All Things Policy

Sridhar Krishna, a senior scholar specializing in labor markets and productivity, joins Arindam Goswami, a research analyst on technology and economic policy. They discuss why focusing on job counts might mislead economic growth, highlighting that productivity is more crucial. The duo explores India's transition from low-wage to high-value innovation. They warn that while jobs are essential, simply increasing employment without enhancing productivity can keep many in poverty. The conversation emphasizes the need for comprehensive reforms and new metrics for success.

In a thought-provoking conversation, Manasi Joshi, a para-badminton world champion and advocate for inclusive sports, teams up with Malathi Renati, head of policy at Takshashila. They explore the evolution of para-sports in India, discussing the importance of policy reforms and the need for societal acceptance. Topics like talent identification, the impact of government initiatives, and the ongoing challenges of sponsorship and affordability in para-sport are also highlighted. Their discussion emphasizes viewing para-sport not as an exception, but as an essential part of India's sporting narrative.

Brigadier Anil Raman (Retd), a seasoned expert in defense and geopolitics, provides a deep dive into the US intervention in Venezuela. He explores the underlying motives, including energy control and diaspora politics. Raman contrasts differing diplomatic strategies within the US administration and discusses the minimal resistance from Venezuelan defenses. The conversation also highlights potential outcomes for Venezuela's future, including a civil war or a change in leadership, and assesses regional repercussions for nations like Cuba and Colombia.

Arindam Goswami, a research analyst at the Takshashila Institution, dives into the world of single-window clearance systems. He explains their potential to streamline approvals, yet reveals the backend restructuring needed for true efficiency. The conversation highlights both the benefits—like increased transparency and reduced costs—and the gaps, such as low awareness among enterprises. They stress the importance of inclusivity and the need for legal reforms to ensure these systems don’t just digitize chaos but genuinely enhance governance.

M R Sharan, an economist and assistant professor at the University of Maryland, delves into the controversial VB-RAM-G Bill, which dramatically alters the employment guarantees of MNREGA. He discusses the sweeping changes, such as limits on work demand and the implications for rural employment and social movements. Sharan critiques the shift from decentralized local planning to centralized control, revealing potential disruptions to collective action. He also highlights how these reforms impact local governance and the political landscape surrounding rural employment.

Brigadier Anil Raman (retd), a strategic expert from the Takshashila Institution, and Tannmay Kumarr Baid, a junior adjunct scholar focusing on technology and economic security, dive deep into the U.S. National Security Strategy. They explore its shocking departure from traditional alliances and its implications for India, emphasizing themes like transactional diplomacy and critical minerals. The discussion raises questions about India’s response to the NSS and sheds light on the three revolutions shaping U.S. policy today.

In this episode of All Things Policy, host Kavya Rai speaks with Dr Y Nithiyanandam about the growing geopolitical and ecological stakes surrounding the Brahmaputra River. From China’s proposed mega-dam in Tibet to India’s counter-dams and ambitious power-grid plans, the conversation explores how energy transition, disaster risk, local resistance, and transboundary governance intersect in one of Asia’s most fragile river basins. Moving beyond alarmist narratives, the episode asks what sound policy, credible data, and regional cooperation must look like when a river becomes an energy system, a strategic asset, and a governance challenge rolled into one.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/research-areas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ray Eitel Porter, an AI governance expert and author of 'Governing the Machine,' discusses the challenges of AI risk management. He explains key advancements that have fueled AI's growth, differentiates between AI categories, and highlights immediate impacts in healthcare and automation. Porter emphasizes the importance of corporate governance, transparency, and international standards while contrasting US and EU regulations. He also predicts the future integration of AI agents into compliance roles, stressing the need for organizations to adapt proactively.

Hosts delve into the chip wars of 2025, focusing on the controversial decision to sell H200 chips to China while the US takes a 25% revenue cut. They discuss the strategic implications of targeting GPUs for AI export controls and explore the dynamics of US-China tech relations. The conversation touches on Jensen Huang's business-political lobbying and the resulting tensions. Additionally, they contemplate the long-term impacts on China's tech ambitions and the potential benefits for India as export controls evolve.

Kashish Parpiani, a policy researcher focused on U.S.-China tech competition, dives into the evolving landscape of global technology strategies. He discusses the shift from binary choices to adaptive strategies, emphasizing regulatory alignment and innovation partnerships. The conversation explores diverse national responses to tech compliance, highlighting Gulf states' pivot to U.S. tech. Parpiani also evaluates the implications of the Pax Silica initiative for supply-chain resilience and advocates for capability development among middle powers like India.