRAC), Raj Shukla, to discuss the ongoing modernization and reforms in India's armed forces. They explore various aspects including India’s defense industry, technological advancements, jointness, civil-military relations, and emerging domains such as cyber and space warfare. How have recent reforms impacted India's defense capabilities? What is the role of technological advancements in military modernization? How can civil-military relations be improved to enhance national security? What strategic and operational changes are necessary to address the challenges posed by China and other geopolitical adversaries?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vidyadhar Phatak, a leading urban planner, joins host Anirudh Burman to discuss the complexities of urban planning in India. Their conversation centers around the themes explored in Pathak's latest book, "Planning for India's Urbanization," which examines the historical evolution, current challenges, and future prospects of urban development in India. They delve into the impacts of market forces, planning models, and regulatory frameworks on Indian cities, and explore solutions for addressing these persistent issues. How have historical planning models shaped the current state of Indian cities? What are the impacts of market forces on urban planning? How can regulatory frameworks be adapted to better address urban challenges? What role do planners and planning education play in shaping the future of India's urbanization?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Anirudh Suri is joined by Madhumita Murgia, author and AI editor of the Financial Times, to examine the profound impacts of artificial intelligence on society in her new book, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadows of AI. Their conversation centers around the human stories behind AI, spotlighting the inequalities and unintended harms its implementation can catalyze. How is AI changing what it means to be human? How is AI altering the human experience and societal structures? What are some of the policy implications arising out of these unintended consequences?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Konark Bhandari is joined by Karl Mehta, Chairman of the Quad Investors Network, to explore the integration of advanced technologies into the Indian context. The discussion spans artificial intelligence (AI), fundraising, friendshoring, and defense innovation—all considering India's national AI mission and emerging deep tech policies. Karl Mehta, with his experience as a serial entrepreneur, author, investor, and engineer, brings deep insights into how these technologies can shape India's future, both economically and socially.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Poornima Dore, an economist and business leader, joins host Suyash Rai to discuss the nuances of regional economic development in India. Their conversation centers around the themes explored in her co-authored book, “Regional Economic Diversity: Lessons from an Emergent India,” which delves into the dynamics of regional development and the stark economic disparities that exist within the country. How should we measure regional economic development? What are the patterns of divergence and convergence across regions, if any? What factors explain these patterns? What are some institutional changes required to make a focus on regions more effective?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Steven Freeland, vice-chair of the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities, joins Tejas Bharadwaj to discuss space resource activities and governance. What are some ongoing initiatives that aim to govern space resource activities? What challenges and opportunities do they present? And how can active spacefaring countries like India contribute to these initiatives?

In this episode of Interpreting India, former defence secretary Ajay Kumar joins Konark Bhandari to discuss defense innovation in India and the role of the partnerships in catalyzing defense projects. What have been the recent trends in military modernization? What role can India's indigenous industry play? What explains the recent surge in defence exports from India?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Jabin Thomas Jacob joins Saheb Singh Chadha to discuss China’s growing interest in South Asia and the drivers of its foreign policy. Why does China care about South Asia? How has China sought to engage the region to protect its interests? And what sort of influence has that resulted in?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Anupam Chander joins Anirudh Burman to explore the evolving landscape of online free speech. What is the best model for protecting free speech online? What are the benefits of the way online speech is regulated today? Are community guidelines for regulating online speech better than state regulations?

This episode of Interpreting India dives into the history of India's relationship with China during the first decade of the People's Republic of China's existence (1949-1959). It explores how India navigated the complex geopolitical landscape amidst the "forgotten" competition between the declining British Empire and the emerging superpower, the United States.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Karthik Ganesan joins Sayoudh Roy to discuss the present and future of the electricity sector in India. Why do some Indian households still lack an electricity connection? What are some common electrical connectivity issues faced by Indian households? What are some problems that distribution companies face, particularly in terms of finance?

In this episode of Interpreting India, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu joins Konark Bhandari to discuss the military applications of AI and the role of the UN in driving international governance on this issue. Who are the multiple stakeholders that have a voice when it comes to establishing a regulatory framework for military applications of AI? Why does the private sector need to be co-opted when discussing such regulatory frameworks?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Amit Bhatt joins Sayoudh Roy to discuss issues pertaining to clean transportation. What does the Delhi state EV policy get right? What are some legal pathways available to us to implement low-emission zones or zero-emission zones? Why must trucks be included in the conversation about the electrification of vehicles?

In this episode, D. Shyam Babu joins Suyash Rai to discuss the complexities and implications of conducting a caste census in India. Despite the changes in India’s ruling parties and their corresponding ideological differences, why has the country not seen a nation-wide caste census since 1931? How will a nation-wide caste census help the Indian state with efficient public administration? How has the politics of social justice evolved in India?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Devashish Dhar joins Anirudh Burman to discuss one of the most enduringly important subjects of modern India: the Indian city. How are India’s cities doing? What role will they play in India’s growth story? Is low-quality urbanization a binding constraint on India’s long-term development?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Stephen Ezell joins Konark Bhandari to discuss the semiconductor ecosystem. What is stopping India from cultivating a local chip design ecosystem? Why is it unable to leverage its considerable talent pool, which constitutes approximately 30 percent of the global chip design talent? Is India's aim of setting up a fabrication facility too ambitious?

In this episode, Emmanuel Lenain joins Anirudh Suri to discuss India-France relations. What are the recent economic, military, and geopolitical developments involved in this relationship? What were some of the major accomplishments from the French premier’s India visit and PM Modi’s visit during the Bastille Day celebrations? What are the challenges involved in taking this relationship to the next level?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Manoj Kewalramani joins Shibani Mehta to discuss how China views the Indo-Pacific region. As the geopolitical competition between China and the United States intensifies, how does China conceptualize its role in this region? How will Beijing’s foreign policy choices impact the region’s security environment? What can India learn from the "mental map" through which China views the Indo-Pacific?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Rahul Matthan joins Anirudh Burman to discuss the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. What were the main points of contention in the making of this law? How have debates on data protection over the past decade shaped this law? What are the key strengths and weaknesses of this law? How will this law be implemented in the coming years?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Suresh Narayanan joins Anirudh Suri to discuss the role of the private sector in climate change. What can the private sector contribute beyond just committing to net-zero timelines? What role will science, R&D, and technological innovations by private sector corporations play in our climate transition? How are companies planning out their own net-zero journeys, and what are the key obstacles and risks they encounter as they embark on this process?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Sameer Lalwani joins Rahul Bhatia to discuss India-U.S. defense-industrial cooperation. What is the scope of defense-industrial cooperation between the two countries? Why have past efforts produced suboptimal results? What is the significance of the newly launched India-United States Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X)? What are the likely obstacles to furthering defense-industrial cooperation between the two countries?

In this episode, Rahul Verma joins Suyash Rai to discuss the debate on democratic backsliding. Are claims regarding the death of Indian democracy exaggerated? Are such claims conflating a dominant party system marked by polarization with democratic backsliding? Are the measures used to analyze Indian democracy conscious of the complexity of Indian polity?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vaidehi Tandel and Sahil Gandhi join Anirudh Burman to discuss the effect of regulatory reforms in India’s real estate sector on housing prices in Maharashtra. In what context did the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, emerge? How has this regulatory change benefited consumers? What changes did this Act try to bring in?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Arun K. Singh joins Konark Bhandari to discuss the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming state visit to the United States, and the future of India-U.S. tech ties. Is the iCET more than just a deal? What makes the iCET different from earlier initiatives between India and the United States? Does Prime Minister Modi's upcoming state visit to the United States put the iCET under pressure to "deliver" something?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Shirin Rai joins Shibani Mehta to discuss gender parity in the Indian Parliament. Has the increase in women’s participation in the Indian Parliament been meaningful? What narratives of equality and citizenship have framed the issue of electoral representation? Do women MPs carry the burden of shifting welfare policy in a gender-sensitive direction?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Varad Pande joins Anirudh Suri to discuss India's climate finance and technology strategy. Which areas of climate technology should India prioritize? Will India’s EV, solar, green hydrogen, and biofuels push suffice to position it as a climate leader? What lessons can India learn from the journeys, strategies, and priorities of other countries?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Radhicka Kapoor joins Sayoudh Roy to discuss the state of labor-intensive manufacturing in India. What is the importance of labor-intensive manufacturing for a country like India? What hurdles does labor-intensive manufacturing face? What has led to the present circumstances in labor-intensive manufacturing?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Susmita Mohanty joins Konark Bhandari to discuss recent developments in India's space sector. What does it take to set up a successful space company? What should be made of the space sector reforms unveiled three years ago? How does the recent iCET framework play out when it comes to space cooperation between India and the United States?

The relationship between India and Germany doesn’t receive as much attention as it deserves. In recent years, however, the bilateral partnership has received a big impetus, both economically and geopolitically. India and Germany have had a strategic partnership since 2001, but have recently also embarked on a Green Strategic Partnership for green and sustainable development. In this episode of Interpreting India, Philipp Ackermann joins Anirudh Suri to discuss India and Germany's strategic partnership and the economic, military, and geopolitical drivers of this relationship.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Abhishek Anand and Naveen Joseph Thomas join Suyash Rai to discuss how India can reignite its manmade clothing sector.

In this episode of Interpreting India, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago joins Anirudh Suri to discuss issues around climate finance, energy, technological innovation, global governance, and the SDGs.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili joins Rahul Bhatia to discuss Central Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war. How are the Central Asian countries responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? What could Russia’s preoccupation with the war in Ukraine mean for China’s role in the region? And, what are the implications of this on India and South Asia?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Arun Singh joins Surya Valliappan Krishna to discuss the India-Pakistan ceasefire along the border. While focusing on the impact of the 2021 reaffirmation between the two countries, the conversation also looks back at the relationship on the border over the last two decades, and the way forward.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Matthew Glasser joins Anirudh Burman to discuss the issues of urban governance. How do we achieve better outcomes in terms of service delivery? Do we need to change how these institutions are designed and their composition and powers? Or are there other solutions that we should explore?

In the third season of Interpreting India, we at Carnegie India will continue to bring voices from India and around the world to examine the role of technology, the economy, and international security in shaping India’s future as geopolitical realignments, sustainable growth, healthcare financing, inclusive digital transformations, climate change, urbanization, supply chain disruptions, and several other critical global matters envelope the world in light of India’s G20 presidency.

In this special episode of Interpreting India, Vijay Gokhale joins Srinath Raghavan to discuss the increasingly fraught relationship between India and China, in light of the recent clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh. They also discuss Mr. Gokhale’s latest paper for Carnegie India titled “A Historical Evolution of China’s India Policy: Lessons for India-China Relations” in which he traces and analyzes the arc of Chinese policy towards India from 1949 to the present day.

In this episode, seven Carnegie India scholars—Anirudh Burman, Deep Pal, Konark Bhandari, Priyadarshini D, Rahul Bhatia, Rudra Chaudhuri, and Shibani Mehta—join Suyash Rai to share insights from their work. Against the backdrop of India’s developmental journey through the seventy-five years post independence, each scholar reflects on their respective area of work to talk about how far India has come and where it is going.

Collaborative technologies like blockchain promise the ability to improve business processes between entities in any domain, radically lowering the "cost of trust." Sarang Bhoyar joins Priyadarshini D. to discuss the adoption and limitations of blockchain in the Indian context.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Ashley Townshend joins Deep Pal to discuss the recent developments in the Indo-Pacific. What would be the contours of an Indo-Pacific strategy that counteracts Chinese adventurism and influence in the region? How can India and Australia strengthen their bilateral relationship by harnessing their national defense industrial bases? And, how can the QUAD countries become significant contributors to public security in the region?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Soumita Basu joins Shibani Mehta to discuss how the WPS agenda has evolved since its adoption in 2000. What is its significance, and how does it operate to achieve its goal of ensuring equitable gender participation in peace-building? How is the agenda being interpreted by countries with different contextual and political settings? And finally, what steps should India undertake to advance its approach toward the WPS agenda?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Soner Cagaptay joins Rahul Bhatia to discuss Turkey’s role in shaping the Russia-Ukraine war, the rationale behind its actions, and how President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s electoral priorities impact Turkish foreign policy during the conflict. It further looks into Turkey’s diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and North Africa through the lens of its involvement in regional conflicts, how Turkey’s drones are influencing its foreign policy, and finally, the implications of Turkey’s engagement with South Asia on India.

In this episode of Interpreting India, we’ll take a closer look at the Indian government’s semiconductor policy and the country’s potential in the space. What have governments across the world been doing to strengthen production capability? How do they compare with India’s semiconductor policy of December 2021? What does this ramping up of semiconductor capabilities mean for the world?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Vijay Gokhale joins Srinath Raghavan to discuss the recent developments in the Indo-Pacific. What is the significance of China’s actions, and how are they being perceived by other countries in the region? What are the implications of the growing U.S.-China competition in the Indo-Pacific? And finally, how are India-China relations being impacted by a deepening partnership between Russia and China?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Radhika Pandey joins Suyash Rai to analyze why India and other major economies are experiencing high inflation, the measures that have been taken to control inflation, the expected impact of these measures on economic growth, and the future course of action.

In this episode of Interpreting India, Sachin Chaturvedi joins Deep Pal to analyze what India’s G7 invite signifies amid a contentious geopolitical environment. How do the G7 countries perceive India? How can India partner with the G7 in achieving climate neutrality and green transition? What are the key takeaways of India’s participation in the Summit, and what relevance does this hold for India’s G20 presidency in 2023?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Harsh Vardhan joins Anirudh Burman to help unpack India's commodity markets. How have they developed over the last decade? How do agricultural markets benefit from them? And, what does all this mean for the Indian economy?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Meera Srinivasan joins Shibani Mehta to look at Sri Lanka's ongoing economic crisis, its worst since the country gained independence in 1948. Why did Sri Lanka default on its debt? Were the signs of misgovernance visible long before the crisis struck? What political cost does it impose on the people?

In this episode, Narayan Prasad Nagendra joins Konark Bhandari to discuss some of the key developments in India’s space sector. How close are we to seeing the next SpaceX of Indian origin? What is on the wish list for private space companies in India?

In this episode, Jahnavi Phalkey joins Shibani Mehta to discuss the history of India's Nuclear program. What is the relationship between science, the state, and nationhood in India? What does the history of the beginnings of nuclear research and education tell us about India’s political ambitions? How did collaborations take place between philanthropists and scientists in early and mid-20th century India? Does popular media and culture influence the relationship between the scholar and the public?

In this episode, Tanvi Madan and P.S. Raghavan join Deep Pal to discuss the evolving dynamic between Russia, India, and China, against the background of the war in Ukraine. How do the current developments affect the relationship between these three countries? Specifically, what effect might the war have on India’s close relations with Russia, which has moved closer to China? How might India’s principle of strategic autonomy in foreign policy be affected while navigating through an increasingly complicated geopolitical order? And what do the visits of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to India in March 2022 in rapid succession tell us?

In this episode, Naushad Forbes joins Suyash Rai to discuss his recently published book, 'The Struggle and the Promise: Restoring India’s Potential'. The book, written by Naushad Forbes, is a wide-ranging exploration of India’s developmental potential, and the challenges that could impede the realization of that potential.

In this episode, Vijay Gokhale joins Rudra Chaudhuri to take stock of the recent meet between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar. Together, they discuss the significance of Wang Yi’s visit to India, particularly against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. How does the Ukraine crisis shape the Sino-Indian relationship? Separately, what are some of the mechanisms needed to stabilize the relationship between India and China?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Jayita Sarkar joins Shibani Mehta to take a step back and understand the history of the Rohingya Crisis. Who are the Rohingya people? What does their story tell us about Myanmar’s political history? When did the polarization between the communities begin?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Robert Greene joins Priyadarshini D. to explore the use and impact of China’s digital yuan. What's China's motivation behind its e-CNY? How does it work? What are some of the domestic and international implications of its rollout?

In this episode of Interpreting India, Sanjay Gupta joins Konark Bhandari to shed an industry perspective at semiconductor supply chains and India’s potential in the space. Given their rising demand, what have governments across the world been doing to strengthen semiconductor production capability? Where does India fit in? What does the increase in semiconductor capabilities mean for the world?

In this episode, Dmitri Trenin joins Rudra Chaudhuri to discuss the tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Together, they take a closer look at the current impasse and the geopolitics shaping it. What are Moscow’s demands? What has the Biden administration missed? Is there any room for a renewed strategic framework between Russia and the west? Is another Helsinki final act even possible?

In this episode, Arvind Subramanian joins Suyash Rai to discuss the rise and fall of India's economic growth. The pandemic has been costly for the Indian economy, delaying India's journey to prosperity by at least two years. But even before the pandemic, India's economy wasn't necessarily in the best shape. The official GDP estimates show a sharp slowdown since 2017, and investments and exports--the major drivers of growth--have been sluggish through much of the decade preceding the pandemic. How can we assess India's economic growth? Which indicators and factors are the most useful? What are some of the challenges and opportunities that India faces today?

In this episode, Tanvi Ratna joins Priyadarshini to discuss the cryptocurrency space in India. How could a renewed ban on all private cryptocurrencies play out? And finally, what does the global growth of cryptocurrencies indicate for the future of India’s financial system? What sort of investors characterize India’s cryptocurrency space?

In this episode, Deep Pal joins Shibani Mehta to delve deep into China’s influence in South Asia. In recent years, China’s engagement in South Asia has expanded significantly beyond commercial and development projects to encompass political and security interests. While this interaction often targets the needs of specific countries, even states with relatively robust state institutions and civil society struggle to grapple with the implications of China’s expanded footprint. Those without strong governance remain even more vulnerable to external interference in national affairs. China’s meteoric economic rise has resulted in a massive expansion in its international economic aid and development programs. China is thus emerging as an attractive alternative to the established players in the global development space, such as the IMF and the World Bank. However, analysts suggest that development aid is often unsustainable for the host country, creating onerous debt obligations while making only marginal contributions to local employment. How has China's profile as a key economic partner developed in the South Asian region? What impact has China’s economic aid had on its political influence in the region? And finally, how should India respond to China’s economic clout in South Asia?