The Takshashila Podcast

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...

The 1962 war with China scarred India and had a lasting impact on its politics. But why did the war break out? How did the world react? And are there any lessons for today? Manoj Kewalramani, Suyash Desai and Sankalp Gurjar discuss. You can listen to...

This week, 57 years ago a crisis broke out in the Caribbean that brought the world closest its ever been to all-out nuclear war. In this episode, Shibani Mehta, Pranav RS and Aditya Ramanathan debate the lessons of the confrontation for the future....

How do countries think about revolutionary changes in the character of war? In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani, Pranav RS, and Aditya Ramanathan debate the dynamics driving strategic and military innovations from the gunpowder era to our times. You...

Nearly 25% of India’s defence expenditure for this year will be used to service the pension bill. Is this sustainable? And how does it impact modernisation? Manoj Kewalramani talks to General Prakash Menon and Pranay Kotasthane about their new study...

Will China have autonomous cars before the West? Is inflation no longer a worry for emerging markets? And why are the EU and Russia patching up now? Manoj Kewalramani, Sankalp Gurjar and Utkarsh Narain discuss all this and more in this week’s...

Sweeter than honey and higher than the mountains-that’s how China and Pakistan describe their relationship. But what really drives it? Is it just about containing India or are there other factors involved? Manoj Kewalramani talks to Suyash Desai and...

Is the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping an empty gesture or a valuable diplomatic initiative? Our China watchers, Manoj Kewalramani and Suyash Desai join host Aditya Ramanathan to debate the value of such a...

Delhi and Dhaka signed several agreements during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visit, despite concerns about issues like the NRC. Shambhavi Naik talks to Pranav RS, Sankalp Gurjar and Suyash Desai about the future of the India-Bangladesh...