Bharatvaarta

The Bharatvaarta Weekly is our reaction to the news headlines of the   week that was. If you liked this episode, then don’t forget to subscribe  to our channel and share this content. You can stay updated with  everything at Bharatvaarta by following us on social media: we're  @bharatvaarta on Twitter, facebook.com/bharatvaarta.in on Facebook, and  @bharatvaarta on Instagram).

India unveiled its first National Hydrogen Policy in January this year  with an aim to boost production and use of cleaner sources of energy.  The 2021-22 budget allocated Rs. 1500 crore for renewable energy  development. Issues faced with current systems include high AT&C  losses, inefficient distribution, and billing, The plan will focus on generation of hydrogen from green power resources  and on linking India’s growing renewable capacity with the hydrogen  economy. It will also effectively integrate renewable energy in the  present energy mix. This will be done by scaling up the gas pipeline  infrastructure across the country and introducing smart grids. Green hydrogen (GH) producers are to be exempt for 25 years from paying  inter-state transmission charges. Bulk consumers will now also be  exempted from paying ISTC till 2045. The MOP policy assures GH producers  open access to renewable energy generators anywhere in the national  grid. Currently, all of India’s hydrogen, about 6 million tonnes  annually, is gray. By 2050, nearly 80% of India’s hydrogen is projected  to be ‘green’. To speak about this emerging topic, we have Rajat Seksaria, CEO at Acme  Solar which is among the largest Renewables company in India. In this  episode, he speaks about topics such as additions that can be made to  the national hydrogen policy, pros and cons of hydrogen as a fuel, how  the hydrogen policy fits within India's push towards green energy, and  more.

In March and April 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the  Russian military to begin massing thousands of military personnel and  equipment near its border with Ukraine and in Crimea, representing the  largest mobilization since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.  This precipitated an international crisis and generated concerns over a  potential invasion. Satellite imagery showed movements of armour,  missiles, and heavy weaponry. The troops were partially removed by June.  The crisis was renewed in October and November 2021, when over 100,000  Russian troops were again massed surrounding Ukraine on three sides by  December.  The ongoing crisis stems from the protracted Russo-Ukrainian War that  began in early 2014. In December 2021, Russia advanced two draft  treaties that contained requests for what it referred to as "security  guarantees", including a legally binding promise that Ukraine would not  join the NATO as well as a reduction in NATO troops and military  hardware stationed in Eastern Europe, and threatened unspecified  military response if those demands were not met in full.   NATO has rejected these requests, and the United States warned Russia of  "swift and severe" economic sanctions should it further invade Ukraine.  Bruno Maçães is a Portuguese politician, consultant and author. He is a  nonresident senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. He is a former  Secretary of State for European Affairs in Portugal. In this livestream,  he will speak on the Russo-Ukraine crisis and more.

The Bharatvaarta Weekly is our reaction to the news headlines of the   week that was. If you liked this episode, then don’t forget to subscribe  to our channel and share this content. You can stay updated with  everything at Bharatvaarta by following us on social media: we're  @bharatvaarta on Twitter, facebook.com/bharatvaarta.in on Facebook, and  @bharatvaarta on Instagram).

Historically, India has depended on West Asian countries for energy  dependency. Moreover, due to budding business in the region, especially  in UAE, around 7 million Indians live here. This has also been a point  of discussion in bilateral talks and agreements in the past. Since the  election of the Modi government, India's discourse with the Middle East  and the rest of West Asia has revolved around topics such as  counterterrorism, security, defense cooperation and non-oil trade.   Dr. Ningthoujam is a strategic researcher, focusing on India-Middle East  relations, Israeli foreign policy, Israel’s ties with the  Southeast/East Asian countries, its military exports, geopolitics of  Middle East, International Terrorism, and Middle East-China relations.  He also holds a Ph. D., from the Centre for West Asian Studies, School  of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi for my  doctoral thesis on Israel’s Arms Exports.  In this deep dive on Indo-West Asia relationships, Dr. Alvite speaks  about topics such as the similarities and differences between various  West Asian countries, the various developmental projects undertaken by  India in the region, and the change towards West Asian relationships  with the election of PM Modi.

The legislative assembly elections are all set to get underway in 4 of  India's biggest states. We will see voting on caste lines, party lines,  and district favorites. From Uttar Pradesh, to Uttarakhand, to Punjab  and Goa, our resident political expert Rohit Jayaraman will take up a  LIVE Q&A to delve deep into the specifics of each of these states  and provide insights on India's complex electoral systems. 

The Bharatvaarta Weekly is our reaction to the news headlines of the   week that was. If you liked this episode, then don’t forget to subscribe  to our channel and share this content. You can stay updated with  everything at Bharatvaarta by following us on social media: we're  @bharatvaarta on Twitter, facebook.com/bharatvaarta.in on Facebook, and  @bharatvaarta on Instagram).

The Bharatvaarta Weekly is our reaction to the news headlines of the   week that was. If you liked this episode, then don’t forget to subscribe  to our channel and share this content. You can stay updated with  everything at Bharatvaarta by following us on social media: we're  @bharatvaarta on Twitter, facebook.com/bharatvaarta.in on Facebook, and  @bharatvaarta on Instagram).

India's ties with Central Asia can be traced back to the ancient Silk  Road, along which goods, people, and ideas flowed. Under the Modi  government, there is a renewed effort to reconnect India with the  region. During a recent summit, India expressed a need to boost its ties with  all five central Asian nations – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,  Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The five Presidents also decided to set up a  joint working group on Afghanistan.   PM Modi outlined 3 focus areas for India's relationship with the central  asian republics. Central Asia is central to India's vision of an  integrated and stable extended neighborhood and cooperation for regional  security and prosperity.  Second is to establish a framework of regular interactions, and third is  to create an ambitious roadmap for future cooperation.   China has aggressively wooed the CARs through its Belt and Road  Initiative to make their dream of a new and improved Silk Road a  reality. Chinese anxiety to consolidate its links with CARs and disallow  India from taking any initiative in the region is shown by its haste to  hold a summit with the leaders of Central Asian countries. On the other  hand trade between India and Central Asia lies at a insignificant $2  billion compared to Chinese trade with the CARs, which roughly amounts  to $100 billion. India could increase bilateral trade through energy  requirements. CARs are rich in resources such as oil, natural gas, and  uranium.   Giving us the insights on this complex geopolitical situation, we have  Rashmini Koparkar, an assistant professor at JNU and an avid follower of  central Asian politics. She is a student of International Relations,  especially those pertaining to Central Asia & Eurasia. She is also  passionate about Indian history, politics, and society.    In this episode, she speaks about topics such as the history of India  with central Asian republics, North-South corridor, the power of Russia,  USA, and China in the region, the role of Afghanistan in relations  going forward, and more.

The Bharatvaarta Weekly is our reaction to the news headlines of the   week that was. If you liked this episode, then don’t forget to subscribe  to our channel and share this content. You can stay updated with  everything at Bharatvaarta by following us on social media: we're  @bharatvaarta on Twitter, facebook.com/bharatvaarta.in on Facebook, and  @bharatvaarta on Instagram).