The recent war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East have provided valuable lessons when it comes to the nature of future military modernisation and defense innovation. While traditional warfare remains relevant, we are seeing a shift towards multi-domain operations that are more kinetic and are increasingly utilizing autonomous weapons. As India seeks to boost its defence exports, its domestic industry will have a role to play. Several factors have played a role in the recent spike in defence exports—regulatory initiatives, enhanced capability of the private sector, and the desire among other countries to diversify away from their traditional defence partners and look at India instead. Additionally, the INDUS-X initiative between India and the U.S. has also been noted as a welcome mechanism to encourage further defence cooperation in other emerging technologies such as quantum computing, space, cyber-security, and deep-sea technology. What are the potential opportunities that international collaborations present? Will India's domestic industry be able to meet the armed forces' requirements? In this episode of Interpreting India, Ajay Kumar and Konark Bhandari talk about the current status of defence innovation in India and the emerging trends in this space. Episode Contributors Ajay Kumar is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. He served as the defense secretary of India between August 2019 and October 2022 and is the longest serving secretary in the Ministry of Defence, where he also served as secretary in the Department of Defence Production. As defense secretary, Ajay Kumar was the key architect for several major transformations, including the restructuring of higher defense management in the country and formation of the chief of defense staff in the Indian Armed Forces; the launch of the Agniveer scheme—a historic reform in recruitment, training, and retention of personnel in the Armed Forces. Konark Bhandari is a fellow with Carnegie India. He is a lawyer who has researched certain areas in the digital economy, focusing primarily on approaches to antitrust regulation of companies in the digital realm. He had earlier worked at India’s antitrust regulator, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), where he worked closely with senior officials on a variety of matters. He is also an avid follower of the regulation of the space technology ecosystem and is keen to contribute to that discipline. Additional Readings INDUS-X: Charting the Way Ahead for India-U.S. Defense Industrial Cooperation, by Konark Bhandari. Can a Defense Innovation Bridge Elevate India-U.S. Defense Cooperation? by Konark Bhandari. Sameer Lalwani on India-U.S. Defense-Industrial Cooperation. U.S.-India Defense Innovation Collaboration: Building on a Promising Start by Konark Bhandari. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

South Asia is a region of remarkable diversity, encompassing countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. Typically, India has been considered the power most capable of exercising its influence in the region. Yet, in recent years, there has been another power that has laid claim to South Asia as part of its periphery and has sought to expand its influence in the region. For the past decade and a half, China has made deeper inroads into South Asia, not only offering capital and infrastructure, but also deepening political ties and people-to-people relations. When did we begin seeing China’s interest in the region? How does China interact differently with South Asia compared to other powers like the United States? How does China’s slowing economy affect its economic engagement in the region? In this episode of Interpreting India, Jabin Jacob joins Saheb Singh Chadha to answer these pressing questions and discuss recent developments in South Asia. Episode Contributors Jabin Thomas Jacob is associate professor at the Department of International Relations and Governance Studies at the Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, a nonresident fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, and adjunct research fellow at the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi. Jacob holds a PhD in Chinese Studies from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and has spent time as a researcher in Taiwan, France, and Singapore. His research interests include Chinese domestic politics, China-South Asia relations, Sino-Indian border areas, Indian and Chinese worldviews, and center-province relations in China. Saheb Singh Chadha is a research analyst in the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. His research focuses on China’s foreign and security policies, India-China relations, and India’s military modernization. He is broadly interested in the geopolitics of South Asia and the Indo-Pacific. He is also a researcher on a project examining the nature and dynamics of cross-border violence and its impact on civilian communities. Additional Readings How China Engages South Asia: Themes, Partners and Tools, edited by Constantino Xavier and Jabin Jacob G20 in Delhi, US Ties, Global South Leadership: Decoding Beijing Worldview Through Chinese Press by Jabin Jacob A Fresh Look at India’s Neighborhood First Policy, by Constantino Xavier and Milan Vaishnav China’s Influence in South Asia: Vulnerabilities and Resilience in Four Countries by Deep Pal Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

One of the guiding norms that has shaped the internet over the last few decades is that of online free speech. This norm is protected in many countries by exempting online platforms and intermediaries from liability for the user-generated content published on these platforms. For example, in India, Section 79 of the IT Act of 2000 protects intermediaries from such liability. However, over the last few years, these exemptions have been under scrutiny. Many have called for greater regulation of the practices of platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Reddit. Some reasons for this are the problems related to disinformation, instances of incitement to violence through these platforms, and the censorship of free speech in some cases. To address such concerns, some legislation has been floated or enacted in jurisdictions such as the United States, India, and the European Union. How will these laws alter the digital economy and the norm of protecting free speech online? What are the risks associated with implementing such legislation? What should policymakers keep in mind as these developments pan out? In this episode of Interpreting India, Anupam Chander joins Anirudh Burman to discuss these pressing questions. Episode Contributors Anupam Chander is the Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Law and Technology at Georgetown University Law Center. He is the author of The Electronic Silk Road and an expert on the global regulation of new technologies. He practiced law in New York and Hong Kong with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. He has been a visiting law professor at Yale, the University of Chicago, Stanford, Cornell, and Tsinghua. He previously served as the director of the California International Law Center and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis. Anirudh Burman is an associate research director and fellow at Carnegie India. He works on key issues relating to public institutions, public administration, the administrative and regulatory state, and state capacity. He has also worked extensively on financial regulation and regulatory governance. Readings: Facebookistan by Anupam Chander Free Speech by Anupam Chander and Uyên P. Lê Googling Freedom by Anupam Chander The Electronic Silk Road by Anupam Chander Gonzalez v. Google LLC, 598 U.S. ___ (2023) The Digital Services Act Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

In this episode of Interpreting India, we delve into the often-overlooked history of India's early relationship with China. Author Vijay Gokhale former Indian Foreign Secretary, takes us back to the 1940s and 50s, exploring pivotal moments like India's quick reaction of the People's Republic of China and its involvement in the Taiwan Straits crises. Beyond familiar narratives of border disputes and Tibet, Gokhale sheds light on a "forgotten" rivalry: the struggle between a declining British Empire and a rising United States, which powerfully shaped India's diplomatic dance with both China and the West. We navigate the complex alliances under Prime Minister Nehru, gleaning valuable lessons for understanding India's present approach to Asia and China. Gokhale's book, "Crosswinds," offers a new perspective on this crucial period, prompting us to reconsider the forces that shaped a nation's foreign policy. So, tune in as we unpack the past, revealing its enduring relevance for the present and the future. EPISODE CONTRIBUTORS Vijay Gokhale is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. Mr. Gokhale retired from the Indian Foreign Service in January 2020 after a diplomatic career that spanned thirty-nine years. From January 2018 to January 2020, he served as the foreign secretary of India. Srinath Raghavan is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. He is also a professor of International Relations and History at Ashoka University. His primary research focus is on the contemporary and historical aspects of India’s foreign and security policies. ADDITIONAL READINGS Crosswinds: Nehru, Zhou and the Anglo-American Competition over China, by Vijay Gokhale After Tiananmen : The Rise of China by Vijay Gokhale The Long Game: How the Chinese Negotiate with India, by Vijay Gokhale Tiananmen Square: The Making of a Protest, by Vijay Gokhale The Security Dilemma and India-China Relations, by Srinath Raghavan Vijay Gokhale on China's India Policy and India-China Relations Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

India has seen superlative progress in electrical connectivity, achieving 96.7 percent connectivity to the grid as of 2020 from around 67 percent over a decade ago. For context, the electricity sector can be broadly split between generation, transmission, and distribution. Despite recent progress, electrical connectivity is still racked by problems such as irregular supply and voltage fluctuations, and distribution companies face losses. Much of the electricity generated is derived from coal, which serves to impede our climate goals, and renewable alternatives require energy storage mechanisms that are technologically complex and depend on locally unavailable raw materials. In this episode of Interpreting India, Karthik Ganesan joins Sayoudh Roy to delve further into the issues ailing electrical connectivity in India. Episode Contributors Karthik Ganesan is a fellow and director for research coordination at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, where he ensures cross-team coherence for CEEW's research direction and imperatives. He also acts as an internal adviser across research teams and creates institutional platforms that spur innovation. In addition, he holds a master's degree in public policy from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, an undergraduate degree in civil engineering, and an MTech in infrastructure engineering from IIT Madras. Sayoudh Roy was a senior research analyst with the Political Economy Program at Carnegie India. His work focuses on the macroeconomic implications of frictions in labor and financial markets and how interactions between them can affect macroeconomic aggregates. Additional Readings State of Electricity Access in India, by Shalu Agarwal et al. What Smart Meters Can Tell Us, by Shalu Agarwal et al. Mapping India’s Energy Subsidies 2021, by Balasubramanian Viswanathan et al. Developing Resilient Renewable Energy Supply Chains for Global Clean Energy Transition, by Akanksha Tyagi et al. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

There are similarities between the UN’s efforts to pursue a disarmament strategy for nuclear weapons and the regulation of the military applications of AI. Given the multiple parallel initiatives on this issue, inputs would also have to be gathered from a range of stakeholders already working on the issue, such as the REAIM participants, the United States, and other countries, in order to regulate AI in the military domain. The private sector has a role here to drive governance on this topic as well, given that most of the technology emanates from their R&D efforts. Here, more regulation should not be seen as a roadblock to innovation; instead, it can accelerate it. This is because empirically-based regulations would allow the adoption of such AI systems to be faster. The lack of any such regulation could even lead to undesirable outcomes, which may hamper the growth of the industry. In this episode of Interpreting India, Izumi Nakamitsu joins Konark Bhandari to discuss the military applications of AI. EPISODE CONTRIBUTORS Izumi Nakamitsu assumed her position as under-secretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs on May 1, 2017. Prior to taking on this post, she served as assistant administrator of the Crisis Response Unit at the United Nations Development Programme since 2014. She has many years of experience within and outside the UN system, most recently as special adviser ad interim on follow-up to the Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants between 2016 and 2017. She was previously director of the Asia and the Middle East Division of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations between 2012 and 2014 and director of the Department’s Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training from 2008 to 2012. She holds a Master of Science degree in foreign service from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and a Bachelor of Law degree from Waseda University, Tokyo. Konark Bhandari is a fellow with Carnegie India. He is a lawyer who has researched certain areas in the digital economy, focusing primarily on approaches to antitrust regulation of companies in the digital realm. He had earlier worked at India’s antitrust regulator, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), where he worked closely with senior officials on a variety of matters. He is also an avid follower of the regulation of the space technology ecosystem and is keen to contribute to that discipline. While at the CCI, he was a member of the Internal Coordination Committee on the Think Tank on Digital Markets. Konark was also attached to the office of the chairperson of CCI, where his duties involved providing a briefing on live cases as well as speechwriting responsibilities. Konark has published papers in the areas of antitrust, intellectual property, and corporate law. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

With the onset of winter, severe levels of air pollution have reemerged as a concern in North India. Various factors have been put forth to explain this malaise: stubble burning in farms, vehicular pollution, and pollution due to the construction sector. But even outside of the winter months, the National Capital Region maintains poor air quality, with an AQI of over 200. Can clean transportation help? To speak of clean transportation, which is key to addressing the issue of vehicular pollution, we must first speak of electric passenger and commercial vehicles, low-emission zones, and so on. Each option comes with its own set of challenges. Electric vehicle uptake is low in India and hovers at around 2 percent owing to relatively higher prices, range anxiety, lengthy charging times, a lack of standardized charging points, and a lack of charging infrastructure. However, there are concerted efforts to promote electric vehicles and alternative forms of cleaner transportation in India. The auto PLI scheme and Delhi’s electric vehicle (EV) policy provide incentives that can potentially spur the uptake of electric vehicles. Delhi’s EV policy also addresses the issue of scarce charging infrastructure. This appears to have had results since Delhi’s electric vehicle sales rose to 9 percent in the September–November quarter of 2021 from around 1 percent in 2019–2020. Nor is price as much of a deterrent as it may initially appear, since initial high costs may be offset by long-term gains from heavy usage, such as low fuel and running and maintenance costs. In this episode of Interpreting India, Amit Bhatt joins Sayoudh Roy to discuss these key questions around clean transportation. Episode Contributors Amit Bhatt is the India managing director at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). He is based in New Delhi and has over twenty years of experience in transportation, urban development, and management. Before joining ICCT, Amit was executive director for integrated transport at WRI India for twelve years. Prior to this, he worked with the Urban Mass Transit Company, India’s leading urban transport consultancy, and with infrastructure leasing and financial services. Sayoudh Roy is a senior research analyst with the Political Economy Program at Carnegie India. His work focuses on the macroeconomic implications of frictions in labor and financial markets and how interactions between them can affect macroeconomic aggregates. Additional Readings India's Path to Clean Transport is Electric, Strong Central Policies on Zero-Emission Vehicles by Amit Bhatt and Harsimran Kaur Where Are India's Electric Trucks? by Amit Bhatt and Aviral Yadav Battery Swapping for Electric Two-Wheelers in India: Strategy Hinterlands, by Pramoda Gode, Sumati Kohli, and Jennifer Callahan How Delhi Is Becoming a Lighthouse City for Electric Mobility in India by Amit Bhatt Improving Air Quality in Cities Through Transport-Focused Low- and Zero-Emission Zones: Legal Pathways and Opportunities for India by Anuj Dhole, Sandra Wappelhorst, and Amit Bhatt Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The last publicly available nation-wide caste census in India was conducted in 1931. Now, a state-wide caste census has become available from the government of Bihar. Even though we know the Indian state collects data on a variety of markers and indicators, whether socioeconomic or health-related, there seems to be a reluctance when it comes to collecting data on caste. What is the reason for this? What are the complexities involved in capturing caste in India? How should we think about the categorization and sub-categorization of caste? What will the politics of caste look like going forward? What are the ways in which a caste census can be conducted more efficiently? What are the different aspects of the politics of social justice in India? What have been the successes and failures of social justice in India? In this episode of Interpreting India, D. Shyam Babu joins Suyash Rai to discuss these questions and more. Episode Contributors D. Shyam Babu is a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. His current research interests include socioeconomic mobility among Dalits, liberalization and social justice, and the role of entrepreneurship in mobility. He has also collaborated with Devesh Kapur and Chandra Bhan Prasad to conduct socioeconomic surveys to map social change and its linkages with public policies and entrepreneurship among Dalits. Their 2014 co-authored book, Defying the Odds, has received critical acclaim. Suyash Rai is a deputy director and fellow at Carnegie India. His research focuses on the political economy of economic reforms and the performance of public institutions in India. His current research looks at the financial sector, the fiscal system, and the infrastructure sector. Additional Readings Mandal’s Original Sin, Surveyed by D. Shyam Babu Rethinking Inequality: Dalits in Uttar Pradesh in the Market Reform Era by Devesh Kapur, Chandra Bhan Prasad, Lant Pritchett, and D. Shyam Babu Defying the Odds: The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs by Devesh Kapur, D. Shyam Babu, and Chandra Bhan Prasad Reimagining Merit in India: Cognition and Affirmative Action by D. Shyam Babu, Chandra Bhan Prasad, and Devesh Kapur Dalits in the New Millennium by Sudha Pai, D. Shyam Babu, and Rahul Verma Key Moments (00:00); Introduction (01:47); Chapter 1: Why Was There Hesitance in Conducting Caste Census? (10:43); Chapter 2: The Complexity of Caste and Its Relationship With the State (15:45); Chapter 3: Potential Purposes of Caste Census (20:49); Chapter 4: Scope of Improvement in Politics of Caste Census (23:29); Chapter 5: Ways to Mitigate the Negative Consequences of Caste (30:13); Chapter 6: Public System and Caste (35:35); Chapter 7: Consequences and Limitations of Economy on Social System (42:18); Chapter 8: Caste Issues and Public (44:28); Chapter 9: The Making of Citizens: Social Identity and Community (52:08); Chapter 10: Structural Incompetence of Caste on Social System (54:16); Chapter 11: Cultural Determinism and Nationalism (57:24); Chapter 12: Social Justice in Relation to Caste (58:25); Chapter 13: Recommended Books (59:10); Outro --- From December 4–6, 2023, Carnegie India will convene the eighth Global Technology Summit, co-hosted with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. This year, we will discuss key technology policy issues concerning digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, critical and emerging technology, space, semiconductors, national security and technology, data protection, and more. To register for the summit, visit gts2023.com. Make sure you follow our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for more updates on the event. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

One of the most visible signs of India’s economic development in the past seventy-five years has been the growth of its cities. Some of them are now among the largest on the planet, both in terms of area and population. However, Indian cities are far from perfect. They’re often not well planned, coping with problems of rapid growth and inefficient use of land and other resources. Indian cities are also plagued by a lack of basic amenities, such as clean drinking water, sanitation, and solid waste management systems, as well as safety-related problems. What is the scale of the challenges facing India’s cities? What are some of the ideas and themes that are unique to India’s experience of urbanization? What is the global significance of the trends underway in Indian cities? Devashish Dhar discusses many of these questions in his recent book, India’s Blind Spot: Understanding and Managing Our Cities. In this episode, he joins Anirudh Burman to unpack them further. Episode Contributors Devashish Dhar is a former public policy specialist at NITI Aayog. He is a Mason Fellow from the Harvard Kennedy School and a Li-Ka Shing Scholar from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. Anirudh Burman is an associate research director and fellow at Carnegie India. He works on key issues relating to public institutions, public administration, the administrative and regulatory state, and state capacity. He has also worked extensively on financial regulation and regulatory governance. Additional Readings India’s Blind Spot: Understanding and Managing Our Cities by Devashish Dhar Understanding Indian Cities by Anirudh Burman Key Moments 00:00); Introduction (02:25); Chapter 1: What Prompted Devashish to Study Indian Cities? (04:55); Chapter 2: Why is Urbanization a Binding Constraint? (07:17); Chapter 3: Transforming Cities: Economic Growth and Socio-Economic Factors (11:50); Chapter 4: Unique Features of India’s Urbanization and Cities (21:49); Chapter 5: Infrastructure, Housing, and Utility Issues in India (29:10); Chapter 6: Are There Any Solutions to High Rents? (36:18); Chapter 7: Causes of Failure to Redevelop Land Property (42:45); Chapter 8: Urban Governance (51:23); Chapter 9: Urban Reforms in Small Cities (54:54); Chapter 9: Children as Figures of Urban Research (01:01:45); Closing Comments (01:02:55); Outro Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was launched during the Quad Summit in Tokyo in May 2022. The purpose of the iCET was to expand partnerships in critical and emerging technologies, including semiconductors. As part of the iCET, the Semiconductor Industry Association and India Electronics and Semiconductor Association agreed to undertake a “readiness assessment” to identify near-term industry opportunities and facilitate the longer-term strategic development of their complementary semiconductor ecosystems. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a Washington, DC-based science and technology policy think tank, was commissioned to undertake authorship of this assessment. In this episode, Stephen Ezell, vice president for global innovation policy at ITIF, joins Konark Bhandari to discuss the opportunities and obstacles involved in cultivating robust semiconductor supply chains. Episode Contributors Stephen Ezell is vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and director of ITIF’s Center for Life Sciences Innovation. He also leads the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance. His areas of expertise include science and technology policy, international competitiveness, trade, and manufacturing. Ezell is also the co-author of Innovating in a Service-Driven Economy: Insights, Application, and Practice and Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage. Konark Bhandari is a fellow at Carnegie India. He is a lawyer who has researched certain areas in the digital economy, focusing primarily on approaches to antitrust regulation of companies in the digital realm. He had earlier worked at India’s antitrust regulator, the Competition Commission of India, where he worked closely with senior officials on a variety of matters. He is also an avid follower of the regulation of the space technology ecosystem and is keen to contribute to that discipline. Additional Readings Is India “Ready” for Semiconductor Manufacturing? by Konark Bhandari The Geopolitics of the Semiconductor Industry and India’s Place in It by Konark Bhandari Key Moments (00:00); Introduction (02:23); Chapter 1: Offshoring Operations Outside China (05:52); Chapter 2: Utilization of ITSI Funds (09:19); Chapter 3: Friendshoring Initiatives (13:35); Chapter 4: Survival of Supplier Companies (19:06); Chapter 5: Semiconductor Fabrication Ecosystem in India (21:44); Chapter 6: Financial Investments (25:28); Chapter 7: Why Hasn’t India Leveraged the Chip-Designing Ecosystem? (27:48); Chapter 8: Role of Trade Policy in Company Investment (32:26); Chapter 9: Red Tape to Red Carpet: Readiness in India on Investment (35:36); Closing Comments (36:32); Outro Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

Even though India and France have had a strategic partnership for twenty-five years now, the bilateral relationship between these countries has received substantial impetus recently. The relationship spans common interests in the Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific, a robust military and defense partnership, cooperation in high-tech areas such as space and nuclear, and, of course, a growing economic and trade relationship. What lessons can both countries offer each other? And what are some of the commonalities and differences in the French and Indian approaches to global governance and global challenges such as climate change in a multipolar world? What are the challenges in taking this relationship to the next level? In this episode of Interpreting India, Emmanuel Lenain joins Anirudh Suri to discuss these questions. Episode Contributors Emmanuel Lenain is the Ambassador of France to India. He began his diplomatic career in 1997, serving in the French Foreign Ministry’s United Nations Department, where he took part in peace negotiations on Kosovo. Since then, he has served in France’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, the Embassy of France in Beijing as the Prime Minister’s technical adviser on multilateral affairs, the French Embassy in Washington, DC, as Consul General of France in Shanghai, Director for the Asia-Pacific Division of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and as Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister. Anirudh Suri is a nonresident scholar with Carnegie India. His interests lie at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, climate, and strategic affairs. He is currently exploring how India is carving and cementing its role in the global tech ecosystem and the role climate technology can play in addressing the global climate challenge. Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

In the last decade, there has been a growing convergence of global powers in the Indo-Pacific, evident from the proliferation of multilateral initiatives in the region. It has also emerged as an arena for geopolitical competition between China and the United States. As the competition intensifies, how does China see the Indo-Pacific? How has Beijing's understanding of this region changed over time? What can India learn from the way China sees the Indo-Pacific? In this episode of Interpreting India, Manoj Kewalramani joins Shibani Mehta to answer these questions and more. Episode Contributors Manoj Kewalramani is a fellow in China Studies and the chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme at the Takshashila Institution. His research interests range from Chinese politics, foreign policy, and approaches to new technologies to addressing questions on how India can work with like-minded partners to address challenges presented by China's rise. Manoj is the author of Smokeless War: China’s Quest for Geopolitical Dominance, which discusses China’s political, diplomatic, economic, and narrative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decisionmaking. Additional Readings Smokeless War: China’s Quest for Geopolitical Dominance by Manoj Kewalramani Indo-Pacific Empire: China, America and the Contest for the World's Pivotal Region by Rory Medcalf Key Moments (0:00); Introduction (2:35); Chapter 1: China’s Role in the Indo-Pacific (8:36); Chapter 2: Changing Threat Perceptions of the Term “Indo-Pacific” (13:25); Chapter 3: Different Interpretations of the Term “Indo-Pacific” (19:55); Chapter 4: The Contradictory Position Undertaken by China (28:36); Chapter 5: Beijing’s Vision for a Global Order (33:59); Chapter 6: India’s Take on China’s View of the Indo-Pacific (43:16); Closing Comments (44:19); Outro Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The past week has been momentous for those awaiting the enactment of a legal framework for data protection in India. India’s parliament passed the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the law has now also received the assent of the President of India. This law has been enacted after multiple rounds of deliberations and consultations. Multiple committees have submitted reports on the proposed legislation, and three previous drafts of the legislation have been circulated for public consultation. What changes has this law undergone? How will the cost of data protection and privacy compliance impact Indian businesses? In this episode of Interpreting India, Rahul Matthan joins Anirudh Burman to give us insights into these questions and more. Episode Contributors Rahul Matthan is a partner at Trilegal, one of India’s leading law firms, and heads the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) practice of the firm. He has extensive experience advising on high-value TMT transactions in the country. Rahul’s expertise spans several sectors in the technology space, including data protection, digital finance, cryptocurrencies, e-commerce, and more. Rahul has advised the government on the data privacy law and has served on the Kris Gopalakrishnan Committee on Non-Personal Data. He has authored numerous articles and thought pieces on various topical issues relating to computers, the internet, and other new technologies. Anirudh Burman is an associate research director and fellow at Carnegie India. He works on key issues relating to public institutions, public administration, the administrative and regulatory state, and state capacity. He has also worked extensively on financial regulation and regulatory governance. He has published works related to parliamentary oversight in India, the freedom of movement and residence, measuring the responsiveness of independent regulators in India, the design of insolvency professionals as a regulated profession, and the right to information. Additional Readings Get On with Data Protection Now That the Law’s Enacted by Rahul Matthan Companies Must Work Hard to Ensure Data Protection by Rahul Matthan Resisting the Leviathan: The Key Change in India’s New Proposal to Protect Personal Data by Anirudh Burman Will India’s Proposed Data Protection Law Protect Privacy and Promote Growth? by Anirudh Burman —- Key Moments: (0:00); Introduction (3:00); Chapter 1: The Journey of This Act (7:03); Chapter 2: Data Protection in India (10:58); Chapter 3: Key Components of the Data Protection Act (14:19); Chapter 4: Applying GDPR Compliance in India (22:00); Chapter 5: Right to Data Portability (27:57); Chapter 6: Consent Manager Framework (32:44); Chapter 7: The Indian Government’s Data Accessing Powers (37:30); Chapter 8: Restrictions on Data Fiduciaries (42:46); Chapter 9: Blocking Data Fiduciaries’ Access to Public Information (45:18); Chapter 10: Data Localization (46:56); Chapter 11: Establishing a Data Protection Board (49:48); Closing Comments (52:40); Outro Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The role of the private sector in facilitating the climate transition journey of our world has been much talked about recently. While many corporations, including those in the fossil fuel sectors, have started drafting out their own journeys to “net zero,” Ajay Banga, the newly appointed president of the World Bank, has also emphasized the need for active private sector finance in the climate transition. There is a growing realization that governments alone cannot do all that is needed to prevent the worst-case scenarios that the world is increasingly faced with. And yet, the full scope of how the private sector can actually expedite this once-in-an-era transition has not been explored enough. In this episode, Suresh Narayanan joins Anirudh Suri to explore the role of the private sector in the climate transition journey. Episode Contributors Suresh Narayanan is the chairman and managing director of Nestlé India Limited. He has been in this role since August 2015. He also serves as the chairman of the CII National Committee on Food Processing Industries. Under Mr. Narayanan’s leadership, Nestlé India has received several accolades, including, most recently, “MNC in India of the Year” in 2022 by the All India Management Association, “Outstanding Company of the Year 2021” by CNBC TV18 India Business Leader Awards (IBLA), and “MNC of the Year” by Business Standard in 2020. Mr. Narayanan joined Nestlé in 1999 as executive vice president for sales in India. His international career commenced at Nestlé Indochina in 2003, and he has also served in the Philippines, Singapore, Egypt, and the Northeast Africa Region. He was honored as the “Entrepreneurial CEO” at the EY Entrepreneur of The Year™ Awards 2020. Business Today awarded him “Best CEO-FMCG” for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020. Anirudh Suri is a nonresident scholar with Carnegie India. His interests lie at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, climate, and strategic affairs. He is currently exploring how India is carving and cementing its role in the global tech ecosystem and the role climate technology can play in addressing the global climate challenge. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022) and is currently the managing partner at India Internet Fund, a technology-focused venture capital fund based in India and the United States. He has also written extensively on foreign policy, geopolitics, cybersecurity, climate, technology, and entrepreneurship in publications such as the Indian Express, Times of India, Hindustan Times, Foreign Policy, The Print, The New Republic, Economic Times, MoneyControl, and Asia Times. -- Additional Readings A Comprehensive Framework for India’s Climate Finance Strategy by Anirudh Suri Why Banga Being a Corporate Czar is Good for World Bank by Anirudh Suri —- Key Moments: (0:00); Introduction (4:29); Mr. Narayanan’s Journey (9:45); The Private Sector’s Role in Combating Climate Change (15:49); Nestle’s Application of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (20:09); Nestle’s Science and R&D-Based Approach (27:51); Obstacles to India’s Private Sector Spending on R&D (37:15); On Packaged Foods and Food Security (38:53); Policy Hurdles in Public-Private Collaborations (42:42); India’s Climate Opportunity Strategy (48:41); Concluding Remarks (49:15); Outro Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

Defense cooperation is central to the India-U.S. partnership, and it has served as a key enabler for stronger collaboration at the multilateral level. While defense ties between the two countries have gone from strength to strength over the last two decades, defense-industrial cooperation has notably failed to take off thus far. However, of late, the two countries have made a renewed push toward furthering defense-industrial cooperation. They released a roadmap in June 2023, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent state visit to the United States has given the process further impetus. In this episode of Interpreting India, Sameer Lalwani joins Rahul Bhatia to discuss these points and more. Episode Contributors Sameer Lalwani is a senior expert on South Asia at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He is also a nonresident senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. His research interests include nuclear deterrence, interstate rivalry, alliances, crisis behavior, counterinsurgency, and Indo-Pacific security. Sameer has been widely published in academic journals and print media alike. He was the co-editor of the book Investigating Crises: South Asia’s Lessons, Evolving Dynamics, and Trajectories, which was published by the Stimson Center in 2018. Rahul Bhatia is a research analyst with the security studies program at Carnegie India. His research focuses on India’s borders and India’s foreign and defense policies. He is currently working on a project that looks at India’s military modernization with a focus on indigenization. He also has a keen interest in the changing geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific. --- Additional Readings Modi’s Trip to Washington Marks New Heights in U.S.-India Ties by Sameer P. Lalwani, Daniel Markey, Tamanna Salikuddin, and Vikram J. Singh A Big Step Forward in U.S.-India Defense Ties by Sameer P. Lalwani and Vikram J. Singh What the GE Engine Deal Means for India’s Military Diversification by Rahul Bhatia Can a Defense Innovation Bridge Elevate India-U.S. Defense Cooperation? by Rahul Bhatia and Konark Bhandari --- Key Moments: (0:00); Intro (2:10); Chapter 1: The Role of Defense-Industrial Cooperation (4:11); Chapter 2: The Roadmap for Defense-Industrial Partnership (7:07); Chapter 3: Why the DTTI Failed (12:41); Chapter 4: Bureaucratic Differences in the DTTI (16:48); Chapter 5: India’s History of Technology Sharing and Indigenization (24:36); Chapter 7: The Significance of the GE Deal (27:21); Chapter 8: The Role of the Indian Startup Ecosystem (29:03); Chapter 9: India-U.S. Cooperation on Undersea Domain Awareness (31:53); Chapter 10: The Significance of INDUS-X (36:48); Chapter 11: Challenges in India-U.S. Joint Defense Innovation (40:23); Outro --- Carnegie India Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia) Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndia Website: https://carnegieindia.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/ Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

In recent years, international indices and rankings such as the Democracy Index and the V-Dem Index have downgraded India’s democracy. Although there are significant differences in the degrees of downgrading, most major indices suggest that Indian democracy is backsliding. Meanwhile, India is witnessing an increase in voter turnout, and people continue to participate actively and vociferously in politics. What is the reason for this disconnect between scholarly understandings of Indian democracy and ground realities? To help us make sense of this dichotomy, Rahul Verma joins Suyash Rai to discuss his recent essay titled “The Exaggerated Death of Indian Democracy.” In the essay, Dr. Verma argues that the claims of democratic backsliding in India are somewhat exaggerated. Episode Contributors Rahul Verma is a fellow at the Center for Policy Research and a visiting assistant professor at Ashoka University. His research interests include voting behavior, party politics, political violence, and the media. Dr. Verma has published papers in Asian Survey, Economic & Political Weekly, and Studies in Indian Politics. His book, co-authored with Professor Pradeep Chhibber, Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India, develops a new approach to defining the contours of what constitutes an ideology in multiethnic countries such as India. He has a PhD in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. Suyash Rai is a deputy director and fellow at Carnegie India. His research focuses on the political economy of economic reforms and the performance of public institutions in India. His current research looks at the financial sector, the fiscal system, and the infrastructure sector. --- Additional Readings The Exaggerated Death of Indian Democracy by Rahul Verma “Symposium: Is India Still a Democracy?” Journal of Democracy, July 2023 The Possibilities of Indian Electoral Politics by Suyash Rai Understanding the Debate on Democratic Backsliding Through Two Papers by Suyash Rai Ideology and Identity: The Changing Party Systems of India by Pradeep K. Chhibber and Rahul Verma The Rise of the Second Dominant Party System in India: BJP’s New Social Coalition in 2019 by Pradeep K. Chhibber and Rahul Verma Dalits in the New Millennium, edited by Sudha Pai, D. Shyam Babu, and Rahul Verma How India’s Ruling Party Erodes Democracy by Ashutosh Varshney The Expanding Role of Majoritarianism in India by Suhas Palshikar Understanding the Nature of Party Competition and Politics of Majoritarianism by Suhas Palshikar For India, ‘Middle’ Democracy Works by Subrata K. Mitra --- Key Moments (00:00); Intro (4:24); Chapter 1: Why Rahul Wrote the Essay (9:53); Chapter 2: Paradoxes in Indian Polity (12:14); Chapter 3: Biases in Ranking Measures (18:53); Chapter 4: Comparing the Present with the Past (21:22); Chapter 5: Conflating Other Phenomena for Backsliding (29:20); Chapter 6: Party Dominance and Partisanship (35:03); Chapter 7: Unpacking Mass Polarization (41:00); Chapter 8: The Frequency of Protests in Past Years (49:22); Chapter 9: The Pew Survey on Religion in India (50:53); Chapter 10: Scholarly Discourse vs. Public Opinion (55:38); Chapter 11: The Current State of Indian Democracy (1:04:47); Chapter 12: Remaining Hopeful About Indian Democracy (1:08:18); Chapter 13: Closing Remarks by Suyash (1:11:52); Outro -- Carnegie India Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia) Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndia Website: https://carnegieindia.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/ Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act was introduced in 2016 to protect consumers who had invested in residential real estate projects from malpractices by real estate developers. After the law was passed, most states established real estate regulatory authorities to register and oversee the conduct of real estate developers. What changes did this act try to bring in, and how has this regulatory change benefited consumers? Is the increased information about property litigation that the Maharashtra RERA provides affecting housing prices? Does RERA reduce information asymmetry in the housing market? In this episode of Interpreting India, Vaidehi Tandel and Sahil Gandhi join Anirudh Burman to give us insights into these issues and more. They discuss their recent working paper, co-authored with Anupam Nanda and Nandini Agnihotri. Their study analyses how housing prices change in response to mandatory disclosures under the RERA. The paper is titled, “Do Mandatory Disclosures Squeeze the Lemons? The Case of Housing Markets in India.” Episode Contributors Vaidehi Tandel is an economist working in the areas of urban economics, political economy, and public finance, with a focus on India. Currently, Dr. Tandel is a lecturer in real estate and urban economics at the University of Manchester, UK. Her research has been featured in The Financial Times, The New York Times, The Straits Times, Livemint, and others. Her papers have been published in the Journal of Development Economics, the Journal of Urban Economics, the Journal of Regional Science, Environment and Urbanization, Cities, and BMJ Open, among others. Her current work looks at the politician-builder nexus in Mumbai, agglomeration economies in India, and climate change and adaptation across cities in developing countries. Sahil Gandhi is an urban and real estate economist. Dr. Gandhi is a lecturer at The University of Manchester’s School of Environment, Education and Development. His research is in the fields of urban economics, real estate, and land economics. His recent papers are on vacant housing in India, migration and tenure choice, housing supply in Mumbai, and so on. His research has been published in the Journal of Urban Economics, the Journal of Development Economics, the Journal of Regional Science, Environment and Urbanization, and Cities, among others. He has also led a report on affordable housing in India. Dr. Gandhi has bylines in international and Indian media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Economic Times, and Livemint, among others. His research has also been cited in The Financial Times, The BBC, The Straits Times, Livemint, and more. --- Key Moments (0:00); Introduction (2:39); Chapter 1: The Context Behind RERA (9:56); Chapter 2: Key Regulatory Changes (15:21); Chapter 3: The Case of Maharashtra’s RERA (17:27); Chapter 4: Mumbai’s High Proportion of Litigated Projects (23:04); Chapter 5: The Aim and Findings of the Study (27:35); Chapter 6: Variations Across Housing Submarkets (32:35); Chapter 7: Luxury Housing and Mandatory Disclosures (35:02); Chapter 8: Non-Luxury Housing and Litigation Costs (36:10); Chapter 9: RERA’s Impact on Low- and Middle-Income Consumers (40:36); Chapter 10: Types of Litigation Faced by Projects (43:44); Chapter 11: Future Research in Urban Economics (48:22); Outro --- Additional Readings Do Mandatory Disclosures Squeeze the Lemons? The Case of Housing Markets in India by Vaidehi Tandel, Sahil Gandhi, Anupam Nanda, and Nandini Agnihotri Too Slow for the Urban March: Litigations and the Real Estate Market in Mumbai, India by Sahil Gandhi, Vaidehi Tandel, Alexander Tabarrok, and Shamika Ravi View: Time to Make RERA Roar by Nandini Agnihotri and Sahil Gandhi India Has to Attack Causes of Land Litigation. Modi’s Ease of Doing Business Depends on It by Anirudh Burman Making Land Titles in India Marketable: Using Title Insurance as a Viable Alternative to Conclusive Titling by Anirudh Burman -- Carnegie India Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia) Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndia Website: https://carnegieindia.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/ Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The iCET was launched on the sidelines of the Quad Summit in Tokyo in May 2022. Both U.S. President Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the launch of this initiative, which was to be spearheaded by the National Security Councils of the two countries to expand partnership in critical and emerging technologies. Is the iCET more than just a deal? What is the case for comparisons between the iCET and the landmark India-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Deal? What makes the iCET different from earlier initiatives between India and the United States? Does Prime Minister Modi's upcoming state visit to the United States put the iCET under pressure to "deliver" something? What is the importance of export control measures in India-U.S. tech ties? In this episode of Interpreting India, Arun K. Singh joins Konark Bhandari to discuss these questions and more. Episode Contributors Arun K. Singh is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. Mr. Singh has extensive experience across the globe, including as India’s ambassador to the United States, Israel, and France. Throughout his distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service spanning thirty-seven years, he has served during pivotal periods in key global capitals and was instrumental in shaping India’s policies, notably the continued progress in the U.S.-India relationship, India’s closer ties to Israel, and the formulation and implementation of India’s policies related to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, including in the period following 9/11. Konark Bhandari is an associate fellow with Carnegie India. Konark is a lawyer who has researched on certain areas in the digital economy, focusing primarily on approaches to antitrust regulation of companies in the digital realm. --- Key Moments: (0:00); Chapter 1: Introduction (2:00); Chapter 2: iCET vs. India-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Deal (10:10); Chapter 3: Private Sector Involvement in the iCET (14:26); Chapter 4: An AUKUS-like Carve-Out for India? (17:48); Chapter 5: The Pressure to "Deliver" Under the iCET (21:25); Chapter 6: Likely Deals and Expectations During PM Modi's Visit (24:15); Chapter 7: Indian Tech Talent and U.S. Immigration Reforms (26:47); Chapter 8: Arriving at a Consensus Under the iCET (29:11); Chapter 9: The Key Factors Making the iCET a Great Bet (32:17); Outro --- Additional Reading India and the United States’ Good Bet: One Year of the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) by Konark Bhandari, Arun K. Singh, and Rudra Chaudhuri To Compete With China on Tech, America Needs to Fix Its Immigration System by Eric Schmidt America’s Bad Bet on India by Ashley J. Tellis Forging a High-Technology Partnership Between the United States and India in the Age of Export Controls by Konark Bhandari What is the United States-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)? by Rudra Chaudhuri The U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET): The Way Forward by Rudra Chaudhuri, Konark Bhandari, and Ashima Singh How Washington and New Delhi Can Further Tech Ties by Rudra Chaudhuri, Priyadarshini D., Konark Bhandari, Arjun Kang Joseph, and Shatakratu Sahu India-U.S. Emerging Technologies Working Group -- 🎙️ Check out our podcast, Interpreting India, available now on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iTunes! Home: https://interpreting-india.simplecast.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51yeOb8SimMIPe2KgIUQ8g Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/interpreting-india/id1476357131 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeXQMWQXRkJXF71nDiX9LhlXiSkhR8JJT Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f68d7bd9-1589-410f-b20d-65c94c9b3302/interpreting-india -- Carnegie India Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia) Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndia Website: https://carnegieindia.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/ Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The 17th Lok Sabha has seventy-eight women MPs, the highest since independence. Has the increase in women’s participation been meaningful? What narratives of equality and citizenship have framed the issue of electoral representation? Do women MPs carry the burden of shifting welfare policy in a gender-sensitive direction? In this episode of Interpreting India, Shirin Rai joins Shibani Mehta to discuss these questions on gender parity and disparity in the Indian Parliament. Episode Contributors Shirin Rai is an interdisciplinary scholar of international relations, area studies, political economy, history, and comparative politics. She has written extensively on issues of gender, governance and development, and gender and political institutions. Her work within feminist political economy examines gendered regimes of work and survival under globalization, which include the privatization of natural resources and the changing nature of work. Professor Rai is a distinguished research professor of politics and international relations at SOAS, University of London. She is a fellow of the British Academy. In 2022, she was awarded the Distinguished Contribution Prize by the British International Studies Association for her contribution to the promotion of excellence in the discipline of international studies over a substantial period of time. Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decisionmaking. -- Key Moments: (0:00); Introduction (2:11); Reflection on the newly built parliament building and its implications for society (7:32); Analysis of the evolution of the Indian Parliament (14:39); Examination of women's representation in Parliament throughout the years (23:33); Discussing boardroom politics and advocating for women's participation in parliament (31:26); Exploring whether women bear the burden of welfare and equality in this debate (43:55); Comparison of women's reservation in parliament at different levels of governance (50:27); Outro Additional Reading 70 Years of Parliament by PRS Legislative Research Performing Representation: Women Members in the Indian Parliament by Shirin M. Rai and Carole Spary The Oxford Handbook of Politics and Performance, edited by Shirin M. Rai, Milija Gluhovic, Silvija Jestrovic, and Michael Saward Explained | On Reservation for Women in Politics by Radhika Santhanam Indian Women Are Voting More Than Ever. Will They Change Indian Society? by Milan Vaishnav -- 🎙️ Check out our podcast, Interpreting India, available now on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iTunes! Home: https://interpreting-india.simplecast.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51yeOb8SimMIPe2KgIUQ8g Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/interpreting-india/id1476357131 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeXQMWQXRkJXF71nDiX9LhlXiSkhR8JJT Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f68d7bd9-1589-410f-b20d-65c94c9b3302/interpreting-india -- Carnegie India Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia) Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndia Website: https://carnegieindia.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/ Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

Climate finance and technology is one of India’s priorities as part of its ongoing G20 presidency. Financing the climate transition of developing countries and the Global South is a complex but critical issue, as is the development, transfer, and sharing of critical climate technologies. What should India’s climate finance and technology strategy be? What role will the various pools of capital—private, public, philanthropic, impact, and multilateral development banks—play in mobilizing the necessary climate financial support for this transition? Will the new World Bank president, Ajay Banga, succeed in leveraging private capital for climate and ultimately make the Bank fit for purpose for the coming decades? Which areas of climate technology should India prioritize? Will India’s EV, solar, green hydrogen, and biofuels push suffice to position it as a climate leader? What lessons can India learn from the journeys, strategies, and priorities of other countries? In this episode of Interpreting India, Varad Pande joins Anirudh Suri to discuss these key issues around India's climate finance and technology strategy. -- Episode Contributors Varad Pande is a partner at BCG. Formerly, he was a partner with Omidyar Network India. Anirudh Suri is a nonresident scholar with Carnegie India. His interests lie at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, climate, and strategic affairs. -- Additional Reading A Comprehensive Framework for India’s Climate Finance Strategy by Anirudh Suri The Case for a Comprehensive Indian Climate Bill by Anirudh Suri Why Banga Being a Corporate Czar is Good for World Bank: Activists Are Wrong Because ex-Mastercard Boss Can Mobilise Climate Finance by Tapping Private Sector Capital by Anirudh Suri -- 🎙️ Check out our podcast, Interpreting India, available now on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon Music! Home: https://interpreting-india.simplecast.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51yeOb8SimMIPe2KgIUQ8g Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/interpreting-india/id1476357131 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeXQMWQXRkJXF71nDiX9LhlXiSkhR8JJT Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f68d7bd9-1589-410f-b20d-65c94c9b3302/interpreting-india -- Key Moments (00:00); Introduction (02:03); Varad's diving experience in the Andaman Islands and India's ocean ecosystem (05:45); The Indian Ocean Initiative at Carnegie India (06:27); Anirudh speaks on his observations on climate change (07:45); Going from net zero to nature positive (10:11); Change in climate finance trends (12:17); Varad explains why climate finance is such a tricky problem to solve (18:31); Making India more lucrative to global climate finance capital (28:34); Varad on the role of private and public finance in climate change (30:45); Leveraging the newly elected council of the World Bank for climate finance needs (36:55); India's climate tech strategy—EVs and green hydrogen (45:40); Anirudh on the consumption aspect of climate technology strategies (47:13); What can India learn from the climate transition journeys of other countries? (54:34); Outro Carnegie India Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia) Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndia Website: https://carnegieindia.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/ Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage. As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade. Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.