

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

Sep 2, 2024 • 26min
Obesity - Why Should We Care
The podcast delves into obesity as a looming public health crisis, particularly examining its skyrocketing rates since the 1990s. It discusses the vital role of government in addressing market failures, suggesting measures like food taxation. Nutritional awareness is highlighted, with ideas for better food labeling systems. The interplay between community health and urban infrastructure is explored, emphasizing the need for parks and gyms. Finally, it calls for systemic policy changes to combat obesity, urging a shift from personal responsibility to collective action.

Aug 30, 2024 • 43min
Chinese Industrial Overcapacity: Debate or Reality?
In the past few months, the issue of surplus supply or 'overcapacity' in the Chinese production ecosystem has led to a ringing of alarm bells in the economies of the geopolitical West. Using both a national security and economic logic to approach the issue, Western countries have slapped import tariffs of upto a 100% on Chinese exports to prevent dumping. The supply glut is also causing low profitability for Chinese firms, amidst an already slowing economy.
In this special video episode of Takshashila's 'All Things Policy' podcast, Pranay Kotasthane and Anushka Saxena weigh in on the debate surrounding Chinese overcapacity. They also discuss policy approaches India can adopt to address potential fallouts of such overcapacity. Tune in now!
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 29, 2024 • 54min
Competition in the Cloud
Payal Malik, an expert on cloud competition, joins Bhargavee Das, a cloud professional, and Harishankar Jagadeesh to discuss recent findings on the competitive landscape of cloud services. They dive into the impact of major players like Microsoft and AWS on smaller providers and tackle issues like egress fees that hinder market competition. The guests suggest a decentralized open cloud network to boost collaboration and advocate for India's industrial policy to promote self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on hyperscalers.

Aug 28, 2024 • 30min
Ethical concerns with synthetic biology
It is estimated that over the next 30 years, synthetic biology will affect more than $30 billion of economic activity. Saurabh Todi and Shambhavi Naik discuss the opportunity, challenges and ethical concerns of this gamechanger technology.
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 27, 2024 • 46min
Is an Inter-State Migration Council the Need of the Hour?
According to estimates, 2024 marks the point when the absolute size of the working age (20-64) population of OECD, or Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries) begins to shrink. These broad depopulation trends will invariably impact migration patterns both internationally and domestically in India. Join Kripa Koshy (Programme Manager, Takshashila) in conversation with Prof. Chinmay Tumbe, Associate Professor in the Economics Area at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, as they unpack some of these migration considerations in the Indian context.
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 26, 2024 • 23min
How should the government support the Indian space industry?
The recent budget announced the creation of a ₹1000 Crore Venture Capital fund for space startups in the country. Join Ashwin and Vanshika in this episode as they discuss the different ways in which governments can support the private space sector.
Reading: https://theprint.in/opinion/govts-rs-1000-cr-fund-for-space-sector-has-drawbacks-it-should-bet-on-outcomes-not-ideas/2222314/
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 23, 2024 • 28min
Inside India's indigenous jet engine Aspirations
On India's way towards Atmanirbharta, one of the critical technologies, the Jet Engine, is still on the checklist. The path to this has been long and complicated. This highlights the intricate and sophisticated nature of this technology. In this episode, Avinash Shet speaks with Air Marshal TD Joseph (retd) about India's ambition to indigenously develop a jet engine.
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 22, 2024 • 42min
Reimagining Social Security for 21st Century India
Our social security system suffers from inadequate coverage and financing. In this episode, Arindam and Ashwin discuss a new approach that could effectively connect potential contributors with those in need of a social security safety net. It is a re-imagination of the role societies could play in taking care of their own.
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 21, 2024 • 32min
The Bangladesh Crisis and India
There is no doubt that the fall of Shaikh Hasina’s democratically elected government in Bangladesh poses both a strategic as well as a diplomatic challenge to India. This crisis underscores the delicate interplay of regional politics, international interests, and the implications for India’s own strategic interests. Prime Minister Hasina was in charge of Bangladesh for 15 years, and what began as a student-led agitation, soon turned out to be a regime-change situation in a matter of weeks. In this episode of All Things Policy, Takshashila Senior Fellow Sachin Kalbag and Takshashila Scholar Yusuf Unjhawala discuss the contours of the events and what they mean for India.
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in

Aug 20, 2024 • 23min
GM Mustard and Natural Farming- Story so far and the way ahead
There were 2 important developments in the biotech/science field. One, The SC gave a split verdict on the GM mustard issue. Two, the government announced a proposal to help farmers move towards Natural Farming. Shambhavi and Suman discuss the policy aspects of both these and attempt to lay down the path forward for food security in India.
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/
Take our 'China Challenge' survey here: https://shorturl.at/XMUW7
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in


