The Bridge Project: Recent Episodes
thebridgeproject
Co-founded by alumni from IIT Delhi, St. Stephen’s College and South Asian University, The Bridge Project is an initiative set up by recent graduates to address the divide between academia and policy-making in the field of International Relations and Indian Foreign Policy. The objective is to ‘bridge the gap’ between academia and policy in International Relations by facilitating a dialogue between scholars and practitioners in the discipline. Spread the word and let's bridge that gap!
In this episode of the India-Australia story we look at how the trade is on an upward swing in sectors such as agri and diary. The complementary skills on offer that can make this partnership work and also the future of the trade relations between the two countries.
John is an experienced policy and trade advisor, diplomat and builder of high performing teams committed to delivering highest quality client service and government/commercial interoperability to acheive policy and trade outcomes.
This series brings to you conversations with stakeholders dedicated to the India-Australia bilateral space. In this episode, I speak to Petula Thomas, CEO of the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce, a premier platform for trade promotion between India and Australia and the only organization in the country promoting bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. Joining the Chamber as a Deputy Director in 2018, and now serving as the CEO, Petula’s role is to enable doing business for the 500+ members of the chamber. She advises Australian enterprises & SMEs to help them set up their business in India while at the same time also helps Indian startups & small & medium enterprises build long term commercial relationships with Australian companies.
The backdrop to this episode was truly historic & timely. On the eve of our conversation, the Australian Parliament had ratified the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) with India, popularly called the Ind Aus ECTA, thereby paving the way for implementing the deal as early as January 1, 2023. Our wide-ranging conversation dealt with the Chamber’s role in furthering India-Australia trade & investment opportunities, her engagements with various Union & state-level officials in India, the key sectors of significance for both the countrys’ businesses and some interesting responses to our popular ‘Strongly Agree to Disagree’ segment!
IACC Report on Tech & Innovation (2021)
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2022), "Down Under in Chennai: A Conversation with Petula Thomas, CEO, Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce", 01 Dec, 2022, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/11790175
Research Credits:Carl
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Visit our website: https://www.thebridgeproject.in/
In this episode, we speak to Dr Erin Watson who is a public affairs specialist with over 14 years of experience in policy, research, and programs. Prior to establishing her own boutique consultancy, Erin worked in senior leadership roles at Australian universities and think tanks where she built a reputation for her public affairs and research. Erin has represented Australia at G20 meetings in seven countries, published reports for the United Nations, and regularly files for the Economist Intelligence Unit. Currently, she is a Board Director of the Council on Australia and Latin America Relations (COALAR) at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade appointed by the Foreign Minister in 2021. Erin regularly appears on the ABC Australia, CNN News18 India, ITV NewsX India, and Sky News Australia. You can follow Erin on Twitter @erinwatsonlynn
We met on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2022 and this conversation took place right after Erin moderated a fantastic panel on the digital future of the Indo-Pacific and e-governance initiatives of countries. Our wide-ranging conversation covers themes including the upcoming G20 summit & its opportunities of cooperation for India & Australia, India's foreign policy ambitions, Australia's "middle power" diplomacy, her thesis on the role of women’s entrepreneurship among the Indian diaspora in Australia and her unique experiences as a theorist who applies her craft on real-world, practical problems.
Shownotes:1. The G20 “diplomacy dividend”, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/g20-diplomacy-dividend
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The G20’s existential crisis, The Interpreter, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/g20-s-existential-crisis
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Digital futures – financial inclusion in the Asia-Pacific, United Nations, ESCAP, https://www.unescap.org/blog/digital-futures-financial-inclusion-asia-pacific
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Intersectional Mixed Embeddedness: Women Entrepreneurs in the Indian Diaspora in Australia, Monash University, https://bit.ly/38yjN6U
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The panel moderated by Erin at Raisina Dialogue 2022, ORF, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU-de3X_3pM Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2022), "The New Age Diplomacy & Development Series ft. Dr. Erin Watson-Lynn", 18 May, 2022, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/10634675
Research Credits:Carl
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Visit our website: https://www.thebridgeproject.in/
In this episode, we speak to Sam Freeman, trade & investment commissioner of Austrade, which is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion and investment attraction agency. Currently working out of Bangalore, Sam has extensive work experience in international trade and investment, having lived and worked in India full time since 2014.
At Austrade’s Bangalore division, Sam is tasked with promoting The Australia – India Business Exchange program (AIBX), a flagship program to strengthen Australia-India commercial links and provide businesses with confidence and capability to engage across both markets.
In this conversation, he talks to us about his professional journey in India, the different experiences working in the major cities here. We discuss the big winners from the recent India Australia Economic Cooperation & Trade Agreement and delve into some interesting case studies in the winery and agri-tech space. As a die-hard cricket fan, who also opens the batting for his workplace teams, it would have been a remiss on our part to not ask him about the cricket culture between the two countries and his take on the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup scheduled to take place Down Under later this year.
We bring to you our riveting conversation that gives us a business understanding of how Australia & Australian companies are viewing the Indian markets - both in its urban and rural forms.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2022), "The New Age Diplomacy and Development Series - Ft. Sam Freeman, Trade & Investment Commissioner, Austrade", 05 May, 2022, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/10587537
Research & Host:Carl Jaison
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Visit our website: https://www.thebridgeproject.in/
We are delighted to be in conversation with Lisa Singh in this very important episode on the back of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement or better known as Ind Aus (ECTA).
Lisa is a former Australian Senator and was the first woman of South Asian heritage to be elected to the Australian Parliament. She is currently the CEO of the Australia India Institute, a leading research and policy think tank advancing Australia-India relations at the government, business, diaspora and academic levels. In 2014, Lisa was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the President of India for building friendly Australia-India relations, the highest civilian honour for a person of Indian origin. In 2016, representing Australia, she was seconded to the United Nations General Assembly.
We begin with a discussion on the trade deal from the point of view of political science theory and explore the challenges & solutions to capacity building within the two states. The second segment discusses the sectors where the Indian & Australian businesses & startups can find synergies, especially with the recent update to an India Economic Strategy to 2035, which was commissioned by the Australia Government back in 2018. The final part of the conversation shifts to the role India and Australia could play in multilateral & bilateral forums to tackle issues such as climate change, poor educational outcomes etc.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "The New Age Diplomacy and Development Series - Ft. The Hon. Lisa Singh, CEO, Australia-India Institute", 29 April, 2022, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/10522032
Research & Host:Carl Jaison
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Visit our website: https://www.thebridgeproject.in/
Podcast on New age diplomacy and development series
Speaker : Mr. Ajay Singh- IAS(Rtd.)
Vice Chairman(Chhattisgarh State Planning Commission); Former Chief Secretary, Chhattisgarh.
Q1. What is the present situation with respect to COVID cases and management in Chhattisgarh? Also, since March 2020, how has the government and the bureaucracy evolved in terms of managing the pandemic in the state?
Q2. With respect to the migrant workers, one of the worst hit groups during the pandemic, a large number headed back home to Chhattisgarh. How has the state worked towards addressing their concerns?
Also, ‘Janta ka Faisla’- which is a unique 5 day program held in Raipur, is the first citizen’s jury of migrant workers. As the Vice Chairman of the state Planning Commission how do you see citizen’s participation in policy making in the state in the future?
Q3. Recently in the NITI Aayog’s SDG Index Report 2020-2021, Chhattisgarh has been declared the top performing state in India on the Gender Equality parameter. The Planning Commission of Chhattisgarh has also published two important documents- Chhattisgarh SDG Vision Document 2030 and SDG Indicator Framework.
In this context, I would like to know from you what are the areas within the domain of SDGs that the State Government and the State Planning Commission are giving priorities to achieve.
Q4. Supplementary question: How are the uncertainties brought by the Corona pandemic posing a challenge to the efforts towards achieving these goals and should the framework need any change to adjust with the present challenges posed by the pandemic?
Q5. You have traversed the entire hierarchy of the IAS in the state- from being a probationer, all the way to the Chief Secretary of the State and now you are the Vice Chairman of the state Planning Commission. Down the memory lane could you please share some instances/ experiences that you feel were some of the high moments in your career.
References:
- Chhattisgarh SDG Vision Document 2030
http://spc.cg.gov.in/pdf/SDG_Vission_2030.pdf
- SDG Indicator Framework
http://spc.cg.gov.in/pdf/Update_16_07_2021/CG-SIF_15072021.pdf
In this series on New Age Diplomacy & Development, we speak to stakeholders in government, bureaucracy, academia & development sector on the opportunities & challenges for sub-national diplomacy & development partnerships in the post-COVID world!
The second episode of the series features Peter Varghese AO,Chancellor of The University of Queensland & former Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT), Govt. of Australia. Mr. Varghese was the author of a comprehensive India Economic Strategy to 2035 commissioned by the Australian Prime Minister and submitted in July 2018.
In this episode, The Bridge Project converses with Mr. Varghese on a range of themes including the evolving nature of India-Australia ties; his diplomatic experience while in India; the scope of economic diplomacy with India's states; the importance of public diplomacy & the role of youth; higher education, business & development cooperation between both countries.
SHOW LESS
In this brand new series on New Age Development & Diplomacy, we speak to stakeholders in government, bureaucracy, academia & development sector on the opportunities & challenges for sub-national diplomacy & development partnerships in the post-COVID world!
The first episode features Manoj K. Bharti, currently serving as the Ambassador of India to Indonesia. He is a seasoned diplomat with years of experience cutting across the domains of foreign policy, trade & commerce, technology etc.
He assumed charge as the Ambassador of the Republic of India in Indonesia at the start of 2021. He is an officer of 1988 batch of the Indian Foreign Service and Served as Additional Secretary (Administration) & (Economic Diplomacy and States) from 2018-2020. He has also held the position of Special Secretary (Administration). His previous ambassadorial postings include Ukraine, Belarus, Iran, Holland, Nepal, Turkey & Myanmar. Amb. Bharti also served in the Ministry of Commerce, Govt of India, where he handled economic relations and foreign trade issues with Central European countries and prior to this he headed the e-Governance and Information Technology Division of the Ministry from 2008-2011.
The podcast deals with themes such as India's development partnership and diplomatic engagements with Indonesia, role of youth, importance of India's national level initiatives in diplomacy, role of city level governments & sister-city relationships and the participation of the private sector in India’s diplomatic efforts.
Shownotes:1.Recounting India-Indonesia, Gateway House (2016)
2. India-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Arrangement, The Asia Regional Integration Center (ARIC)
3. India – Indonesia relations and the Indo-Pacific, Ananta Aspen Centre (2021)
4. Burgeoning India-Indonesia Relations: Beyond Historical Nostalgia and Toward Strategic Convergence, The Diplomat (2019)
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "The New Age Diplomacy and Development Series - Ft. Manoj K. Bharti, Ambassador of India to Indonesia", 01 August, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8954840
Research & Host:Carl Jaison
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Visit our website: https://www.thebridgeproject.in/
The Bridge Project presents to you the 'Get Inspired Series'- a brand new series that features life stories and lessons of inspiring voices from around the world.
The first episode of the series features Mr. Raghavan Srinivasan, former Editor of the Hindu BusinessLine. An accidental journalist who started in the domain of marketing and had worked on some of the most exciting cases like that of the Harshad Mehta Scam in 1992.
How he became a journalist and what are some of the interesting stories of his journalism career? To listen to all these inspiring stories, please listen to the episode and share it with your friends and colleagues.
Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
Episode 4: Earth System Governance and Sustainable DevelopmentIn less than a decade from now in the year 2030, SDGs would near their end. Almost all the countries have adopted this framework and incorporated it in their intervention programs. However, never before has the gulf between the global north and global south been this apparent. An urgent need for co-operation has not materialized yet which involves the transfer of technology, accessibility and most importantly funding. In the 2015 Paris summit, nations came together to achieve a voluntary declaration to cut carbon emissions to keep the rise in temperature within 2 degrees C. Four of these six years saw the topmost emitter- the United States- out of the agreement.
The urgency of the issue has led many experts to question our approach towards viewing environment systems or its more relevant terminology - Earth System Governance. This provides a fresh lease of life to the thinking of environmental issues, a pathway to explore novel solutions and ideas, and more effective governance to cope with the transitions that will take place in the coming decade.
This Episode features Professor Frank Biermann and Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram.
Prof. Frank Biermann is a professor of Global Sustainability Governance at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Prof. Biermann also chairs the Earth System Governance Project, a global transdisciplinary research network launched in 2009.
Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram is an Assistant Professor, Department of Geopolitics and International Relations, and Co-Coordinator, Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Karnataka, India.
Shownotes:1. Earth System Governance: https://www.earthsystemgovernance.org/
2. Transforming governance and institutions for global sustainability: key insights from the Earth System Governance Project. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2012.01.014
3. Navigating the anthropocene: the Earth System Governance Project strategy paper. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.04.005
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Earth System Governance and Sustainable Development", 23 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/episodes/8572742
Research Credits:Dr. Dhanasree , Carl, Mrinmoy and Vignesh.
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Visit our website: https://www.thebridgeproject.in/
Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
Episode 3, Part 2: Health & Heatwaves: How Cities CopeThe sounds of birds chirping early in the morning. Bustling activity & lively chatter on the streets. The cries of children playing at a maidan. And the grim, incessant honking at traffic signals. These evoke memories of a typical Indian city in our minds. But today, these very cities have been silenced by the ravaging pandemic. While the subject of health occupies a large part of our mindspace today, the looming threat of natural disasters such as heat waves deserve closer attention. We crave for a return to normalcy, which is, in other words, hearing those sounds once again that breathes life into our cities. The answer lies in better preparedness, both from a health and disaster response standpoints.
This episode features Mr. Abiyant Tiwari who is an Assistant Professor & Program Manager at the Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management. He is trained as a Master of Public Health with a specialization in Environmental Health Sciences from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mr. Tiwari is also a member of the National Disaster Management Authority of India’s technical experts’ group that develops national guidelines for heatwave adaptation plans. In this episode, he begins by describing the steps taken to improve the healthcare infrastructure in our cities via digital solutions & surveillance apps. In the latter part of the podcast, Mr. Tiwari shares his experiences from working on Ahmedabad’s heatwave action plan, a critical innovation designed to provide early warning updates on those unforgiving temperature rises.
Shownotes:1.Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan 2019, C40 Knowledge Hub (quote by Dr. Tejas Shah & other expert interviews)
2. ACSyS (Advanced COVID 19 Syndromic Surveillance System), Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM)
3. Quality of Life in Indian Cities, Handbook of Emerging 21st-Century Cities
4. Chapter 3 — Global Warming of 1.5 ºC - IPCC (section on impact of heatwaves on cities)
5. Paper: Deadly Heat Stress to Become Commonplace Across South Asia Already at 1.5°C of Global Warming, Geophysical Research Letters
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Health & Heatwaves: How Cities Cope ", 23 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8570326
Research Credits:Prarthana Puthran (Voice-over & Research), Carl Jaison (script)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
Episode 3, Part 1: Re-Thinking Local Governance
A rich diversity. Varied landscapes. An indomitable human spirit. Most of all, a simple yet complex idea. This is the India we know of. But how is the governance of this remarkably complex country having a population of 1.3 billion people organised? To be sure, India’s governance systems are every bit as sweeping as the country itself. The administrative levels are constituted by the Central government, State govts and local level governance. This third layer of complexity – the local level - consisting of the urban local bodies and municipalities – is the focus of this podcast.
This podcast features Dr. Anjali K. Mohan an urban and regional planner by profession with a PhD in urban e-governance from International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore. Dr. Anjali helps us understand & explore the various challenges encountered by city governance & the solutions that can be leveraged to better govern these units. We find out how ICT & digital governance solutions are only as good as your city & local urban administrations.
Shownotes:
1. Message from Wu Hongbo for the 2016 UN E-Government Survey, UN DESA
2. Prime Minister Modi's speech at the Economic Times Global Business Summit 2016
3. Seminar Series on ‘The ‘Southern Tilt’ in the urban’
4. Shillong Declaration on E-Governance (2019)
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Re-Thinking Local Governance ", 17 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8519853
Research Credits:Carl Jaison (Voice-over & Research), Prarthana Puthran (Research)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
Episode 2
Global cities are increasingly becoming a crucial part of global climate governance, more so because of their ability to contribute to the journey of achieving the SDGs. Assessing the role of cities in global climate governance becomes an important study as much as studying the role of states in mitigating climate change. From an international relations perspective as well, there is a connection between the global and the local levels. It is important to look at transnational municipal networks and their contribution to climate governance such as the C40 and what is it that they do to promote technology-based solutions as well as how do they contribute in forwarding the agendas necessary for cities to mitigate climate change. Climate change and technology interface in global environmental politics makes the study of the role of global cities a holistic one.
To discuss on “Global Cities and Global Climate Governance”, we are joined by Dr. Marielle Papin, Postdoctoral Fellow, Political Science department, McGill University and Dr. Ana Carolina Evangelista Maud, Assistant Professor, International Relations Department, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Global Cities and Global Climate Governance ", 04 May, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8451542
Research Credits:Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram (Host), Mrinmoy, Kurnica and Varun (Research)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Podcast Series on 'Taking SDGs to the Last Mile' in collaboration with Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)
The Sustainable Development Goals was initiated in 2015 by the Member States at The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Six years since the SDGs were launched, how have global & local economies adopted these goals? Unfortunately, a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic has pushed back progress on many of the goals by decades. As these goals become more important than ever before, how can economies and governments at all levels accelerate their efforts in reaching these goals?
In order to address one of the primary concerns of taking SDGs to those who are most in need, The Bridge Project brings to you a series of podcasts under the theme- ‘Taking SDGs to the Last Mile’. We are delighted to collaborate with the Centre for Climate Studies at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education for this podcast series.
Episode 1
More than half of the world's population live in cities and by 2030, it is estimated that six out of ten people will be city dwellers. Cities have always been the engines of economic growth fueled by the continuous rural to urban migration. However, the capacity of our cities have touched alarming levels with respect to the demand and availability of resources & space. In this context, sustainability needs utmost attention from all stakeholders of society.
To discuss the ‘Action on Cities and Communities’, we are joined by Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, CEO and Founder of Council for Energy, Environment and Water and Melissa Smith, Principal Architect and Urban Planner based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram, Assistant Professor and Co-coordinator of the Centre for Climate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education.
Shownotes
What are the Sustainable Development Goals? (2015), UNDP India
Background on the goals (2015), UNDP India
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2021), "Taking SDGs to the Last Mile: Action on Cities and Communities in India ", 04 April, 2021, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/8268259
Research Credits:Dr. Dhanasree Jayaram (Host), Mrinmoy and Navya
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at carl.jaison@thebridgeproject.in with your feedback!
Shownotes
1. Amulya Gopalkrishnan, (2020) "Why public space isn't public unless women feel free", Times of India
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Laura Bliss, (2014) "The Lack of Equal Bathroom Access for Women Is a Global Design Flaw", Bloomberg
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Phadke, S., Khan, S., Ranade,S., (2016)"Give women equal access to public spaces", The Hindu
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Menon, N., (2017), "Seeing like a Feminist", Zubaan Books
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Phadke, S., Khan, S., Ranade,S., (2011), "Why Loiter: Women and Risk in Mumbai", Viking
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Reclaiming Public Spaces " (9.0), 18 Oct, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5945599
Research Credits:Navya Khanna and Prarthana Puthran (Hosts)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
In the latest episode of The Bridge Project, Shekhar Narsimhan offers his take on the upcoming U.S Presidential elections and what it means for the future of America. Narsimhan is the Chairman and Founder of AAPI Victory Fund, an organisation that focuses on mobilizing eligible voters from the Asian American and Pacific Islanders communities and moving them to the ballot box. Narsimhan speaks on a range of issues including the latest on the debate performances of U.S President Donald Trump and Democratic Nominee Joe Biden, the significance of the recent Vice-Presidential Debate, the impact of voting-by-mail, the possibility of violence in the aftermath of the elections and the key issues that matter to the Indian American community. This episode was co-hosted by Rajesh Mehta, an International Consultant & Columnist and Carl Jaison, Co-Founder, The Bridge Project.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Exclusive Interaction with Shekhar Narasimhan, Chairman & Founder, AAPI Victory Fund" (8.0), 08 October, 2020, URL:
Research Credits:Carl Jaison & Rajesh Mehta (hosts)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
Today, the U.S is India’s largest trade partner, with close to $150 billion in two-way trade between the democracies. More than two decades ago, it was just $11 billion. Indo-US defence trade, on the other hand, has risen from close to zero in 2008 to $18 billion today with an array of strategic agreements signed & greater convergence of strategic interests realised than during any other point in their otherwise contentious history. Further, U.S investments add up to around $28 billion in India along with the slew of American firms that hire India’s technical workforce. Even Indian firms have invested around $18 billion to go with its much-celebrated IT outsourcing services. On the cultural front, Indian-Americans now make up the largest PIO community anywhere in the world with estimates showing around 4 million live in the U.S at present. Additionally, the diaspora community is also one of the wealthiest sub-groups by income, a testament both to their relative success and the hallowed tenet of the American Dream.
Exploring these three pillars – of politics, business and diaspora- this episode seeks to understand the changes and continuities in Indo-US relations over the years, especially with the next U.S Presidential elections just round the corner and what it portends for the relationship between the two countries in the coming years. This makes the India-U.S relationship, certainly, one for the ages.
In this episode, we are joined by Arun M Kumar, Chairman and CEO, KPMG India; Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director, Indiaspora and Rajesh Mehta, an International Consultant and Columnist.
Thanks to Indiaspora & Rajesh Mehta for setting up this conversation with KPMG India.
References
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Indian Americans Vote 2020 Voter Survey Results, Joint Report by Indiaspora and AAPI Data, 15 September 2020
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Indian Roots, American Soil, A Survey of Indian Industry's Business Footprint in the United States, CII Report, Sixth Edition 2020
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Megha Bahree, India Needs 'Regulatory Coherence,' U.S.-India Business Council Says, Forbes India, 10 July 2019
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Kashish Parpiani, Understanding India–US trade tensions beyond trade imbalances, ORF, 05 February 2020
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Manjeet Kripalani and Michael Mandel, A New World for India and the United States, Gateway House, 30 July 2020
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Future of US-India Relations: Business, Politics and Diaspora" (7.0), 24 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5584759
Research Credits:Carl Jaison (host), Research (Mukul Bhatia and Raunaq Puri)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
In this podcast, The Bridge Project in association with The Peacebuilding Project, attempts to not just get a better understanding of complex issues related to peace and conflict studies but also understand the work of researchers and practitioners who contribute to this discipline.
We are joined by Rhea Mahanta, Founder & President, The Peacebuilding Project & Civil Affairs Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Dr. Rityusha Tiwary, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi & Visiting Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi.
Why do they research on these issues? Are there different approaches to peace? What is the role of multiple identities in a conflict? Tune in to get answers to these questions.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Peace and Conflict Resolution" (6.0), 20 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5516137
Research Credits:Navya Khanna
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
In the third episode of this series, we talk about Pakistan’s strategy of sub-conventional warfare and India's likely response options. We are joined by Pranay Kotasthane, who is Faculty & Head of Research, Takshashila Institution and co-hosts the Hindi podcast Puliyabaazi.
You can follow Pranay Kotasthane on Twitter here: @pranaykotas
Recommendations:
1. B. Raman, The Kaoboys of R&AW: Down Memory Lane, Lancer
2. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
3. Ayesha Siddiqa, Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy, Pluto Press
4. T.C.A Raghavan, The People Next Door: The Curious History of India-Pakistan Relations, HarperCollins
5. Tilak Devasher, Pakistan: Courting the Abyss, HarperCollins
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Pakistan's Sub-Conventional Warfare and India's Options" (5.3), 13 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5414596
Research Credits:Prateek Joshi (Host), Aishani Jaiswal (Host)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
Afghanistan has been mired in conflict for over 40 years. In February of this year, the signing of the agreement between the US and Taliban marked a milestone in America’s longest war.
However, at present, as the US presence in the country is dwindling, Indian foreign policy in Afghanistan stands at a cross-road. Fear of losing in ‘the Great Game’ has led some to suggest opening a dialogue with the Taliban. Others have pointed out that talking to the Taliban will not serve any purpose since the group is closely tied to Pakistan and still maintains its linkages with the terrorist organisations. In this background, it becomes imperative to discuss the emerging scenario in Afghanistan and what the policy options are likely to be for India after the withdrawal of the US troops from the country.
In the second episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives on “India's National Security Challenges”, we talk about Afghanistan’s peace process and India’s role. We are extremely privileged to have with us Amar Sinha, a member of the National Security Advisory Board and former Ambassador to Afghanistan and Dr. Avinash Paliwal, who is a Senior Lecturer and the Deputy Director of South Asia Institute at SOAS.
In this episode, they discuss the implications of the global war on terror in Afghanistan, the ongoing peace process, Taliban 2.0, India’s policy options, and the role of regional countries.
References
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Avinash Paliwal, "India must support its allies in Kabul", The Hindustan Times, 24 February, 2020
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Interview, "India must not give Taliban legitimacy until it joins intra-Afghan talks, says former envoy Amar Sinha", The Hindu, 17 May, 2020
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Book by Avinash Paliwal, "My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the US Withdrawal", Harper Collins.
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C. Raja Mohan, "As it ponders talks with Taliban, Delhi should focus on complex geopolitics of the Pashtun lands", The Indian Express, 26 May, 2020
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Davood Moradian, "India should play an active role in articulating and promoting a peace process in Afghanistan", The Indian Express, 27 June, 2020
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Afghanistan's Peace Process and India's Role" (5.2), 06 Sept, 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5313844
Research Credits:Dr Yatharth Kachiar (Host), Navya Khanna (Host)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
The China-Pakistan strategic relationship has been one of the most enduring ones in world politics, often times leading to consequences for India’s foreign policy. Take, for example, the numerous cases of China’s repeated attempts to support Pakistan in international forums against India’s interests. Beijing and Islamabad also jointly coordinate their military and defence strategies. Do the recent border clashes between India & China and the continuing cross-border tensions with Pakistan reveal anything about the China-Pakistan factor in India’s strategic calculations?
In the first episode of this series, we talk about the China-Pakistan nexus and its implications for India. We are joined by Dr. Ashok K. Behuria, who is a Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the South Asia Centre at Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses and Andrew Small, who is a Senior TransAtlantic Fellow with the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and a Non-Resident senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
I’m Prarthana Puthran, and along with Vignesh, Co-Founder of The Bridge Project, we talk to Dr. Ashok K. Behuria and Andrew Small about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, strategic military coordination, growing nuclear alliance between the two countries and its implications for India.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "China-Pakistan Nexus and its Implications for India" (5.1), 30 Aug 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/episodes/5205469
Research Credits:Vignesh P (Host), Prarthana Puthran (Host) and Prateek Joshi (Research)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
Episode 3: Climate Change & Multilateralism
In the COP 25 Summit, consensus emerged that sustainable economic growth cannot exist without a healthy environment and our encroachment upon the environment, erodes our ability to grow. This is a significant debate in the world of economics which concerns itself with boosting levels of productivity by reducing costs and minimizing wastages. At a time when unilateralism and populism are rising around the globe, the fact that the nations of the world need to and can come together to cope with climate change proves that multilateralism remains a trend of the times.
In the third episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives in collaboration with Kubernein Initiative, we talk about Climate Change & Multilateralism. We are joined by Navroz K Dubash, Professor at The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) who works on climate change policy and governance, the political economy of energy and water, and the regulatory state in the developing world and Dr Dhanasree Jayaram, Professor, Department of Geopolitics & Co-Coordinator at the Centre for Climate Studies in Manipal Academy of Higher Education. You can follow them on Twitter @NavrozDubash & @dhanasreej
In this episode we discuss with Prof Dubash & Dr Jayaram about India’s role in the climate debate, need for a multilateral response, climate financing and climate politics.
References1. Navroz K. Dubash, "Imagining a different, better future", Hindustan Times, 26 March, 2020
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Dhanasree Jayaram, "What the COVID-19 Crisis Means for ‘Security’ and ‘Global Governance’: Lessons from the Climate Crisis", Indrastra, 25 March, 2020
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Christiana Figueres, "Climate Change: Why We Need a Multilateral Solution" S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies", United Nations Climate Change, 18 October, 2012
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Nitin Sreedhar, "Interview with Prof Dubash: ‘Climate action focus needs to be at the national level’, LiveMint, 04 January, 2020
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Arunabha Ghosh, "India needs a plan for extreme weather caused by climate change", Nikkei Asian Review, 27 June, 2020
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Climate Change and Multilateralism", Exclusives in Collaboration with Kubernein Initiative (4.3), 23 Aug 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5107786
Research Credits:Ambika Vishwanath (Host), Mahima Kaur Bajaj (Host) & Tanya Rana (Research)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
Episode 2: Water Management & Diplomacy
South Asia has a paucity of data and information both within nations and across borders in the area of water resources, rivers and glaciers. Greater investment in information and analysis could aid in better-coordinated policy making. How do we better manage our rivers in India to reduce the negative impact of uncertainties in the climate and why do we need to bring water into the conversation of broader policy making? Dr Mirza Rahman and Ambika Vishwanath discuss this and much more in the second episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives series in collaboration with Kubernein Initiative on 'Non-Traditional Security Challenges for South Asia'.
Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman is a Visiting Research Associate at the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) and holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Guwahati. His research specialization is on border studies in Northeast India and transboundary water sharing and management issues between China, India and Bangladesh.
Ambika is the Co-Founder of Kubernein Initiative and is a geopolitical analyst and water security specialist with over 13 years of experience in the field of governance and foreign policy. She has led track two diplomacy efforts and consulted with several governments and international organizations in the MENA region, Europe and India, and helped shape their policies in the field of conflict resolution, water diplomacy and security.
In this episode, the two water security experts discuss the need for more water diplomacy and cooperation on shared resources in South Asia and what that might look like in the future.
References
1. Ambika Vishwanath, Tensions with China-Pakistan can derail fragile water treaties, but India won’t talk about it, The Print, 06 July, 2020
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Ananth Krishnan, Study on China dams brings the Brahmaputra into focus, The Hindu, 29 April, 2020
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Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman, What counts as a catastrophic flood in the Brahmaputra river basin now?, Scroll, 29 July, 2020
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Ambika Vishwanath & Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman, Handwashing in water-stressed countries major challenge in fight against Covid-19, The Third Pole, 23 March, 2020
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Water Management and Diplomacy", Exclusives in Collaboration with Kubernein Initiative (4.2), 16 Aug 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/5014517
Research Credits:Ambika Vishwanath (Host)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com with your generous feedback!
Episode 1: Regionalism & Sub-Regionalism in South AsiaIn the first episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives in collaboration with Kubernein Initiative, we talk about regionalism and sub-regionalism in South Asia and the non-traditional security threats associated with it.
We are joined by Ambika Vishwanath, Co-Founder of Kubernein Initiative and Riya Sinha, Research Associate at Brookings India.
Ambika is a geopolitical analyst and water security specialist with over 13 years of experience in the field of governance and foreign policy. You can follow Ambika on Twitter @theidlethinker
Riya has over four years of experience in research on regional integration in South Asia, particularly in the area of trade, investment and building supply chains. You can follow Riya on Twitter @_RiyaSinha
In this episode, we traverse various themes that are not only sticking points in the region, but impact global politics at large. We look at issues of multilateralism, trade, infrastructure, energy, tourism and border politics, while keeping an eye out for the future trajectory of the region.
Recommendations
*Reports
1. Riya Sinha & Niara Sareen, India's Limited Trade Connectivity with South Asia*, Sambandh Regional Connectivity Initiative: Brookings India, 26 May, 2020
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Riya Sinha & Bhumika Sharma, Travel South Asia: India's Tourism Connectivity with the Region, Sambandh Regional Connectivity Initiative: Brookings India, 23 July, 2020
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Sanjay Kathuria, A Glass Half Full: The Promise of Regional Trade in South Asia, South Asia Development Forum, Washington, DC: World Bank
*Books
1. Tanja A. Borzel & Thomas Risse, The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Regionalism*, OUP, April 2016
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Lorenzo Fioramonti, Regionalism in a Changing World Comparative Perspectives in the New Global order, Routledge, 10 April, 2014
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Zia Haider Rahman, In Light of What We Know, Picador India (22 May 2014)
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Amitav Ghosh, The Hungry Tide, HarperCollins (6 January, 2011)
Movies1. 7 Years in Tibet (1997)
- The Borderlands (2020)
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Regionalism and Sub-Regionalism in South Asia", Exclusives in Collaboration with Kubernein Initiative (4.1), 09 Aug 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4914566
Research Credits:Urmi Tat (Host), Prarthana Puthran (Research Assistant)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Write to us at thebridgeproject2020@gmail.com for your generous feedback!
In this third episode of AI series, we explore the political economy perspective on AI. We explore the impact of AI on changing nature of jobs and the ownership of data. Will an evolving factors of production induce a direct worker ownership of AI technologies? How will the state capacity increase to admit the usages of AI and related insights.
Bringing these perspectives is a very well experienced scholar who has been an AI scientist himself and now working on policy questions- Dr. Anupam Guha.
Dr. Guha is faculty at Center for Policy Studies in the Indian Institute of Technology- Bombay. (IIT-B). His research interests are in AI related policy questions and the larger impact on the political economy .
Listen in for a thought provoking and enthralling round of discussion.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Artificial Intelligence:A Political Economy Perspective ", Exclusives (3.3), 02 Aug 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4812911
Research Credits:Mukul Bhatia (Host), Raunaq Puri (Research Assistant)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this second episode of AI, we explore the public policy and governance of AI aspects. We dwell in depth on the aspects that impact AI research such as legal implications of data collection and storage, privacy concerns among others. AI's impact at the intersection with society is another dimension that has been explored further here.
Bringing these perspectives together are two well experienced speakers - Ms.Vidushi Marda and Dr. Vidya Subramanian
Ms.Vidushi is a lawyer and researcher based in Bangalore. She currently leads the artificial intelligence and human rights portfolio at ARTICLE 19, an international human rights organisation.
Dr. Vidya Subramanian is an interdisciplinary scholar whose research interests lie at the intersection of technologies and societies. She is currently a Post Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies, IIT Bombay; where she studies the nature of the technological society we now inhabit, and the policies that have come to govern it.
Listen in for a thought provoking and enthralling round of discussion.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Public Policy and Governance Perspective on Artificial Intelligence(AI)", Exclusives (3.1), 19 July 2020, URL:
Research Credits:Mukul Bhatia (Moderator), Raunaq Puri (Research Assistant)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives called as Artificial Intelligence (AI) Primer, we aim to understand what is artificial intelligence and how it could possibly influence national security. We discuss the broader trends in AI around the world and attempt to situate the national security needs of India in light of Artificial Intelligence.
We also address questions like what kind of AI does India want? What are the R&D capabilities that India possess? Are the Indian Armed Forces equipped to assimilate AI as an emerging technology.
We are joined by an interesting set of speakers - Dr Jaganath Sankaran and Maj Gen P K Chakravorty.
Dr. Sankaran is Assistant Professor at Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Policy at University of Texas Austin. He spent the first four years of his career as a defense scientist with the Indian Missile R&D establishment. He has held fellowships at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University and at RAND Corporation.
Maj Gen (Dr) P.K. Chakravorty is currently a Senior Fellow (veteran) at CLAWS. Post-retirement the officer was appointed as an Advisor to Brahmos Aerospace Private Limited which is a Joint Venture between India and Russia. He is currently a Defence Analyst. He has written books, articles and projects for IDSA, USI, CLAWS, VIF and numerous periodicals.
Show Notes:
1. Horowitz, M.C., 2018. Artificial intelligence, international competition, and the balance of power (May 2018). Texas national security review.
2. Bostrom, N., 2016. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, Oxford University Press.
3. NITI Aayog, 2018, National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence #AIForAll
4. Chakravorty, P K, 2017, Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on the Indian Armed Forces, Indian Defence Review.
5. Sankaran, J., 2019, A Different Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear Weapons Command and Control, War on The Rocks6. Sahu, A. 2019., Artificial Intelligence in Military Operations: Where Does India Stand?, Observer Research Foundation
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Primer: Implications on National Security", Exclusives (3.1), 19 July 2020, URL:
Research Credits:Ambuj Sahu (Moderator), Krupa Susan Varghese and Madhulika Baniwal (Research Assistants)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Behavioural science has offered alternative explanations for actions, in the field of social sciences, that are considered as “irrational.” International negotiations are an important aspect of a state’s engagement with its external environment. While scholarship on international negotiations has revolved around the strengths, weaknesses and viability of negotiations and the solutions they offer, there seems to be limited scholarship on the dynamics of international negotiations. In this context, behavioural sciences, as a discipline, offers valuable perspectives to scholars and practitioners on international negotiations.
In the third episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives on Behavioural Economics, we are joined by Amb.Dr. Mohan Kumar. Amb. Kumar is a retd. Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who served in the Government for 36 years. He led the Indian delegation at the WTO and climate change negotiations. He provides a glimpse into his wealth of experience in stating and articulating India's positions in these negotiations. Currently, he is the Professor and Vice Dean at the Jindal School of International Affairs. He has written a book on the negotiations titled “Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO: An Insider’s Account”, published by Palgrave Macmillan (2018).
Amb. Kumar’s expertise are in the following ares: diplomatic practice & foreign policy, strategic partnerships with India’s neighbours, multilateral negotiations especially trade negotiations, climate change and globalization. He holds a Master’s In Business Administration (MBA) from the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi and a Doctorate (Ph.D) from Sciences Po University, Paris.
In this episode, we attempt to look at the practice of negotiations through different academic concepts such as 'loss aversion', impact of domestic politics on negotiators, external stimuli,priming, importance of non verbal communication and finally the discord between academic concepts and practice of negotiations.
With rich detailing of experiences in various situations, Amb. Kumar provides his perspective on these concepts and challenges that negotiators face.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the speakers are personal and do not reflect that of their respective institutions or The Bridge Project.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Behavioural Sciences in Action: Negotiators' Perspectives", Exclusives (2.3), 12 July 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4531796
Research Credits:Medha Nibhanupudi (Moderator & Research)
References:
Berejikian, Jeffrey D., and Bryan R. Early. “Loss Aversion and Foreign Policy Resolve.” Political Psychology, vol. 34, no. 5, 2013, pp. 649–671. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43783729. Accessed 12 July 2020.
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In the second episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives on Behavioural Economics, we are joined by Dr Daniel Walsh. Dr Walsh is an experienced consultant with a background in risk and communications. His current research focuses on understanding how the public make sense of health and illness. In particular, how the public respond to conditions perceived as threatening and contagious. He has done his Bachelors in Psychology and Behavioural Science and MPhil in Social and Developmental Psychology from University of Cambridge.
In this episode, we discuss the stigma around mental health, the existing literature in mental health policies and steps that governments can take to promote effective mental health discussions. We also look at how behavioural science can be used to promote social distancing.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the speakers are personal and do not reflect that of their respective institutions or The Bridge Project.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Behavioural Economics in Action: Mental Health Policies", Exclusives (2), 05 July 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4442114
Research Credits:Manya Bhatia (Moderator & Research)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Prof Shagata Mukherjee is a maverick in the field of behavioural and experimental economics and public policy, currently teaching the mentioned courses at Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics. He has done his PhD from Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in Atlanta, USA. His core research interests include the role of gender and social norms on policies. For his thesis, he had delved into how default risk can be reduced among microfinance borrowers and busted myths like women are better borrowers than men in microfinance.
Ms. Tulsipriya Rajkumari is working as the Deputy Director in Office of the Chief Economic Adviser and the Trade and Balance of Payments (BoP) Unit of Economic Division, D/o Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. She has an avid interest in the application of Behavioural Economics in public policy and has also penned newspaper articles on the same along with working on the BE related chapters in the last year's Economic Survey. Prior to joining the coveted Indian Economic Service, she has done her MPhil in Economics and MA in International Economics from JNU.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the speakers are personal and do not reflect that of their respective institutions or The Bridge Project.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Behavioural Economics in Action: Public Policy and International Perspective", Exclusives (2), 28 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4346381
Research Credits:Akshita Goyal (Moderator & Research)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The Gold Series goes theoretical. We discuss the evolution of International Relations (IR) scholarship in India with respect to the Great Debates that have shaped the trajectory of the discipline. We find out how receptive Indian academia has been in responding to the wider trends in the discipline of IR.
We are joined by Prof Sumit Ganguly in this conversation. He is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and holds the Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University, Bloomington. A specialist on the contemporary politics of South Asia is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of 20 books on the region.
References:
1. Menon, S.S., 2013. Address By NSA Shiv Shankar Menon On Strategic Culture And IR Studies In India At The 3Rd International Studies Convention. [online] Mea.gov.in.
2. Bayly, M.J., 2017. The forgotten history of Indian international relations. ORF Issue Brief, 210, pp.1-8.
3. Basrur, R.M., 2009. Scholarship on India’s International Relations. International Studies, 46(1-2), pp.89-108.
4. Paul, T.V., 2009. Integrating International Relations studies in India to global scholarship. International Studies, 46(1-2), pp.129-145.
5. Behera, N.C., 2007. Re-imagining IR in India. International relations of the Asia-Pacific, 7(3), pp.341-368.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "International Relations Scholarship in India vis-a-vis The Great Debates of IR", Gold(5), 21 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4254875
Research Credits:Ambuj Sahu (Host)
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The invention of nuclear weapons technology altered the course of modern history and changed the dynamics of world politics. Over a century later these weapons still play a dominant role in geopolitics and international affairs. Nuclear bombs don’t require detonation to have a huge impact- it has already permeated our thinking and continues to influence the behaviour of nation states.
The subject of Nuclear weapons opens up a plethora of complex yet interesting issues- from discerning the scope of disarmament to understanding the psychology behind power dynamics.
To help make sense of this nuclear quagmire, we are joined by Dr Manpreet Sethi, a leading expert in matters of nuclear politics. Dr Sethi is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi where she heads the project on nuclear security. A former member of PM’s Informal Group on Disarmament in 2012, she has also been part of India’s Track II initiatives. She is a Member of the Executive Board of Indian Pugwash Society and a Consultant with the Global Nuclear Abolition Forum and Asia Pacific Leadership Network.
In this episode of The Bridge Project Gold series on Nuclear Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Dr Sethi discusses several important issues, such as the relevance of the Nuclear non proliferation treaty, the role of multilateral and other institutions in promoting disarmament and India’s role in arms control and non-proliferation efforts, the geopolitical realities in the field of nuclear following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Show Notes:
1. Manpreet Sethi, 'Early Adulthood: 22 Years Of Nuclear India And Pakistan – Analysis', https://www.eurasiareview.com/27052020-early-adulthood-22-years-of-nuclear-india-and-pakistan-analysis/
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Manpreet Sethi, 'What India’s Covid-19 fight means for its nuclear strategy', https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/indias-covid-19-fight-means-nuclear-strategy
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Manpreet Sethi, 'Acceptance of Mutual Vulnerability and Responsible Behaviour: Equally Necessary for COVID-19 and Nuclear Deterrence', http://capsindia.org/files/documents/5b14f009-25b9-4e7d-be5d-6cf462217619.pdf
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Manpreet Sethi, 'COVID-19 holds up mirror to nuclear risks', http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinon/2020/04/197_287147.html
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "The Future of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation", Gold(4), 14 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4163774
Research Credits:Zoya Akther (Host) and Tanya Rana
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this episode of The Bridge Project Gold Series, we will talk about "The Human Dimension" of International Relations. We will try to understand the intangible factors that determine the interest and approach towards Indian Foreign Policy. How do of life experiences, passion and risk-taking abilities of an individual lead him/her to address real-world research problems in International Relations? The objective of this offbeat episode is to motivate young scholars on how they can play their part in bridging the policy-academia divide in IR and Indian Foreign Policy.
We are joined by Dhruva Jaishankar in the quest.
Dhruva Jaishankar is Director of the U.S. Initiative at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF). He is also a Non-Resident Fellow with the Lowy Institute in Australia and is a regular contributor to the Indian and international media. He has been associated with Brooking Institution in the past, worked in CNN-IBN as a news reporter and also been a consultant to many strategic firms from time to time.
Show Notes1. Munck, G.L. and Snyder, R., 2007. Passion, craft, and method in comparative politics. JHU Press.
2. For more information on Dhruva Jaishankar's work, visit http://www.dhruvajaishankar.com/
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "The Human Dimension in International Relations", Gold(3), 7 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4070837
Research Credits:Ambuj Sahu (Host) and Mahima Kaur Bajaj
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rivalries are a feature of international politics. Great power rivalry being the showpiece event. The never ending-security dilemma amongst Great Powers have often brought the world to near catastrophes over varying time periods in history. In an era of rapid advancement in technology leading to a new arms race & the resultant unpreparedness to deal with other kinds of risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic have once again brought into question the nature of great power politics. Additionally, this brings unintended consequences for countries like India that look to manoeuvre through these currents.
To help us understand the historical basis of great power rivalry, the future grand strategies of U.S, China and Russia and its implications for India, we are joined by Professor C Raja Mohan, who is Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore.
Earlier, Professor Mohan taught South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University and at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Prof Mohan was also the Founding Director of Carnegie India in New Delhi. He also writes a regular column 'Raja Mandala' for the Indian Express.
In this episode of The Bridge Project Gold Series, Prof C Raja Mohan provides his take on a number of issues including the future of the Sino-American relationship in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the growing Sino-Russian strategic cooperation, the influence of domestic politics on great power competition and India's foreign policy challenges & opportunities in this context.
Show Notes
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C Raja Mohan, "China has replaced Russia as ‘the foreign hand’ in American politics", https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/us-china-relations-trade-war-bernie-sanders-us-elections-donald-trump-c-raja-mohan-6361155/
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C Raja Mohan, "India’s Russian Option in Eurasia", https://www.isas.nus.edu.sg/papers/indias-russian-option-in-eurasia/
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C Raja Mohan, "Coronavirus poses a challenge to China’s place in global affairs, its political leadership", https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/coronavirus-outbreak-china-economy-xi-jinping-6261284/
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C Raja Mohan, "With global institutions in turmoil, India needs to be pragmatic and fleet-footed", https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/world-health-organisation-coronavirus-crisis-india-delhi-china-un6356921/
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Rajesh Rajagopalan, "With new WHO leadership role, India can’t fool partners with balancing acts", https://theprint.in/opinion/with-new-who-leadership-role-india-cant-fool-partners-with-balancing-acts/419165/
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Great Power Rivalry and Its Implications for India", Gold(2), 31 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3982763
Research Credits:Carl Jaison
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In a world with more than one centre of power, multilateralism has incentivised developing and developing centres to share a table and engage in meaningful discussions. Multilateral diplomacy has been an effective catalyst for India's external relations in the years after independence. Diplomats have been the foot soldiers of India's ethos in different summits, negotiations and assembly sessions, holding the flag high.
So, how did India's foreign service contribute to sustainable multilateral diplomacy? What are the different sets of case studies, incidents and turning points that define this school of thought?
The third episode in The Bridge Project Diplomacy Series features Ambassador Kishan S Rana and Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukarji in which they speak about 'Approaches to Multilateral diplomacy'.
Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, he worked in the China desk from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.
Ambassador Mukerji, currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1978 to 2015. He went on to serve as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2013 to 2015 during which he crafted the successful campaign in the United Nations General Assembly to have a Resolution adopted by consensus to declare 21 June of every year as the International Day of Yoga.
In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives, they speak on a range of themes such as the structure and institutional capacity of the Indian diplomatic legacy; incidents of significance; diplomatic skills required for bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and path for the future.
Show Notes1. Kishan S Rana, “Fixing India’s Strategic Thinking Vacuum”, The Wire, https://thewire.in/diplomacy/india-strategic-thinking
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Kishan S Rana, “21 st Century Diplomacy: Globalized Diplomacy”, Diplo
Foundation, https://www.asef.org/images/docs/ModelASEM_Diplo_GlobalizedDiplomacy.pdf -
Asoke Kumar Mukerji, “The impact of Multilateralism in India”, Indian
Foreign Affairs Journal Vol. 13, No.4, http://www.associationdiplomats.org/Publications/ifaj/Vol%2013/13.4/IFAJ-13.4-ARTICLE%202-F.pdf -
Asoke Kumar Mukerji, Speech by Ambassador Asoke Mukerji on 70th Anniversary of UN Charter, https://www.pminewyork.gov.in/pdf/uploadpdf/1883670th%20anniversary%20UN%20stmnt%20PR%20June%2027,%202015.pdf
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Asoke Kumar Mukerji, “China’s Multilateral gambit in South Asia”, National Security- Vivekananda International Foundation Vol. II, https://www.vifindia.org/sites/default/files/national-security-vol-2-issue-3-article-AMukerji.pdf
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "India's Experience in Multilateral Diplomacy: A Practitioner's Perspective", Exclusives (3), 24 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3891464
Research Credits:Akshita Goyal & Prarthana Puthran
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The second episode in The Bridge Project Diplomacy Series features Amb. Kishan S Rana and Amb. Rajiv Bhatia in which they speak about Indo-Pacific Policies of USA, China and India.
Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, he worked in the China desk from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.
Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia is a Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies Programme at Gateway House. During a 37-year innings in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), he served as Ambassador to Myanmar and Mexico and as High Commissioner to Kenya and South Africa. He was Senior Visiting Research Fellow during 2011-13 at the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore.
In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives moderated by Priyal Pandey, Junior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, they speak on a range of themes such as the construct of Indo-Pacific, US-China Geostrategic Rivalry in the Region, India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, ASEAN and its relations with China, US and India and Quad as a Collective Security Model.
References:
1. Medcalf, R., 2015. Reimagining Asia: From Asia-Pacific To Indo-Pacific , The Asan Forum.
2. US Department of Defense, Indo-Pacific Strategy Report (Washington DC, June 2019).
3. Saran, S., 2019. How China Views Indo-Pacific. [online] Tribune India News Service.
4. He, K., & Li, M. (2020). Understanding the dynamics of the Indo-Pacific: US-China strategic competition, regional actors, and beyond. International Affairs, 96(1), 1-7.
5. Kesavan, K., 2020. India’s ‘Act East’ Policy And Regional Cooperation, ORF
6. Bhatia, R., 2020. Maritime Security For India And Vietnam. [online] Gateway House.
7. Mishra, V. and Das, U., 2019. India’s Understanding Of The Quad & Indo-Pacific: Distinct Narrative Or A Flawed One?, Observer Research Foundation
8. Bhatia, R., 2019. Quad In The Indo-Pacific, Gateway House.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "The Indo-Pacific Vision of USA, China and India", Exclusives (2), 17 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3790460
Research Credits:Priyal Pandey (Moderator) & Varun Maturkar
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
A diplomatic machinery serves as the nervous system of a country's foreign policy initiatives. It is the medium through which a country's external relations is built and sustained. Diplomacy is not just about the larger-than-life summits between leaders or flashy events organised for the satisfaction of the political class. Without the behind-the-scenes work done by diplomats, foreign policy might not be an effective and serious field.
So, how does a country's foreign service department contribute to effective diplomacy? What are the different sets of principles, practices and priorities used in diplomacy? What are the selection criteria for the diplomatic services across countries?
The first episode in The Bridge Project Diplomacy Series features Ambassador Kishan S Rana and Ambassador Vijay K Nambiar in which they speak about 'Diplomatic Systems in U.S, China and India'.
Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, he worked in the China desk from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.
Ambassador Nambiar served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1967 to 2004, after which he was Deputy National Security Advisor to the Government of India (2005- 06) and then seconded to the United Nations in New York for 11 years in the rank of Under Secretary-General (2006-2016).
In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives moderated by Aayush Mohanty, Research Associate, Vivekananda International Foundation, they speak on a range of themes such as the structure and institutional capacity of the American, Chinese and Indian diplomatic systems; the selection criteria for the foreign services in India; diplomatic skills required for bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and many more.
Show Notes
1. Kishan S Rana, "Kautilya's Legacies", Business Standard, https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/kautilya-s-legacies-117052901625_1.html
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Kishan S Rana, "Diplomacy & Patronage", Business Standard, https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/diplomacy-and-patronage-116101100669_1.html
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Vijay K Nambiar, "The Belt and Road Initiative Post-April 2019: Plus ça Change", ICS Occasional Paper, https://icsin.org/publications/the-belt-and-road-initiative-post-april-2019-plus-ca-change-1
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Sudha Ramachandran, "The Indian Foreign Service: Worthy of an Emerging Power?, https://thediplomat.com/2013/07/the-indian-foreign-service-worthy-of-an-emerging-power/
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External Affairs Minister's speech at the 4th Ramnath Goenka Lecture, 2019, https://mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/32038/External+Affairs+Ministers+speech+at+the+4th+Ramnath+Goenka+Lecture+2019
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Diplomatic Systems in the USA, China & India", Exclusives (1), 10 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3695782
Research Credits:Aayush Mohanty (Moderator) & Aishani Jaiswal
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
There is no dearth of knowledge or even ideas. In fact, the particular problem we face these days is the confinement of knowledge and ideas within particular areas of study. Increasingly, there seems to be little scope for absorbing theories and practices from other areas of study. Therefore, the need of the hour is to search out for the best ideas around. The question, then, before us is whether International Relations has all the answers to issues of public importance? If you think it does not, The Bridge Project Exclusives is the one for you!
The Bridge Project Exclusives is a brand new segment of The Bridge Project podcast series that would feature in-depth analyses and interesting anecdotes from experts representing fields beyond International Relations.
Through a series of episodes based on a particular theme, the aim is to integrate best practices and ideas from a wide variety of fields to help improve the study and practice of International Relations.
For more updates on this and other podcast segments, do follow us on our Facebook page 'The Bridge Project', on Twitter @Project2Bridge and Instagram 'project2bridge'. The Bridge Project can be subscribed to on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other channels where you listen to your podcasts.
So, join us on this initiative and help spread the word as The Bridge Project Exclusives makes its mark.
In the pilot episode of The Bridge Project Gold Series, we have a conversation about Prof. Harsh V. Pant. Professor Harsh V Pant is Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.
In this episode, he examines the effects of COVID-19 on the current international order and estimate possible future trajectories. He also speculates the trends in globalization in a post-COVID world. He also talks about the academia-policy divide in the country and give tips to young scholars on how to 'bridge the gap' in the future.
References
1. Harsh Pant, China and the Coronavirus Pandemic: Is a New Global Order in Sight?, Ideas Factory, ORF, April 2 2020.
2. Deudney, Daniel, and G. John Ikenberry. “The Nature and Sources of Liberal International Order.” Review of International Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 1999, pp. 179–196. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20097589.
3. Slaughter, Anne-Marie. "How to Succeed in the Networked World: A Grand Strategy for the Digital Age." Foreign Affairs 95, no. 6 (2016): 76-89.
4. Bender, M., 2020. Trump Funding Threat Against World Health Organization Linked To Hiring Practices. [online] WSJ.
5. Inside China’S All-Out War On The Coronavirus, New York Times.Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "International Order & Globalization in a post-COVID World", Gold(1), 08 May 2020, URL:
Research Credits:Ambuj Sahu & Aishani Jaiswal
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Introducing a brand new segment of the podcast series, we bring to you The Bridge Project ‘Gold Series’.
In this series, we invite experienced and prolific thought leaders in academia and policy to speak about diverse themes across International Relations.
The Gold Series will feature one-on-one interviews with some of the most popular voices from the field of International Relations and Indian Foreign Policy.
Through the Gold series, we seek to focus on the domain expertise of these individuals to address issues that may not be discussed frequently in the scholarly or policy communities.
For more updates on this and other podcast segments, do follow us on our Facebook page 'The Bridge Project' and on Twitter @Project2Bridge. The Bridge Project can be subscribed to on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other channels where you listen to your podcasts.
So, join us on this initiative and help spread the word as The Bridge Project goes gold.
Comparative Politics studies the effects of political culture, institutions and individual decision-making in different political systems around the world. Although a separate subfield from International Relations, Comparative Politics often touches on both the domestic origins of foreign policy and the impact of the international system on domestic political behaviors and outcomes.
In the final episode of Season 1 of The Bridge Project podcast series, we are joined by Prof. Ian Hall who teaches at the School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University, Australia and Dr Constantino Xavier, Fellow, Brookings Institution. They discuss a range of issues including India’s foreign policy in the neighbourhood, political cultures and nature of governments in India's context, comparative regional studies in India and China, idea of democracy promotion and regional integration and many more.
Show Notes1. Ian Hall (2019), Modi and the reinvention of Indian foreign policy. Bristol: Bristol University Press,
2. Constantino Xavier (2020), China is the new hub for South Asian students, Hindustan Times
3. Hall, I. (2017). Not promoting, not exporting: India’s democracy assistance. Rising Powers Quarterly, 1(3), 81-97.
4. Constantino Xavier (2020), 'The quest for regional connectivity’, Hindustan Times.
5. Constantino Xavier, 'Book Review: Power & Diplomacy by Zorawar Daulet Singh'
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Comparative Politics & International Relations : Lessons for Indian Foreign Policy", 1(8), 03 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3598108
Research Credits:Mukul Bhatia & Ashu Shukla
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this episode, we explore the nature of international organizations and the concept of multilateralism. We discuss how India’s engagement strategy in international organizations and its approach to multilateralism have evolved over the years. We also enumerate various stakeholders in multilateral diplomacy and throw light on the role of advocacy networks in international forums. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we also analyze how international institutions are responding to this crisis.
We are joined by two distinguished experts – Amb. T. P. Sreenivasan and Dr. Karthik Nachiappan.
Amb. T.P. Sreenivasan has served in the Indian Foreign Service for 37 years. He is the Former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations. He has nearly 20 years of experience in multilateral diplomacy and has represented India at a number of international conferences organised by the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Non-aligned Movement.
Dr. Karthik Nachiappan is a Research Fellow at Institute of South Asian Studies, NUS Singapore. His research focuses on India’s approach toward multilateral institutions and global governance. He has recently published a book titled “Does India Negotiate?”
Reference:
1. Hurd, I., 2011. Theorizing International Organizations. Choices and Methods in the Study of International Organizations. Journal of International Organizations Studies, 2(2), pp.7-22.
2. Nachiappan, K., 2019. Does India Negotiate?. Oxford University Press.
3. Sreenivasan, T.P., 2019, Modiplomacy: Through a Shakespearean Prism, Konark Publishers
4. Nachiappan, K., 2019, Redirecting Multilateralism: Will India Seize the Opportunity?, The Green Political Foundation, HBS.
5. Munsi, Pallabi (2020), Why the Indian Namaste is going viral?, Ozy.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "On India's Approach to International Organizations and Multilateralism", 1(7), 28 April 2020, URL:
Research Credits:
Aishani Jaiswal
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The United States of America is sort of an enigma in world politics. From championing the liberal world order to lampooning the same, US foreign policy is faced with challenges like never before. This throws up an interesting scenario for a country like India that has seen improved relations with the US compared to in the past. And yet, Indo-US relations have encountered recent challenges that calls into question the prospects of the relationship.
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Sreeram Chaulia, Professor & Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P Jindal Global University and Kashish Parpiani, Research Fellow, Observer Research Foundation. In this engaging conversation, both experts on US foreign policy and Indo-US relations speak on a range of subjects including the changing role of US leadership, President Trump's America First Doctrine and his re-election chances, the balance of power in Asia, the recent politicisation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international relations.
Show Notes1. Ian Hall, Book Review: Trumped: Emerging Powers in a Post-American World, Australia Institute of International Affairs.
2. Sreeram Chaulia, The post-American world is here, this is what countries must do now., The Economic Times
3. Kashish Parpiani, Trump’s gateway to offshore balancing, Observer Research Foundation.
4. Sreeram Chaulia, Balancing the strategic gains made with us, Livemint.
5. Kashish Parpiani, With Trump’s India visit, US-India ties go one step forward and two steps back, Observer Research Foundation.
6. Kashish Parpiani, Trump’s politicisation of COVID-19, Observer Research Foundation.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Role of the U.S. in a Changing World and Implications for India", 1(6), 19 April 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3414607
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The world in 21st century is rapidly changing. New technologies are being invented every other day. New practices are being adopted to enhance productivity and efficacy. This trend is not untouched in the military domain. The emerging technologies and how military responds to make them operational is rapidly transforming how military operations are conducted around the world.
We discuss these issues in this episode featuring Dr. Anit Mukherjee and Mr. Abhijnan Rej. We also explore how academia and policy-makers in India have approached to this trend.
Dr. Anit Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor in the South Asia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. He has also served as a Major in the Indian Army and has been an alumni of India’s National Defense Academy.
Mr. Abhijnan Rej is a New Delhi-based researcher, analyst, and consultant. He frequently writes about international security, Indian defense and foreign policies, emerging technologies and strategy, and complexity science. He is a trained as a mathematician in the University of Connecticut and Max Planck Institute for Mathematics, Bonn.
Show Notes:
- Abhijnan Rej (2020), The Remaking of War, Firstpost.
- Eliot A. Cohen (2004) Change and Transformation in Military Affairs, Journal of Strategic Studies, 27:3, 395-407, DOI: 10.1080/1362369042000283958
- Grissom, A. (2006). The Future of Military Innovation Studies, Journal of Strategic Studies.
- Anit Mukherjee (2019), The Absent Dialogue, Oxford University Press.
- Anit Mukherjee (2017), "Educating the Professional Military: Civil–Military Relations and Professional Military Education in India," Armed Forces and Society, XX(X): 1-22.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Military Modernization in the 21st Century: Where does India Stand?", 1(5), 12 April 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3330343
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Exploring the role of ideologies, institutions and interests in the practice of international relations and diplomacy of both India and China, this episode features Ambassador Kishan S Rana, Dr. Jabin T Jacob and Dr. Dhananjay Tripathi.
Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, Ambassador Rana worked in China from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.
Dr Jabin T Jacob is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations & Governance Studies at Shiv Nadar University. He is also Adjunct Research Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi and was formerly a Fellow and Assistant Director at the Institute of Chinese Studies.
Dr Dhananjay Tripathi is an Assistant Professor in the Dept of International Relations at South Asian University and whose expertise lies in regionalism, border studies and the political economy of South Asia.
In this discussion moderated by Dr. Tripathi, Ambassador Rana and Dr. Jacob discuss the Indian and Chinese thinking of international relations & practice of soft power diplomacy, the two countries' approaches to regional integration, the role of Indian and Chinese foreign ministries and the recent impact of COVID-19 on China's pursuit of reimagining the global order.
Show Notes1. Kishan S Rana (2016), "Soft Power in an Asian context", in Naren Chitty (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Soft Power, Routledge.
2. Jabin T. Jacob, “India, RCEP and the China spectre”, Money Control.
3. Kishan S Rana, “Why India needs smart diplomacy”, DiploFoundation.
4. Kishan S Rana (2013), “The Contemporary Embassy: Paths to Diplomatic Excellence”, Palgrave Macmillan.
5. Jabin T. Jacob, “China’s BRI & its Implications for India”, Heinrich Boell Stiftung India.
6. Jabin T. Jacob, “Covid-19 pandemic: China’s propaganda machinery is in full swing”, Money Control.
7. Kishan S Rana, “Getting the whole government involved in foreign affairs”, Business Standard.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Ideologies, Institutions & Interests: An Examination of the Indian & Chinese Experiences",1(4), 04 April 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3226429
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this episode, Dr Nabarun Roy, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at South Asian University hosts SD Muni, Professor Emeritus at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Prof. Muni was also India’s Special Envoy to Southeast Asian countries on UN Security Council Reforms from 2005-06 and served as India’s Ambassador to Laos PDR between 1997 to 1999.
In this fascinating engagement, Dr Roy finds out from Prof Muni about what ails India's Neighbourhood First Policy and the recent challenges to it. They also talk about the India-Pakistan bilateral issue in SAARC, the prospects of sub-regionalism, China's recent forays in South Asia, institutional capacity of the MEA to implement the Neighbourhood First Policy and other pertinent themes.
Show Notes1. Shubhajit Roy, "Our neighbourbhood policy has to be more generous: S Jaishankar", Indian Express.
2. S. D. Muni, and C. Raja Mohan, (2004). “Emerging Asia: India’s Options.” International Studies, vol. 41, no. 3, Aug. 2004, pp. 313–333.
3. S.D Muni, "Narendra Modi’s Foreign Policy: Rebuild South Asian Neighbourhood", Centre for Land Warfare Studies.
4. Amit Bhandari and Chandni Jindal, "Chinese Investments in India’s Neighbourhood", Gateway House.
5. Smruti S. Pattanaik (2016), "Sub-regionalism as New Regionalism in South Asia: India’s Role", Strategic Analysis, 40:3, 210-217.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Revisiting India's Neighbourhood Policy",1(3), 29 March 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3159394
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this episode, Prof Rajesh Rajagopalan, Professor of International Politics, JNU is joined by Ms Ruhee Neog, Director, IPCS to discuss the academic and policy debates in the context of the India-Pakistan nuclear dynamics in recent years.
They discuss a range of issues including the concepts of nuclear deterrence, brinkmanship & Robert Putnam's two-level games vis-a-vis India- Pakistan dyad. They also tackle policy questions surrounding India's No-First Use (NFU) Doctrine, the government's response following the Uri & Pulwama terror attacks and the role & influence of media in crisis escalation and management.
Attribution:The Bridge Project (2020), "Situating India-Pakistan Nuclear Debate post-Pulwama", 1(2), 22 March 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3081832
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Show Notes
-
Kevin James, "Can India or Pakistan Break Deterrence?", https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/can-india-or-pakistan-break-deterrence-53692
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Amanda Foreman, "A Brief History of Brinkmanship", https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-brief-history-of-brinkmanship-1503507520
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Robert D. Putnam, "Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two-Level Games", https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/files/5154-putnamdiplomacy-and-doestic-politicspdf
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Ruhee Neog and Hannah Haegeland, "Indian Media Plays a Crucial Role in Times of Crises With Pakistan", https://thewire.in/media/india-pakistan-mumbai-attack-media
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Dinakar Peri, "Should India tinker with its ‘No First Use’ policy?" (Interview with Prof Rajesh Rajagopalan & Dr Manpreet Sethi), https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/should-india-tinker-with-its-no-first-use-policy/article29224507.ece
In this episode, Dr. Rajneesh Verma, Director of Research and Senior Fellow at the Intellesia Institute joins Dr. Nabarun Roy, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at South Asian University to speak about the field of International Relations in policy-making. Dr Verma is also an Associate Professor in the College of International Relations at China's Huaqiao University.
Laying the conceptual introduction to the policy-academia divide in international relations, Dr Roy and Dr Verma discuss a range of themes including the application of theory in policy making, the current state of cross-field contribution in International Relations by looking at specific country cases like the US, Europe, China and India and the challenges ahead in order to bridge this gap.
Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Decoding the Policy-Academia Divide in International Relations", 1(1), 15 March 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3011449
Music Credits:Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Show Notes1. Stephen M. Walt (2012), 'What role should IR scholars play in policy-making?', Foreign Policy.
2. Stephen M. Walt (2009), 'The cult of irrelevance', Foreign Policy.
3. Joseph Lepgold (1998), 'Is Anyone Listening? International Relations Theory and the Problem of Policy Relevance', Political Science Quarterly, 113(1), 43-62. doi:10.2307/265765
4. Joseph S. Nye Jr. (2008), 'Bridging the Gap between Theory and Policy', Political Psychology, 29(4), 593-603.
5. Nick Taber (2018), 'How Xi Jinping is Shaping China’s Universities', The Diplomat.
Dr. Verma can be reached at rajneeshverma2000@gmail.com. Dr. Roy can be reached on Twitter @NabarunRoy15
The Bridge Project, a student-led initiative, attempts to bridge the widening gap between academia and policy making in India by offering a platform for dialogue between scholars and practitioners.
In the very first season of this initiative, we invite both renowned academics and policy makers with expertise in international relations and Indian foreign policy to discuss relevant themes.
Each episode will explore how the fields of academia and policy making approach a particular issue and why the disconnect between the two fields continue to persist. Through such a series of conversations, we look to utilise the domain expertise of both academics and policy makers to help bridge the gap and find common ground on a range of issues.
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