The Takshashila Podcast

Why have Indian Twitter users started moving to Mastodon? What is the so-called Fediverse, and will it replace Twitter? Utkarsh Narain, Anirudh Kanisetti and Prateek Waghre break it down. Utkarsh Narain -  Anirudh Kanisetti -  Prateek Waghre...

An unwieldy coalition is set to rule Spain but will it last? What good are aircraft carriers in today’s world? How are online platforms like Netflix changing media competition? Sankalp Gurjar, Utkarsh Narain and Manoj Kewalramani talk about all this...

The IndiGen project will map genes across India's ethnic groups to discover clinically actionable genetic information. Shambhavi Naik, Pranay Kotasthane and Anirudh Kanisetti discuss the importance of this project, the opportunities it presents and...

New technologies are pushing the boundaries of how long humans beings can lead healthy lives. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani, Shambhavi Naik, and Ganesh Chakravarthy debate the scientific and philosophical questions that stem from the human quest...

Was Jawaharlal Nehru a starry-eyed foreign policy optimist? Did he have a more realist strategy than we like to think? And how did his actions shape the future trajectory of Indian diplomacy? On the late PM’s 130th birth anniversary, Sankalp Gurjar...

How will climate change transform societies and economies? What solutions do we have ready right now? Australian climate change scholar Prof Tim Flannery joins Manoj Kewalramani and Sankalp Gurjar in today’s episode to explain. You can listen to...

Why are nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia falling apart or under pressure? What new dangers do they pose? And what can be done about them? In this episode, arms control expert Petr Topychkanov talks to Aditya Ramanathan and...

How is the post-election politics shaping up in Afghanistan? What is the prospect of peace after the Presidential elections in September? Pranay Kotasthane talks to Anand Arni and Sankalp Gurjar. You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on...

How should great powers support local governments fighting insurgencies? And is the Indian Army’s Cold Start doctrine still relevant? In this episode, Walter C Ladwig III, an associate professor at King’s College London, joins Manoj Kewalramani...

On this episode, Dr Manpreet Sethi, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies, tells Aditya Ramanathan and Pranav RS why nuclear no-first-use is the best strategy for India. You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM...

What is realism in international relations? Where are the Indian realists? And what do they think of the India-China relationship? Prof. Rajesh Rajagopalan of Jawaharlal Nehru University discusses with Sankalp Gurjar and Pranay Kotasthane. You can...

China’s nuclear arsenal has evolved and expanded since its first nuclear test in 1964. In this episode, Sankalp Gurjar talks to Pranav RS and Suyash Desai about how Chinese thinking on nuclear weapons has changed over the years. You can listen to...

Standard economic wisdom tells you people are self-interested, rational actors. But behavioural science says otherwise. How can we better understand the irrationalities that guide our daily existence, and how can we use that to achieve better policy...

A new paper has made some interesting recommendations for how India's armed forces can manage the challenge from China. But are they feasible? General Prakash Menon and Manoj Kewalramani join Aditya Ramanathan to discuss. The paper from Center for a...

In the last two decades, Africa has seen extraordinary leaps in access to mobile phones, sparking an IT revolution across the continent. Andre-Michel Essoungou, Cameroonian journalist and Political Officer at the United Nations, joins Anirudh...

As CCTVs become more ubiquitous in Indian cities and facial recognition algorithms become more advanced, we may be moving towards a world where technology is used to violate individuals’ privacy and their fundamental rights. Apar Gupta, Executive...

With an election in limbo and uncertain peace talks, Afghanistan’s long war could pack some surprises for India. In this special episode, Nitin Pai joins Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Lt General Prakash Menon to discuss how India can best craft an...

The informal summit in Mamallapuram between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping may have generated photo ops, but does it provide a way forward for ties between Asia’s two giants? Nitin Pai sparks debate between Lt General Prakash...

In the recent past, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or assisted reproductive technologies has enabled women of older age to bear children. What are the ethical dilemmas of such births? Should the government regulate them? Shambhavi Naik thrown open this...

Viktor Orbán’s setback in Budapest; Japan’s Naruhito faces royal restrictions; psychedelics could treat depression; and China’s uncomfortable tryst with football acquisitions. Manoj Kewalramani joins Sankalp Gurjar and Utkarsh Narain to discuss...