India's Tightrope: Domestic Strains, Regional Volatility, and Global Ambitions

This episode unpacks a pivotal year for India. Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic editor at The Hindu, explains how Delhi has adapted to unexpected tensions with the U.S., renewed pragmatism toward China, and its enduring reliance on Russia, while preparing for major trade negotiations with Washington and Brussels.

Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and Director, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explores India’s internal politics: Modi’s continued dominance, the realities of coalition governance, and growing federal pushback from southern states. He shows how foreign policy has become central to Modi’s domestic appeal, and why that can cut both ways.

Geopolitical analyst, author, and former India correspondent for the Financial Times James Crabtree discusses why strong growth isn’t creating enough jobs, India’s modest gains in the “China+1” landscape, and the political constraints shaping trade policy. Plus: a look at how India’s model of crony capitalism has evolved over the past decade.

The conversations were recorded live, on stage, at the 2025 STATE OF ASIA conference, held November 6 in Zurich.

Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia Society website.

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STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland. 
Published: December 9, 2025
Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland