This episode unpacks several key issues that shape India’s role on the global stage. As India navigates the path to re-establishing stability along its contested border with China, Gokhale and Varma analyze what the recent BRICS Summit outcomes and new patrolling agreements mean for India-China relations. They also explore the broader implications of India’s balancing act between the U.S. and Russia, especially in the context of the Ukraine crisis and India’s role as a potential communicator.

The conversation touches on India's long-term approach to its partnership with the U.S., considering the upcoming U.S. elections and shared interests in technology and energy. Additionally, our experts reflect on the complexities of India-China economic integration, highlighting the need to manage dependencies in critical sectors while building alternative supply chains. Together, these insights provide a nuanced perspective on India's diplomatic strategies in an increasingly multipolar world.

Episode Contributors

Vijay Gokhale is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India and a former Indian Foreign Secretary. He has served as India’s ambassador to China and Germany, with extensive expertise in Indo-Pacific affairs, Chinese politics, and diplomacy.

D.B. Venkatesh Varma is a distinguished fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation and has served as India’s ambassador to Russia and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. He brings deep experience in India’s security and defense policies.

Additional Readings

Stabilizing the Border: A Possible Way Ahead in the Post-Galwan Situation by Vijay Gokhale

A Conversation with His Excellency Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister by Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar

Crosswinds: Nehru, Zhou and the Anglo-American Competition over China by Vijay Gokhale

Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.

As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.

Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.

Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

India's lunar exploration journey began with Chandrayaan-1, which marked a significant milestone in 2008 by becoming the first Indian mission to orbit the moon. This mission also contributed to the discovery of water ice on the moon, catalyzing renewed global interest in lunar exploration. India has since built on this success with subsequent Chandrayaan missions, most recently Chandrayaan-3, which achieved a successful soft landing on the moon.

In this episode, Jatan Mehta discusses the strategic importance of lunar exploration for India and how Chandrayaan-3 has provided India with a solid foundation for future missions. He emphasizes that while India has made significant progress, it still lags behind space giants like China in terms of capabilities and resources. However, India's increasing participation in international collaborations, such as the U.S.-led Artemis Accords and the LUPEX mission with Japan, positions it well for future advancements in lunar exploration.

The discussion also touches on the challenges of lunar exploration, including the technical difficulties of landing on the moon and the uncertainties surrounding lunar resources like water ice. As nations compete for access to the moon's South Pole, Jatan explains that there is still much to learn about the actual accessibility of these resources.

Furthermore, Jatan highlights the role of private space companies and the growing interest in international partnerships. He mentions how India's collaboration with NASA and Japan could enhance its lunar capabilities, and the potential for India's private sector to contribute to global lunar missions.

Episode Contributors

Jatan Mehta is a globally published independent space writer and the author of Moon Monday, the world’s only newsletter dedicated to covering lunar exploration developments from around the globe. He also writes Indian Space Progress, a monthly report contextualizing the progress of India’s increasingly relevant space capabilities in the global arena. He has also been an Editorial Consultant for space organizations globally.

Tejas Bharadwaj is a research analyst with the Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India. He focuses on space law and policies and also works on areas related to applications of artificial intelligence and autonomy in the military domain and U.S-India export controls. Tejas is also part of the group that works in convening Carnegie India’s annual flagship event, the “Global Technology Summit” co-organized with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Additional Readings

Moon Monday Blog by Jatan Mehta
Chandrayaan Missions - ISRO
Artemis Accords
China's Lunar Exploration Program
NASA's CLPS Program

Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.

As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.

Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.

Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The Modi-Biden era is characterized by a profound deepening of ties between India and the U.S., with significant cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, enhanced defense partnerships, and strengthened diplomatic ties. Arun K. Singh discusses initiatives such as the iCET and the INDUS-X, which bolster the partnership, particularly in high-tech sectors like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and defense. The conversation also covers strategic challenges and alignments, particularly concerning China and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Throughout the episode, Singh articulates the nuanced shifts in policy and perspective shaping the relationship since the early 2000s. From nuclear agreements to the recent developments under the Quad framework, the dialogue illuminates the collaborative efforts defining current U.S.-India ties. The discussion not only explores strategic imperatives but also delves into the personal dynamics between leaders, highlighting their pivotal role in bilateral engagements. The episode underscores the complexities and strategic considerations that continue to drive the India-U.S. relationship forward in the face of global challenges.

Episode Contributors

Arun K. Singh is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. Singh has extensive experience across the globe, including as India’s ambassador to the United States, Israel, and France. Throughout his distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service, he has served during pivotal periods in key global capitals and was instrumental in shaping India’s policies, notably the continued progress in the U.S.-India relationship, India’s closer ties to Israel, and the formulation and implementation of India’s policies related to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, including in the period following 9/11.

Rudra Chaudhuri is the director of Carnegie India. His research focuses on the diplomatic history of South Asia, contemporary security issues, and the important role of emerging technologies and digital public infrastructure in diplomacy, statecraft, and development.

Readings:

The Modi-Biden Dynamic for Next Steps in India-U.S. Relations by Arun K. Singh

The U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET): The Way Forward by Rudra Chaudhuri, Konark Bhandari, and Ashima Singh

A Quad Initiative on Digital Public Infrastructure by Rudra Chaudhuri and Aadya Gupta

Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.

As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.

Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.

Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.