All Things Policy

This year marks the 10th anniversary of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative has seen an unprecedented expansion of Chinese overseas lending. While this has led to infrastructure development across developing countries, it has also exacerbated geopolitical competition, had adverse environmental impacts, and led to debt distress. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani speaks to Samantha Custer from Aid Data to understand the scale, scope, and implications of China’s overseas finance.

This is the first episode of a new limited series Police Chowki on All Things Policy. In this series, we cast a critical look at the role and functioning of Indian police forces, and unpack the challenges of policing and the need for reform and accountability. In the inaugural episode, Shrikrishna Upadhyaya hosts Javeed Ahmed for a discussion on the daily lives of various police actors like the police constable, station house officer, and superintendent of police/ commissioner of police, who are critical cogs in the police machinery. They discuss the work, role, and responsibilities of these functionaries and some behind the scenes functions they perform.

With recent bank failures in the West raising concerns, how stable is India's financial system? Dive into an engaging conversation with Ruchir Agarwal from the Harvard Kennedy School and Yale School of Management, as we explore the state of India's financial sector. Our discussion will span its development over the past twenty years, insights from banking crises, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Even as India's gender stats don't paint a pretty picture, what is heartening to see is a move towards gender-equitable fertility preferences. Bharath Reddy and Suman Joshi talk to Isha Bhatnagar about the findings in her paper titled A Girl and a Boy, Are a Bundle of Joy: A Rise in Gender-Equitable Fertility Preferences in India. Reading: A Girl and a Boy, Are a Bundle of Joy: A Rise in Gender‐Equitable Fertility Preferences in India - Bhatnagar - Studies in Family Planning - Wiley Online Library Do follow IVM Podcasts on social media.

Twenty-five years ago, India declared itself an overt nuclear power. Its journey was long and often constrained by the international export control regime. In this episode, Pranav R Satyanath and Saurabh Todi converse about the significance of India's 25th year of nuclearisation and our outlook on India's future as a nuclear power.

In this episode, Saurabh Todi and Pranay Kotasthane delve into the recent controversy created by Ashley Tellis's article which tried to set expectations about the India-US partnership, and a rejoinder to that by Ashok Malik. They discuss how this bilateral relationship has evolved over the years and what it holds for the future. Readings: America’s Bad Bet on India | Foreign Affairs View: Orthodoxies outside govt are fixating on US-India divergences than strategic commonalities - The Economic Times

Malathi Renati, Sachin Kalbag, and Sowmya Nandan talk and share about the role of society, government, and market in elderly care. They discuss the role of stakeholders and what it takes to be primary caregivers for aging parents/in-laws.

Over the past few days, Chinese authorities have conducted raids on the offices of Capvision, an international consultancy, citing national security concerns. This comes after the arrest of five employees of Mintz Group, an American firm, in March, and a subsequent visit by officials at the offices of Bain & Company. What’s driving this latest crackdown on foreign consultancies in China? Manoj Kewalramani asks Anushka Saxena and Amit Kumar.

The World Economic Forum recently released The Future of Jobs report highlighting the anticipated developments of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Sridhar Krishna, Anupriya Mohta, and Sudisha Mishra discuss the report in detail, with a focus on what the rise in AI could mean for job creation, the imminent need for new skills, and what it will take to finance them. Reading: The Future of Jobs Report 2020 | World Economic Forum

In this podcast, Saurabh Todi and Manoj Kewalramani delve into the recent visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister to India for the SCO Summit and his bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. We also discuss the utility of Indian participation in SCO, BRICS, and RIC platforms. Join us as we explore these complex geopolitical issues and their potential outcomes.