All Things Policy

This podcast episode discusses the government's plan to regulate OTT platforms through the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023. They explore the rationale and concerns behind the bill, propose a new structure for film certification and censorship, and discuss the potential impact on content diversity. They also provide recommendations for further reading on the draft bill.

India has regularly seen bans on fireworks during festive seasons, but knee-jerk policy reactions aren't enough. Centralised directives to curb air pollution don't account for contextual differences across states, and give a one-size-fits-all model that doesn't seem to help. Can India adopt pollution policies from other countries? How do we ensure the sustainability of these policies? In this episode, Ananya Desai and Rohan Pai discuss possible solutions to tackle India's air pollution problem.

With active government support, the UPI has become ubiquitous and has changed the way we transact. What are the welfare gains arising from this? Rama, Shihas, and Krishna talk to Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi about how they quantified this as part of the Estimation Exercise in the just concluded Ideas Shala event at Takshashila.

China’s diplomatic efforts since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, indicate a clear decision to lean in favour of the Palestinian side. This decision appears to be driven by a mix of economic and strategic interests, particularly China’s strategic competition with the US. Drawing from his latest working paper, Manoj Kewalramani, Chair of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at Takshashila Institution, explains China’s expanded role in the region, its diplomatic efforts, and strategic calculations. Read the working paper: Takshashila Working Paper - The Israel-Hamas War: China’s Interests & Crisis Diplomacy

Could the war between Israel and Hamas impact India's tech and defence ties with Israel? And could a broader regional war create an energy crisis? Satya Sahu and Aditya Ramanathan consider potential scenarios that could upend aspects of India's approach to West Asia. Check out the Takshashila Working Paper: The Techno-Economic Impact of the Israel-Hamas War

On November 29, 2023, the US Department of Justice indicted an Indian national Nikhil Gupta in a foiled assassination attempt of a US citizen in New York. The purported target is a Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. This comes a mere two months after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a listed Khalistani terrorist, on Canadian soil. What does the US indictment mean for relations between Washington and New Delhi? Takshashila Institution's Sachin Kalbag and Yusuf Unjhawala discuss the aftermath (spoiler alert: it won't impact much).

Tune into All Things Policy for an eye-opening episode on AI Governance. We're dissecting our most recent Takshashila Discussion Document - delving into AI's transformative role in society, the nuances of attempting to govern it, and the complexities of AI supply chains. Join Satya S Sahu, Rijesh Panicker, and Bharath Reddy, as they explore the values guiding AI from democracy to global stability, and the challenges in creating a competitive AI industry.

The past few years have witnessed the rapid growth of the India-Australia relationship. The agenda for bilateral partnership has expanded significantly from trade and security to emerging technologies and human capital development. In this special episode, Manoj Kewalramani speaks to Philip Green, the new Australian High Commissioner to India, on the priorities for the two sides going forward.

India has one of the strictest gun control regimes where obtaining a gun license is difficult for ordinary civilians. Gun violence and death numbers are also relatively low. However, India has a vast underground market of illegal firearms operated by criminal gangs, epitomised by the ‘katta’ or the countrymade handgun. In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS and DGP of Uttar Pradesh) and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya discuss the gun culture in India, especially Uttar Pradesh, the unintended consequences of the strict gun control regime, and the debate over arming police officers.

Australia's recently released cyber security strategy, aims to enhance cyber protection for individuals and businesses. Jade Donney, Counsellor at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi highlighted the key aspects of this comprehensive approach.