All Things Policy

Aditya R and Shambhavi Naik discuss the ongoing plans for updating the biological weapons convention, a key UN treaty that prevents the development and use of bioweapons. 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

Join Dr. Y. Nithiyanandam in a thought-provoking conversation with Ms Ingvild Brodtkorb, guest speaker at the United Service Institution (USI) recent annual conference on UN Peacekeeping Missions. This engaging discussion explores how climate change is reshaping the challenges faced by modern peacekeeping operations. Key topics include strategies for adapting peacekeeping efforts, integrating climate resilience into mandates, and forging partnerships to strengthen conflict prevention. A must-listen for anyone interested in the nexus of climate action and global security. 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

India and Bangladesh have had cordial relations in various geopolitical frontiers. While a successful Ganges water treaty came into existence in 1996, the Teesta River dispute remains unsolved today. but not so much when it comes to the transboundary river, Teesta. While there was a successful Ganges water treaty that came into existence in 1996, Teesta river dispute remains unsolved till today. In today's episode of All Things Policy, Yusuf Unjhawala sits with Dr Nithiyanandam and Swathi Kalyani to discuss this issue, its implications on the bilateral relations of India and Bangladesh and the importance of Geospatial technology in planning a solution for the same. 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

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.