The Takshashila Podcast

AI Governance is a topic of great interest today. Within the context of AI governance, often data is discussed from a perspective of data privacy, data security and so on. Sridhar, Bharath and Satya are looking at the fact that the few companies that have access to large amounts of data and discussing how this may impact AI development. They raise a lot of questions around the law, data ownership and access to promote competition, innovation and human progress. Reading List: Computing Machinery and Intelligence, A.M.Turing This is the key to designing sustainable data cooperatives | World Economic Forum The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data Why data governance is essential for enterprise AI - IBM Blog Trust region Policy Optimization, Schulman and others

The Ministerial declaration of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group endorsed India-led digital public infrastructure (DPI). In this episode, hear from Keyzom Ngodup, Head of Digital Programming, UNDP Chief Digital Office, and Ritul Gaur, IIC Fellow, Ministry of Electronics and IT, on their experience from close quarters on how the groundbreaking consensus on DPI was achieved. Shrikrishna Upadhyaya hosts them for a conversation on the framework for DPI adoption, challenges and opportunities for low & middle-income countries, privacy risks from DPI and what’s next for DPI. Readings: DIGITAL ECONOMY MINISTERS MEETING Outcome Document & Chair’s Summary Bengaluru, Karnataka August 19, 2023 Accelerating The SDGs Through Digital Public Infrastructure: A Compendium of The Potential of Digital Public Infrastructure | United Nations Development Programme The DPI Approach: A Playbook | United Nations Development Programme

The Government of India plans to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, and the Evidence Act, 1872 with the new  Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita, 2023 respectively. In this episode, Javeed Ahmad (former IPS officer & DGP, Uttar Pradesh) and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya unpack the Nyaya Sanhita and dissect the extent of decolonisation of Indian penal laws. They discuss sedition, false promise to marry, criminalisation of satyagraha, the introduction of non-incarceration penalties like community service, and more.

Kingshuk Saha and Dr Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, an Associate Professor at Nalanda University, discuss the reemergence of the Bay of Bengal as a geopolitical hotspot.

Malathi Renati goes over 8 principles of project management, that are essential to ensure successful implementations of policies, projects, and programs of any magnitude. Many policies fail at the implementation stage because of the complexities involved, but by employing industry best practices that have been derived from different sectors, projects can be equipped to overcome these challenges.

Fiscal profligacy in the form of short-term populism and unfunded defined benefit–based old pension schemes present an immediate threat to India’s public finances. It has the potential to hamper India’s growth in the long run. How can it be ensured that policymakers do not prioritise short-term political gains at the cost of long-term economic growth? Dr Jayaprakash Narayan discusses with Sarthak Pradhan. The paper referred to in the podcast - https://www.fdrindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Preserving-Growth-Momentum.pdf Do check out Takshashila’s public policy courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/courses We are @‌IVMPodcasts on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram. https://twitter.com/IVMPodcasts https://www.instagram.com/ivmpodcasts/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/ivmpodcasts/ You can check out our website at https://shows.ivmpodcasts.com/featured Follow the show across platforms: Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Gaana, Amazon Music Do share the word with your folks!

As India's Chandrayaan-3 makes its final approach to the lunar surface, Saurabh Todi and Aditya Ramanathan take a step back to consider why governments and companies have become interested in going to the Moon after a gap of five decades. Does the Moon really offer us mineral riches? And can great powers learn to cooperate on another celestial body when they struggle to get along on Earth?

In this episode of All Things Policy, Manoj Kewalramani discusses with Anushka Saxena, Amit Kumar and Kingshuk Saha details of the upcoming BRICS Summit, and the significance of BRICS to India. They also debate whether the BRICS common currency programme, and its endeavor to expand to new members, have merit.

In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena quizzes Harshit Sharma on details of the recently announced prisoner exchange deal between Iran and the US, and other aspects of the backchannel talks going on between the two countries in Oman. The podcast also covers insights on the impediments facing the two countries in reviving the stalled nuclear talks and making a new deal possible.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued a notification on August 3, 2023, which placed significant curbs on laptop and computer imports in the form of licensing requirements. In this episode of All Things Policy, Anupam Manur and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya discuss India’s tryst with failed trade policies, the unlikelihood of import restrictions creating a competitive domestic manufacturing sector, and how the notification will lead to a “rich tapestry of red-tapism”. Readings: An echo of licence raj in laptop import curbs - Hindustan Times Laptop licence: Why are failed policies being revived again? Do check out Takshashila’s public policy courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/courses

In this episode of All Things Policy, Saurabh Todi, Shambhavi Naik and Aditya Ramanathan discuss the need to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), especially in light of the biosecurity risks posed by rapid technological advancements in fields of biotechnology and genetic engineering. Readings: The New Bioweapons Peril | Indian Public Policy Review BWC Scientific Experts Group to Combat Biological Threats | T20 Policy Brief

As India celebrates its 77th Independence Day, folks at the Takshashila Institution debate the meaning of Strategic Autonomy for India, and whether India's quest for strategic autonomy can yield significant results. The episode also features a debate on the value of multilateral institutions to strategic autonomy, and whether India has exercised it in the past – especially during the Cold War era.

In this episode of Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS & ex-DGP of State of Uttar Pradesh) and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya, do a deep dive into the criminal investigation and prosecution process in the context of a murder. They discuss theories of criminal justice and punishment, the importance of the FIR, how sentencing works and forms of clemency in our criminal justice system.

Join us for an insightful conversation between Dr. Vishnu Chandra, Advisor to the Ministry of Panchayat Raj and Former Deputy Director General of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), and Dr. Nithiyanandam, Professor of the Geospatial Research Programme at the Takshashila Institution as we explore the captivating journey of Geospatial Technology's evolution in India over time. Discover the transformative impact of geospatial advancements and their role in shaping the nation's development. Whether you're a technology enthusiast or simply curious about the intersection of technology and governance, this podcast episode is a must-listen. Gain unique perspectives and valuable insights as we trace the remarkable progression of Geospatial Technology in the Indian context. Tune in now to expand your understanding of this fascinating evolution.

In episode 4 of SiliconPolitik, Stephen Ezell, VP of Global Innovation Policy, ITIF, talks to Satya Sahu about the Information Technology Agreement and how trade policy is instrumental in creating India's Semiconductor Ecosystem.

In popular discourse, the terms "dependence" and "vulnerability" are often used interchangeably. You might be dependent on an adversary but does that make you vulnerable? It is essential to recognise that not all forms of dependence can be considered vulnerabilities, and not all vulnerabilities hold the same significance level. To shed light on this issue, Bharath Reddy engages in a conversation with Amit Kumar and Anushka Saxena to explore a framework for classifying various vulnerabilities and how states respond to them. Read the discussion document here: Takshashila Discussion Document – Defining Dependence-induced Vulnerabilities in Asymmetrical Trade Interdependence: A Conceptual Framework

In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar and Anushka Saxena discuss highlights of the recently concluded 'emergency' session of the Chinese National People's Congress Standing Committee, where the fate of Qin Gang and private sector firms was collectively decided, through the decision to remove the former from the post of Foreign Minister, and the addition of the latter under the ambit of the Chinese criminal law anti-bribery provisions. The Op-Eds referenced in the episode are as follows: Limelight On Nobody: Qin Gang’s Removal - Strategic News Global China’s Draft Criminal Law Amendment Eyes Corruption in Private Firms – The Diplomat

Forensic science offers a toolkit of techniques from fingerprinting to ballistics to DNA analysis, which can aid the police in solving crimes and gathering evidence for criminal trials. In this episode of Policy Chowki, Shrikrisnna Upadhyaya speaks to experts in the field of forensics and policing, Mr. Javeed Ahmad (ex-IPS & ex-DGP, Uttar Pradesh) and Dr. G.K. Goswami (IPS & Founder Director of Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Sciences) on the intersection of forensic science, police investigation, and criminal law. They discuss forms of forensic evidence, forensic frauds and procedural safeguards, and state capacity in forensic methods of investigation, in the context of ensuring a free and fair trial of the accused. Dr. G.K. Goswami can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-g-k-goswami-ab16a729/. Readings: Forensic Law 2021 by Dr. G.K. Goswami "Skin-to-Skin Touch" for Defining Child Sexual Assault: Interpretational Vagaries of the POCSO Provisions" by Dr G.K. Goswami & Aditi

The State of Rajasthan recently passed a law on social security for platform-based gig workers. Under the law, a 1-2 percent welfare cess will be levied on the value of every online transaction and the amounts will go into a welfare fund to be used for the benefit of gig workers. In this episode, Anupam Manur & Shrikrishna Upadhyaya discuss the drawbacks of the Rajasthan model of social security for gig workers. They dwell on the nature of gig jobs in India, problems with socialising social security in the form of a single fund, the responsibility of the state to offer universal social security to all its citizens, and alternative ways of securing social security for the gig workers. Readings: Indian gig workers ought to get a well-crafted social security net | Mint Don’t rush to mimic Rajasthan gig workers law Compensation for Accident Victims Isn’t a ‘Favour’ – and the State Must Be More Accountable

Every country advances its foreign policy objectives through public diplomacy initiatives via its embassies and consulates. Australia is no different. Through various economic, creative & cultural initiatives, Australia advocates their goals in India in their interactions with governments, businesses, societies, and individuals. In this episode, Carl Jaison speaks to Sarah Kirlew, Australia’s Consul General in Chennai about Australia’s various public diplomacy efforts in India, how it links to its larger foreign policy agenda, and the impact of grant programs like the Direct Aid Program