
All Things Policy
Ever wondered how automation will change the world? Maybe you puzzle over what India could do to ease traffic congestion, or how China's aircraft carriers will transform Indian Ocean geopolitics? All Things Policy, a daily podcast brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, brings you all the answers. Every weekday, our researchers break down complex economic and geopolitical ideas through the lens of current events. For everyone from the busy executive to the curious student, All Things Policy is all you'll need to understand the world (and appreciate your breakfast) better.
Latest episodes

Feb 21, 2025 • 32min
Metropolis Matters: India’s Urban Challenges & Fixes
Have you found yourself frustrated with some of the issues you face every day in your city? Be it real estate prices or public transport systems? In this episode of All Things Policy, Miheer Karandikar unpacks some of the problems that plague India's cities today and outlines some measures that can be taken to mitigate them. The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 20, 2025 • 31min
'Loiter'-ally Speaking: Gender Responsive Urban Design in India
How can cities be designed to be more inclusive and accessible for women? In this episode of All Things Policy, Maya and Aparna explore gender-responsive urban design in India—examining how public transport, street lighting, and city planning impact women's mobility and safety. They discuss global best practices, community-driven initiatives, and policy solutions India can adopt to transform urban spaces. From innovative planning strategies to grassroots efforts, they unpack ways to help women reclaim their right to roam.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 19, 2025 • 25min
Landmarks and Legends: How Maps Led the Way
Throughout history, Humans have crossed forests and the sea using their navigation skills. Europeans leveraged maps for conquering foreign lands and improving their administration. As we rely so much on technology for our movements in the present, how did people of the past navigate unfamiliar lands? What kind of maps did they create? What relevance do maps hold today? Join Sowmya and Swathi Kalyani of the Takshashila Institution as they sit down with Anirudh Kanisetti, historian and author of Lords of Earth and Sea, to answer these questions.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 18, 2025 • 42min
Decoding R&D in the Union Budget 2025-26
A budget reflects the government's priorities. The union finance minister presented the budget a few days back. Given the role of research and development (R&D) in fostering innovation and driving economic growth, it is worth exploring the union budget provisions to facilitate R&D in India - What does the government's R&D spending look like? What about prominent policies like the Anusandhan National Research Foundation or One Nation, One Subscription? How will the Finance Minister's announcement of a ₹20,000 crore loan to private sector research play out? Sarthak Pradhan and Shambhavi Naik dive into these questions in this episode of All Things Policy.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 17, 2025 • 1h 2min
Innovation Policy, AI and Economic Growth
Join Abhishek Nagaraj and Arindam Goswami in this episode of All Things Policy, where we discuss innovation policy, private sector R&D and AI. In today's world of techno-nationalism, where technological supremacy is considered to be an indicator of a country's prowess, and in the ever-evolving landscape of technological advancement, innovation and private sector research and development have become the backbone of economic growth. And recent developments in AI have dramatically accelerated this innovation cycle. Join us as we discuss all this and much more in this fascinating podcast episode.Abhishek Nagaraj is an Associate Professor in the Management and Organizations (MORS) and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation group at Berkeley Haas. He is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). His research is in the area of innovation management and entrepreneurship. His research studies the power and limits of data-driven decision-making and AI on innovation and creativity in a variety of different contexts. The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 14, 2025 • 32min
Breaking Down India’s Defence Budget 2025-26
Anushka Saxena, a staff researcher for Indo-Pacific Studies at Takshashila, breaks down India's defense budget for 2025-26. She highlights the challenges of balancing military modernization with rising pension costs. The Agni Veer scheme is discussed as a solution to mitigate these liabilities. Anushka compares India's military spending trends to those of China and Pakistan, revealing implications for regional security. Their conversation explores how strategic priorities shape India's defense posture amidst evolving geopolitical dynamics.

Feb 13, 2025 • 31min
Futureproofing AI: America's Play in Global Tech Control
In this episode, Vanshika Saraf sits with Ashwin Prasad to understand the strategic nuances of the U.S. AI diffusion framework, exploring how it aims to position America for technological leadership in a future dominated by advanced AI. They discuss the motivations behind these regulations, their geopolitical implications, and their potential impact on global innovation.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 12, 2025 • 23min
China’s Yarlung Tsangpo Mega Dam: Power or Peril?
China has approved the construction of a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo, yet key details about its impact assessment remain undisclosed. The recent earthquakes in Tibet and their associated damage highlight the potential risks of such large-scale initiatives. The latest edition of theTakshashila Geospatial Bulletin delves deep into the Medong Dam, exploring its implications for India as a lower riparian nation. In this ATP episode, Ms Swathi Kalyani quizzes Dr. Nithiyanandam on his latest research, discussing the dam's environmental risks, strategic challenges, and how it could escalate geopolitical tensions in the region.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 11, 2025 • 20min
South Asia's battle with Locust
In today's episode of All Things Policy, Shree Keerthi and Swathi Kalyani discuss the world of locusts, exploring their origins, evolution, and swarming behaviour. Locust infestations pose significant challenges for both the government and farmers. Swarms threaten crops, but GIS technology and remote sensing can aid in monitoring, forecasting, and mitigating damage. These tools enable early interventions to protect livelihoods and safeguard ecosystems.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Feb 10, 2025 • 38min
Making Sense of the DeepSeek News Story
The big news story in artificial intelligence is the R1 model from DeepSeek, a chinese AI lab. Shobhankita and Rijesh from the Takshashila Institution's High-Tech Geopolitics programme explore why this is newsworthy and what this means for the AI community in India as well as globally.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll 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/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
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