Pragati Staff – Pragati

Ep. 689: Democratise Credit to Create Jobs

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 27 Oct, 202127 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

Now that we have JAM, people want bread. Financial inclusion has been bandied about for decades with limited success but JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) brings new hope. Sridhar Krishna and Aarushi Kataria are working on a project at the Takshashila Institution on policy initiatives to help create 20 million jobs each year in India. In this episode, they talk about how access to credit is limiting growth. They discuss the RBI approach paper on the national policy for financial inclusion and the UNCTAD policy framework for improving access to finance. They explain why rural women are a good target segment alongside small and medium enterprises for credit access and offer ideas for bridging the digital divide in this episode.

Ep. 688: Cracks in CPEC

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 26 Oct, 202126 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is facing trouble on more than one front. These include China’s frustration with the lack of progress on the economic projects, the emerging security threat from a resurgent Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the growing anti-China sentiment in Pakistan. How will these challenges impact their all-weather strategic partnership? Suyash Desai talks to Shrey Khanna.

Ep. 687: AI Regulation: A Global Policy Challenge

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 25 Oct, 202126 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The use of Artificial Intelligence technologies is on a rise across the globe. Countries are increasingly demonstrating a keen interest in regulating their use, specifically the effects of such technologies on civic life. In this episode, Sapni G K and Megha Pardhi join Mihir Mahajan to look beyond the buzzwords and discuss regulatory initiatives that target the use of AI technologies.

Read Sapni’s and Mihir’s article in the Diplomat here.

Subscribe to Takshashila’s Technopolitik newsletter here.

Subscribe to the China Tech Dispatch here.

Ep. 686: A Practical Agenda for the Quad

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 22 Oct, 202122 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The Quad grouping has launched several new initiatives over last few months. While this is an encouraging development, there are concerns that the grouping has way too many items on its plate. Which of these areas should the Quad prioritise and why? Listen in to Hayley Channer, Senior Policy Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre in conversation with Pranay Kotasthane to find out.

Hayley is the author of a new report titled Roadmap to Quad Success: Practical Recommendations for Action and Sustainability which provides a novel framework for Quad engagement.

For further reading:

Hayley Channer’s report Roadmap to Quad Success: Practical Recommendations for Action and Sustainability
Pranay’s paper on the Quad semiconductor partnership
Fact Sheet of the Quad Leaders’ Summit in September 2021

Ep. 685: Should India Make Semiconductors?

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 21 Oct, 202121 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

While semiconductor design has always been a strong suit for India, the extremely complicated manufacturing process of semiconductor chips has never taken off in the country. Should India stick to its strengths or go all in to create a state-of-the-art fabrication facility to compete on the global stage? Arjun Gargeyas talks to Pranay Kotasthane on India’s potential foray into semiconductors manufacturing and why it may not matter in the long run.

Read Arjun’s and Pranay’s article in CNN-News18 here.

Read Pranay’s article in ISAS NUS here.

Ep: 684: Can ‘Gastrodiplomacy’ Work?

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 20 Oct, 202120 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

‘Gastrodiplomacy’ is a tool some states have used to promote themselves, a prominent example being Thailand. How effective have such food campaigns been? Ameera Rao and Priyal D’almeida discuss the effects of promoting gastrodiplomacy and its relevance in bolstering soft power today.

Ep: 683: Fantasy Sports and Karnataka’s Online Gambling Ban

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 19 Oct, 202119 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

Over the past few years, online fantasy sports in India have gone from being a rather shady area of niche interest to becoming ubiquitous, so much so that a fantasy sports platform was the title sponsor of IPL 2020. The industry holds significant economic promises, but its growth has been hindered by arbitrary bans in various Indian states. Karnataka became the latest Indian state to do so. So, what’s next for the industry? Arjun Gargeyas speaks to Atish Padhy to discuss.

Click here to read Atish’s article in the Hindustan Times analysing many of the themes covered in the podcast.

Ep. 682: Are the Balkans on Edge Again?

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 18 Oct, 202118 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

With recent headlines warning of impending hostilities between Serbia and Kosovo, there is greater attention again on the proverbial powder keg of conflict in Eastern Europe. The EU and NATO have expanded their influence in the Balkans in recent decades. Turkey and Russia, the two nations with historically significant influence in the region, continue to hold their own too. However, is conflict a serious possibility? And if so, what could be the global ramifications of such a development? Listen in as Aditya Pareek talks to Serbian journalist and geopolitical analyst Nikola Mikovic.

Ep. 681: The Shadow Pandemic: Impact of COVID-19 on mental health in India

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 14 Oct, 202118 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly affected our lives in more ways than one. It has impacted our engagement with others and disrupted daily routines. Apart from this, “Fearodemic” or the shadow pandemic has been the biggest trigger for mental health issues during the pandemic. In this episode, Aarthi Ratnam and Apurva Kumar talk about the effects of the pandemic on mental health and recommend some possible policy interventions

Read Aarthi’s article here: Improving India’s record on child mental health

Ep. 680: India’s labour force: Why are women missing?

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 13 Oct, 202113 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

India’s Women Labor Force Participation Rate (WLFPR) rate is at an abysmal 21%. Why does this matter? What are the factors that are driving this trend? And what can be done to course-correct? Priti Kataria, Anupriya Mohta and Aarushi Kataria discuss all this and more.

Anurpriya Mohta has an academic background in business and marketing. Seeking to build a career in Marketing and Brand and Operations Consulting and promote sustainable growth of organisations, esp. in the social space.

Priti Kataria is the CHRO of Wipro’s iCore business. She leads an employee base of over 100k employees across 40 different countries with 37% gender diversity. She is also pursuing a Ph.D. in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources from IIM Indore.

Reading List

Beneria, L2003. Gender, Development and Globalisation. Economics As If All People Mattered. New York: Routledge (Book)

Women, Gender and Development Reader, Edited by Nalini Visvanathan, Lynn Duggan, Nan Wiegersma and Laurie Nisonoff (Book)

Words Matter: Gender, Jobs and Applicant Behavior (Ashoka University Economics Discussion Paper)

Women’s labour force participation in India: Why is it so low? (Doc – International Labour Organisation)

Having A Glass Ceiling To Break Through Is Privilege. Here’s Why. – Forbes article

World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development

Click here to take our foreign policy survey – India’s Global Outlook Survey

Click here to know more about our upcoming course – “Evidence-based policy-making for responding to COVID-19”.

Ep. 679: Reading between the lines of the Facebook Files

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 12 Oct, 202112 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The Wall Street Journal’s Facebook Files and subsequent revelations made by the whistle-blower Frances Haugen have documented many online harms present on Facebook’s various platforms based on its own internal research.

In this episode, Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK join Rohan Seth to unpack the revelations and what a news cycle involving large technology companies looks like.

Read Takshashila’s Working Paper on Categorisation of Harms attributed to DCNs here.

Read the Facebook Files (paywall) here.

Read details about the whistleblower’s complaint to the U.S. S.E.C here.

Click here to take our foreign policy survey – “India’s Global Outlook Survey”

Click here to know more about our upcoming course – “Evidence-based policy-making for responding to COVID-19”.

Ep. 678: What’s China doing in Africa?

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 11 Oct, 202111 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

Infrastructure projects and technology investments under BRI have led to a sustained expansion of China’s stake and presence across Africa. What is the aim of this engagement? Is there a larger power struggle between the West and China? Arjun Gargeyas talks to Ameera Rao about the possible implications of Chinese investments and influence in Africa.

Read Ameera’s articles here:

Firstpost – As China’s Belt and Road Initiative steams ahead in Africa, West plays catch up

Asia Times – India should cooperate with Africa in renewable energy

Click here to take our foreign policy survey – India’s Global Outlook Survey

Click here to know more about our upcoming course.

Ep: 677: Religion and the State in Medieval South India

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 8 Oct, 20218 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The late 11th and early 12th centuries saw the origins of two remarkable religious traditions that have continued to survive to this day: Virashaivism and Srivaishnavism. Anirudh Kanisetti speaks to history scholars Revanth Utkalam and Prathik Sudha Murali to understand how they engaged with state and social structures in the medieval period.

Check out Revanth and Prathik’s podcast, Pravaha here

Click here to take our foreign policy survey – India’s Global Outlook Survey

Click here to know more about the course mentioned in the episode.

Ep. 676: Keeping up with the Splinternet

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 7 Oct, 20217 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

September 2021 has been an important month for the future of the internet, in Russia and around the world. The Play Store and the App Store have bowed to pressure and removed a ‘smart voting’ app from Alexei Navalny’s team just before the Russian elections. Rohan Seth talks to Prateek Waghre and Sapni GK about implications for global cyberspace going forward.

Click here to check out Rohan’s reading list

Click here to take our foreign policy survey – India’s Global Outlook Survey

Ep. 675: Afghanistan: 50 Days After Taliban’s Takeover

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 6 Oct, 20216 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

After 50 days of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the situation remains tense. The ISI-imposed interim government is struggling to provide political stability even as the humanitarian crisis worsens. As the interests of regional powers come into conflict in Afghanistan, what is likely to happen next? Arjun Gargeyas joins Anand Arni and Shrey Khanna to discuss the prospects of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Check out our recent document on this topic: Taliban’s Afghanistan Takeover: Assessment of Regional Powers and Indian Interests.

Also, read Shrey’s article here: 2021 isn’t Pakistan’s 1971

Ep. 674: Regulating Judicial Data

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 5 Oct, 20215 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

India’s judicial system is in need of a whole host of reforms. However, one crucial aspect of this reform process should be the regulation of judicial data. This requires ensuring the right balance between transparency and privacy.

In this episode, Aakanksha Mishra and Siddharth Mandrekar Rao talk to Sarthak Pradhan, about the reasons and the mechanisms for regulating judicial data.

Aakanksha Mishra is a Research Associate with Daksh. She is a dual-qualified lawyer eligible to practice in India and New York. Siddharth Mandrekar Rao is a Research Associate with Daksh. At Daksh, his research focuses on political economy and the judiciary.

Check out the paper discussed in the podcast – https://dakshindia.org/judicial-data-regulation/

Ep. 673: The UK’s Space Strategy

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 4 Oct, 20214 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

The UK has released its first-ever National Space Strategy document, which emphasizes the importance of nurturing its space sector, its concerns about adversarial counter-space capabilities, and its desire for international collaboration towards mitigating in-orbit threats.

Aditya Ramanathan joins Aditya Pareek to discuss the document and think through what lessons it might hold for India.

Links to resources mentioned in the episode:

UK’s National Space Strategy Document

Takshashila Issue Paper – India and the Artemis Accords

Takshashila Discussion Document – Space as a Geopolitical Environment

Ep. 672: The Sounds and Stories of Kerala’s Theyyam Rituals

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 1 Oct, 20211 Oct, 2021Comments are Disabled

Theyyam rituals in Kerala, performed annually by communities across the state, contain fascinating subaltern mythologies and musical practices passed down through centuries. Archaeologist and musician Aditya Mohanan joins Anirudh Kanisetti to discuss his latest research, an ethnomusicological study of Theyyam and its practitioners.

Read Aditya’s paper, “Sounds from a Silenced Divinity”, here.

Listen to Midhaven’s album, “Of the Lotus and the Thunderbolt”, here.

Ep. 671: Machine Learning Algorithm for COVID Screening

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 30 Sep, 202130 Sep, 2021Comments are Disabled

Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI-ML) have been used to detect, diagnose and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. One such approach was used by Greece to screen potential asymptomatic cases entering the country.

This machine-learning system has been described in the latest issue of Journal Nature (Efficient and targeted COVID-19 border testing via reinforcement learning). Priyal D’almeida and Ruturaj Gowaikar discuss how the system was employed successfully for screening, the potential challenges of using such technology, and whether India should employ such capabilities in the future.

Ep. 670: Emigration – Can India fill the World’s Vacancies?

by Pragati StaffAll Things Policy - A Pragati Initiative 29 Sep, 202129 Sep, 2021Comments are Disabled

Many developed countries in Europe and Asia have an ageing population and a shortage of skilled people to fill vacancies in the workforce. India has a very young population with over 18 million people reaching the age of 18 each year. Can we find ways to encourage and facilitate the emigration of a few million people each year from India to fill the world’s vacancies? Listen to Sridhar Krishna and Aarushi Kataria from Takshashila Institution talk about the history of human migration, and the benefits and challenges of migration, while exploring some ideas for encouraging emigration out of India.