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.

There has been a significant transformation in Europe-China relations over the past decade, with a shift from economic optimism to cautious de-risking. While Europe has sought partnerships with China, particularly in industrial and technological sectors, there are increasing concerns about economic dependencies that may be leveraged by Beijing for political gain. The Russia-Ukraine war has further complicated the dynamic, as China’s support for Russia has created divisions within Europe regarding how to engage with China moving forward.

In this episode, Janka Oertel explains the key drivers behind Europe’s changing relationship with China and the ongoing debates in European policy circles about how to reduce dependencies on Chinese goods, technology, and investments without completely decoupling. She emphasizes that de-risking is not a simple, one-size-fits-all strategy but rather a complex process that varies across European countries and industries.

The episode also discusses how China has sought to deepen relationships with countries in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, providing investments through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to gain access to EU markets. Oertel notes that while some EU countries have welcomed Chinese investments, others are growing increasingly wary of Beijing’s intentions.

The conversation touches on how Europe is looking to collaborate with India and the Global South as part of its broader strategy to diversify partnerships and reduce its reliance on China. The discussion highlights the importance of political will on both sides to make the EU-India relationship a cornerstone of future European foreign policy.

Episode Contributors:

Janka Oertel is the Director of the Asia Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Her research focuses on EU-China relations, US-China relations, Asia-Pacific security, and emerging technologies. She is the author of "End of the China Illusion: How We Must Deal with Beijing's Claim to Power."

Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decision-making. She also writes extensively on South Asian regional dynamics and minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific.

Additional Readings:

• The End of Germany’s China illusion With Janka Oertel by Janka Oertel
• EU-China Relations: De-Risking or De-Coupling—the Future of the EU Strategy Towards China: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2024/754446/EXPO_STU(2024)754446_EN.pdf
• European Commission’s 2019 Strategic Outlook on China: https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2019-03/communication-eu-china-a-strategic-outlook.pdf
• "China's New International Paradigm: Security First" by Helena Legarda: https://merics.org/en/chinas-new-international-paradigm-security-first
• "This isn't a new weapon, it is a new world"—three things Oppenheimer tells us about tech. https://www.ias.edu/news/video-2024-public-policy-lecture

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.

There are many factors that have led to China's more assertive foreign policy, especially under Xi Jinping. In this episode, Helena Legarda discusses the centralization of power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and how this has influenced China's strategic ambitions on the global stage. She also highlights the increasing role of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in defense diplomacy and how various domestic agencies, including think tanks and local governments, contribute to shaping China’s foreign policy.

The conversation also touches on the CCP's reliance on nationalism as a source of legitimacy, especially in the face of economic challenges. Helena discusses how this heightened nationalism impacts China's foreign relations and the challenges it poses for the international community.

Additionally, the conversation explores the evolving relationship between Europe and China, particularly the European Union's strategy of "de-risking" rather than decoupling from China. Legarda provides insights into how Europe’s changing stance towards China might influence global geopolitics and the role that countries like India could play in this new strategic environment.

How does China balance its ambitions for global leadership with the growing challenges at home? What role does defense diplomacy play in China's foreign policy? And how are global powers like the EU and India adjusting to China's rising influence?

Episode Contributors

Helena Legarda is a lead analyst with MERICS. Her research focuses on China’s defense and foreign policies, including their domestic sources and drivers, and their geopolitical impact. Prior to joining MERICS she gained professional experience at the Delegation of the European Union to China and at research and advisory firm China Policy in Beijing.

Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decision-making. She also writes extensively on South Asian regional dynamics and minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific.

Additional Readings:

The Xi Jinping Doctrine of China’s International Relations by Feng Zhang

China’s New International Paradigm: Security First by Helena Legarda

"Comprehensive National Security" Unleashed: How Xi's approach Shapes China's Policies at Home and Abroad by Katja Drinhausen and Helena Legarda

EU-China Relations: De-Risking or De-Coupling − The Future of the EU Strategy Towards China

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.

In this special 5th-anniversary episode of Interpreting India, the Carnegie India team reflects on five years of insightful conversations that have shaped the podcast. With over 100 episodes produced, the podcast has consistently explored crucial topics influencing India and the world, from technology and geopolitics to economic policies and urban governance.

The episode features reflections from various hosts who discuss their favorite episodes, the most impactful discussions, and the enduring themes that have resonated with the audience. The hosts also share their plans for the future, aiming to delve even deeper into the issues that matter most, with more extended and in-depth conversations.

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 episode provides an in-depth analysis of the structural challenges that led to the slowdown in private investment in India from 2011, highlighting the impact of policy uncertainty, weak rule of law, and central planning on business confidence. Ajay Shah advocates for broader policy reforms that enhance the institutional environment, making it more conducive to private sector participation in the economy.

He also discusses the strategic importance of fiscal discipline in the context of India's economic challenges. He emphasizes the need for a prudent approach to deficit management, arguing that a flexible fiscal policy, which adapts to economic cycles, is more suitable for India than rigid deficit targets. The discussion also explores the role of infrastructure investments, questioning whether the current government-led infrastructure push effectively addresses the deeper issues of private sector investment and economic growth.

Additionally, Shah touches upon the ongoing debate around tax policy, particularly the potential overhaul of India's direct tax code and the implications of capital gains taxation. He underscores the importance of aligning tax policy with the broader goal of promoting capital formation and economic growth in India.

How can India balance fiscal discipline with the need for economic growth? What are the underlying reasons for the private sector's reluctance to invest in India? How can tax policy reforms contribute to India's economic objectives?

Additional Readings

In Service of the Republic: The Art and Science of Economic Policy by Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah

Foreign Investors Under Stress: Evidence from India by Ila Patnaik, Ajay Shah, and Nirvikar Singh

Scale Economies, Product Differentiation, and the Pattern of Trade by Paul Krugman

The Case for Trade Barriers Against Chinese Imports by Ila Patnaik and Ajay Shah

The State of the Economy by Ajay Shah

Government Programs Have a Limited Impact on Employment by Ajay Shah

Where Has All the Infrastructure Gone? | Episode 55 | Everything is Everything

Strategic Thinking on Fiscal Policy by Ajay Shah

Where Has All the Infrastructure Gone? | Episode 55 | Everything is Everything

Episode Contributors:

Ajay Shah is a senior research fellow and co-founder of XKDR Forum. He has held positions at the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the Indira Gandhi Institute for Development Research (IGIDR), the Department of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, and the National Institute for Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP). His research lies at the intersection of economics, law, and public administration.

Suyash Rai is a deputy director and fellow at Carnegie India. His research focuses on the political economy of economic reforms, and the performance of public institutions in India. His current research looks at the financial sector, the fiscal system, and the infrastructure sector.

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.

Space sustainability has become a critical issue with the increasing presence of space debris. In this episode, Quentin Verspieren provides insights into the ESA’s zero-debris approach and the collaborative efforts needed to achieve it. The conversation focuses on the importance of developing advanced technologies for debris mitigation and remediation and how private companies can drive innovation to contribute to space sustainability. Verspieren also discusses the role of global partnerships in promoting a zero-debris approach and how the Zero-Debris Charter complements international space law norms.

Additionally, the conversation addresses the financial and technological challenges faced by emerging spacefaring countries in adopting sustainable space practices. Verspieren emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach involving all stakeholders, including governments, private companies, and international organizations, to ensure space remains a viable environment for future generations.

Episode Contributors

Quentin Verspieren is the Space Safety Programme and Protect Accelerator Coordinator at the Directorate of Operations, European Space Agency. In this role, he leads the development of ambitious European initiatives on debris mitigation and remediation, and space weather services. Verspieren is a visiting assistant professor at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy. He has two master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from ISAE-SUPAERO and The University of Tokyo and a Ph.D. in public policy.

Tejas Bharadwaj is a research analyst with the Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India. He focuses on space law and policies and 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 convened Carnegie India’s annual flagship event, the Global Technology Summit, co-organized with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Suggested Readings

The Zero Debris Charter, European Space Agency

Zero Debris Charter Aims to Boost International Cooperation on Cleaning up Earth’s Space Junk Problem, Space.com

Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, UNCOPUOS

India’s Intent on Debris-Free Space Missions, ISRO

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 rapid urban growth has brought to light numerous challenges, including unmanageable expansion, inadequate housing, and air pollution. Vidyadhar Phatak discusses how historical planning models and regulatory frameworks have contributed to these issues and offers insights into potential solutions. The conversation highlights the importance of adapting urban planning to market realities, enhancing regulatory frameworks, and improving planning education to better address the needs of Indian cities.

In Planning for India's Urbanization (2024), Phatak provides a comprehensive analysis of urban development in India, focusing on the links between economic growth and urbanization, the importance of land use, housing affordability, and metropolitan governance. The episode emphasizes the need for localized and context-specific planning to foster sustainable urban development.

How can historical planning models be reformed to meet the needs of modern Indian cities? What are the advantages and disadvantages of different land assembly methods? How can redevelopment be facilitated in already built-up areas? What are the challenges and opportunities in planning education and the profession?

Episode Contributors

Vidyadhar Phatak is a renowned urban planner with over forty years of professional experience. He has extensively researched housing affordability, public land use, and urban planning reforms. Phatak retired as the Principal Chief of the Town and Country Planning Division of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority in 2004. He has served on the Planning Commission Task Force on Urban Development and the National Commission on Urbanization. His book, Planning for India's Urbanization, offers a collection of essays on urban development based on his observations of Mumbai and Maharashtra, with broader applicability to other Indian cities.

Anirudh Burman is an associate research director and fellow at Carnegie India. He works on key issues relating to public institutions, public administration, the administrative and regulatory state, and state capacity. He has also worked extensively on financial regulation and regulatory governance. Burman brings a nuanced perspective to urban planning and development discussions, drawing on his extensive knowledge and research experience.

Additional Readings

Planning for India's Urbanization by Vidyadhar Pathak

Scaling Heights: Affordability Implications of Zoning Deregulation in India by Geetika Nagpal and Salil Gandhi

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.