All Things Policy

After years of delays, India's ambitious Venus Orbiter Mission is set to launch in 2028. Space writer Jatan Mehta joins Ashwin Prasad and Aditya Ramanathan to discuss the incredible challenges of mapping Venus' hellscape. He also provides a fascinating description of subsequent missions planned by the European Space Agency and NASA. Check out Jatan's blogs:Indian Space Progress Moon Monday All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ashwin Prasad, a space technology researcher at the Takshashila Institution, shares insights into India’s Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). He discusses its potential to transform India’s space endeavors, particularly highlighting innovations in reusability and enhanced launch capabilities. The conversation also touches on the broader implications for global space advancements and the necessity for strategic collaboration. As India aspires to enhance its presence in space exploration, Prasad outlines the vital role that this new vehicle will play.

Sarthak Pradhan, a colleague of Suman Joshi and co-author focusing on India's private sector R&D, dives into the pressing issue of underinvestment in innovation. With only 36.4% of R&D funded by private players, he discusses the major hurdles like high taxation and regulatory risks facing Indian firms. The duo proposes solutions to enhance collaboration between academia and industry. They emphasize the need for policy reforms to position Indian businesses more competitively in global markets, ultimately unlocking the nation’s innovation potential.

India's Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, recently briefed the Parliament on the disengagement deal between India and China in Depsang and Demchok. While he touched upon several aspects of the deal, many questions remain unanswered. In this episode of ATP, Amit Kumar and Anushka Saxena of Takshashila's Indo-Pacific Studies Programme break down Jaishankar's statement and get into the specifics that went unaddressed. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...⁠⁠⁠ Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠⁠⁠⁠

Large language models struggle with non-English languages, raising questions for India's linguistic diversity. The podcast delves into the challenges of developing LLMs for India’s 22 languages and the scarcity of digitized data. It advocates for prioritizing infrastructure over digital solutions and suggests community-driven approaches to foster inclusivity. Furthermore, the discussion highlights the pressing need for transparency and collaboration in tackling biases and technical hurdles in AI initiatives for local languages.

Rohan Pai, Assistant Program Manager at the Takshashila Institution, explores the intricate landscape of deepfake technology. The conversation dives into the recent California law aimed at regulating online misinformation and the clash between free speech and censorship. They discuss deepfakes' dark side in political manipulation, like a misleading audio of Kamala Harris, while also acknowledging their potential benefits in healthcare. Rohan argues for a balanced regulatory approach to harness deepfakes' good while mitigating their risks.

The discussion dives into India's urgent mineral dependency on China, spotlighting 30 essential minerals identified for economic and security needs. Delving into recent export controls, the speakers emphasize the strategic risks posed by reliance on a single nation. Challenges in processing domestic lithium deposits are explored, along with suggested reforms for self-sufficiency. Collaborative prospects, particularly with Australia, are outlined as vital for enhancing processing capabilities and securing India's mineral future.

It all started with a dream, a vision; to bridge gaps and improve the status quo. Sports entrepreneur and alumna of the #OpenTakshashila "Building a sporting nation" course, Amita Malhotra, shares her start-up journey with Malathi Renati. How she found her IKIGAI, combining her interests, mission, and skills into a viable business model, EqualSportz, the 'new kid on the block' (Debut: July 2024).  Listen in to understand the inconsistencies she wants to address for parents and young athletes in India's sporting ecosystem. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠

In this episode of All Things Policy, Miheer and Anisree delve into India's state capacity challenges. They examine the Takshashila Institution's research on the topic and propose solutions to address these challenges in key domains. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey⁠⁠⁠ Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠

In this episode of All Things Policy, Shobhankita and Avinash discuss deep tech software startups. They ponder how we can measure its impact without software patents as a concept in India. They also discuss software patents and alternative frameworks to classify a startup as deep tech software without relying on patents or IP. Link to our earlier podcast on deep tech startup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fG8onO5I5s, All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru. The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey⁠⁠ Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠