

All Things Policy
Takshashila Institution
Ever wondered how automation will change the world? Maybe you puzzle over what India could do to ease traffic congestion, or how China's aircraft carriers will transform Indian Ocean geopolitics? All Things Policy, a daily podcast brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, brings you all the answers. Every weekday, our researchers break down complex economic and geopolitical ideas through the lens of current events. For everyone from the busy executive to the curious student, All Things Policy is all you'll need to understand the world (and appreciate your breakfast) better.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 18, 2026 • 39min
Urban Heat: A Society, Market, and Government Perspective
In this episode, Sowmya Prabhakar is in conversation with Dr Y Nithiyanandam to vent about the heat. We will examine it through the lens of Society, Markets, and Government to determine possible solutions.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 17, 2026 • 24min
Invisible Data Workers Powering Machine Learning Models
AI systems depend on vast amounts of labelled data, produced by “data workers” who tag images, categorise text, and review content so machine-learning models can function accurately and safely. While the data-annotation market is rapidly expanding, the labour behind it often remains invisible. Much of this work uses BPO firms in countries like India, where workers - frequently women - are recruited with promises of flexible work-from-home jobs. In reality, many face vague contracts and limited legal or mental-health protections. As AI scales globally, this raises urgent questions about the ethical sustainability of data annotation and who should be responsible for safeguarding the workers who power it. Join Kripa Koshy in conversation with Bharath Reddy and Suman Joshi as they unpack all this and more in this episode.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 16, 2026 • 25min
Behind the Scenes of Conflict Mediation
In this episode of All Things Policy, Pakistan researcher Aishwaria Sonavane speaks with peace mediation expert Ameya Kilara. Drawing on her experience facilitating dialogues between India and Pakistan, as well as in Syria, Kilara discusses what the day-to-day work of mediation actually looks like beyond the negotiating table. The conversation explores how mediators operate in low-trust environments between stakeholders and the patterns they often notice in peace efforts that policymakers sometimes overlook. The episode also reflects on whether the idea of a “peace process” still holds in today’s geopolitical climate, and how social media and domestic political pressures are reshaping the possibilities for conflict resolution.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 14, 2026 • 26min
Can India Solve the LPG Crisis?
In this episode of All Things Policy, Bhumika Sevkani and Anisree Suresh unpack India’s LPG supply challenges amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. They examine how geopolitical disruptions affect India’s cooking fuel supply, assess the government’s interventions in managing LPG demand and supply, and discuss both the immediate responses and long-term solutions to strengthen India’s household energy security.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 13, 2026 • 35min
Financing The Future Of Indian Sport
In this episode of All Things Policy, Malathi Renati gets an insider view from Anil Kumar, Founder of Great SportsTech, on Financing the Future of Sport in India. As India’s sports economy accelerates toward a projected $130B opportunity, they unpack what’s really driving growth — from the ₹4,480 Cr Union sports budget and Khelo India’s expanding footprint to CSR investments, PPP models, and the growing appetite of the society. Anil shares hard-earned insights on bridging public funding gaps, scaling private capital, and building resilient, future-ready facilities. If you're interested in the intersection of policy, markets, and sport, this conversation offers a ground-level view of where India is headed.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 12, 2026 • 38min
Unpacking the 16th Finance Commission Recommendations
Federalism is a defining feature of India’s republic. It shapes the relationship between the Union government and the states. One of the important aspects of this relationship is how revenues are shared. This is where the Finance Commission comes in. It helps shape how money flows from the union to the states and how it is distributed among the states. In this episode, Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi reflect and discuss the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 11, 2026 • 28min
Anthropic's Pentagon Problem and the Inevitability of AI Diffusion
Two recent developments have thrust Anthropic into the centre of AI geopolitics. The company has accused three Chinese research labs of running “industrial-scale” campaigns to reverse engineer its frontier models. At the same time, it has been labelled a supply-chain risk by the Trump administration over safety guardrails for the use of AI. Bharath Reddy and Shobhankita Reddy, researchers in technology geopolitics at the Takshashila Institution, unpack what all this reveals about AI diffusion and the way forward in Military AI.All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 10, 2026 • 32min
Why the Last Internet Shutdown Has Already Happened
Ashwin Prasad, a researcher and educator on satellite internet and space policy, discusses Starlink’s shift to direct-to-mobile and how it could turn smartphones into users of space-based connectivity. He covers rapid uptake in Africa and conflict zones, creative low-cost local access models, and why developing nations may drive demand for satellite broadband.

Mar 9, 2026 • 41min
The Newer Era of China's Socio-Economic Trajectory
As China convenes its 'Two Sessions', the draft of Beijing's 15th Five-Year Plan is grabbing global attention. The plan features, among other domains, a heavy focus on building Science & Tech Self-Reliance and a modern industrial system. It also reiterates the party-states now-long time impetus for boosting domestic consumption and cracking down on involution and overcapacity.In this episode of All Things Policy, Amit Kumar discusses with Anushka Saxena the meat of the matter in terms of these socio-economic priorities of the Chinese party-state – what they are planning, how they plan to tackle both the challenges and the opportunities, and what the world can expect from Beijing in the next five years.Also check out Amit Kumar's latest paper with Manoj Kewalramani on previewing and decoding China's 15th FYP: https://eyeonchina.substack.com/p/china-at-the-cross-roads-of-the-14thAll Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/research-areasCheck out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Mar 6, 2026 • 25min
India’s Trade Strategy for the Emerging World
Anisree Suresh, research associate in geoeconomics at the Takshashila Institution, explains India's fast-moving trade diplomacy. She discusses new FTAs with the EU, UK, Oman and others. Short takes examine how deals reshape supply chains, the calculus behind concessions, and why market diversification and domestic reforms matter for trade strategy.


