The India Briefing

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The India Briefing for the India Curious. TIB offers a deep dive into India’s dynamic landscape. Hosted by academic Mukulika Banerjee and journalist Pragya Tiwari, this podcast delivers insightful updates on India’s politics, economy, and culture. Whether you’re studying, investing, or simply curious about the country, join us for crisp conversations and debates that decode India’s role in global affairs. read less
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India - US Relations in the Trump 2.0 Era
Yesterday
India - US Relations in the Trump 2.0 Era
In this episode of The India Briefing, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari speak with Navtej Sarna and Ashley Tellis to analyse the evolving India-US bilateral relationship, particularly in light of Prime Minister Modi's recent visit to Washington. Our guests help untangle the complexities of trade dynamics, immigration issues, and the interplay between domestic politics and foreign policy. Listen in for insights into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for both nations, emphasizing the importance of strategic convergence amidst a changing global order.More about Navtej Sarna - Navtej Sarna was born in 1957 to Punjabi litterateurs Mohinder Singh Sarna and Surjit Sarna. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1980 and served as an Indian diplomat for the next 38 years. His diplomatic journey included assignments in places as diverse as Moscow and Warsaw, Thimphu and Tehran. He held several critical appointments including as the Foreign Office Spokesman, India’s Ambassador to Israel, High Commissioner to the UK and Secretary to the Government of India. He retired from diplomatic service in 2018 as India’s ambassador to the United States. Pursing a parallel passion as a writer, Navtej Sarna has written ten books that explore different genres – novels, short stories, travel, literary essays and translations. He has been a prolific columnist and commentator on policy, literary and cultural matters, contributing regularly to journals in India and abroad. Sarna is now a full-time writer, dividing his time between New Delhi and Mashobra in the Shimla Hills. His latest work is the highly acclaimed historical novel, Crimson Spring. www.navtejsarna.in | X - https://x.com/navtejsarna https://www.navtejsarna.in/post/how-to-do-business-with-donald-trump-in-his-second-termAshley TellisAshley J. Tellis is the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, specializing in international security and U.S. foreign and defense policy with a special focus on Asia and the Indian subcontinent.While on assignment to the U.S. Department of State as senior adviser to the undersecretary of state for political affairs, he was intimately involved in negotiating the civil nuclear agreement with India.Previously he was commissioned into the U.S. Foreign Service and served as senior adviser to the ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. He also served on the National Security Council staff as special assistant to President George W. Bush and senior director for strategic planning and Southwest Asia. Prior to his government service, Tellis was senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation and professor of policy analysis at the RAND Graduate School.He is a counselor at the National Bureau of Asian Research, the research director of its Strategic Asia program, and co-editor of the program’s eighteen most recent annual volumes, including this year’s Strategic Asia: Reshaping Economic Interdependence in the Indo-Pacific.He is the author of Striking Asymmetries: Nuclear Transitions in Southern Asia (2022) and India’s Emerging Nuclear Posture (2001), the co-author of Interpreting China’s Grand Strategy: Past, Present, and Future (2000), and the co-editor of Getting India Back on Track (2014) and Grasping Greatness: Making India a Leading Power (2022) among other significant publications.https://carnegieendowment.org/people/ashley-j-tellisTIB offers a deep dive into India’s dynamic landscape. Hosted by academic Mukulika Banerjee and journalist Pragya Tiwari, this podcast delivers insightful updates on India’s politics, economy, and culture. Whether you’re studying, investing, or simply curious about the country, join us for crisp conversations and debates that decode India’s role in global affairs.
The State of Indian Muslims in 2025 with Christophe Jaffrelot
1w ago
The State of Indian Muslims in 2025 with Christophe Jaffrelot
Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari interview Professor Christophe Jaffrelot, a prominent scholar on violence, caste, and Indian politics, currently leading the research projectThe Indian Muslim Today at Sciences Po, where he is a Professor and CERI-CNRS Senior Research Fellow.The Indian Muslims Today is part of a 4-year research project, Indian Muslims at a time of Hindu Majoritarianism, generously funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and Columbia University, and run by Sciences Po with collaboration from Princeton.The project aims at presenting, through various media, an image of the situation and lives of India’s largest minority community.It seeks to inform students, academia, the media as well as the general public.Some of the content presented here is new and emerges from the fieldwork and academic research of the 50-odd core team which contributed to the project.The conversation delves into key themes such as socio-economic conditions, institutional exclusion, communal violence, ghettoization, and the decline of Muslim leadership. Jaffrelot underscores the growing climate of fear among researchers and the evolving influence of social media on public narratives. His research highlights the persistent marginalization of Muslims in India, particularly in northern regions, despite perceptions of them as a "pampered minority." Educational dropouts and the decline of Urdu in the north are highlighted as concerning trends. Nonetheless, Jaffrelot remains optimistic about the potential for inclusive policies and development-driven progress.ReferencesThe Indian Muslims Today- Science Po  Research Project by Christophe JaffrelotThe Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics, 1925 to the 1990s, By Christophe Jaffrelot Rise of the plebeians ? The changing face of Indian legislative assemblies, By Christophe Jaffrelot and S. KuamrIndia’s Silent Revolution – The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India,. By Christophe JaffrelotDr Ambedkar and Untouchability. Analysing and Fighting Caste, By Christophe Jaffrelot Muslims of Indian Cities. Trajectories of marginalization, By Christophe Jaffrelot and Laurent GeyerThe BJP and the compulsions of politics in India, By Christophe Jaffrelot and T.B. HansenThe Sangh Parivar : a Reader, By Christophe JaffrelotSurvey by CSDS Lokniti. Journal Contemporary South Asia
India's Cultural History as Told Through its Quintessential Garment, the Sari
Feb 1 2025
India's Cultural History as Told Through its Quintessential Garment, the Sari
In this episode of The India Briefing, hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari delve into the enduring legacy of the sari with author and publisher Malvika Singh. Her latest book, Saris of Memory, intertwines her personal life story with India’s post-independence journey, using the sari as a central motif. The discussion explores the sari's role as a modern garment, its functionality, cultural identity, and potential for empowerment, while also addressing the challenges faced by artisans and the need for institutional support to preserve India's rich textile heritage. Show Notes - Saris of Memory by Malvika Singh https://www.yali.store/products/saris-of-memory?srsltid=AfmBOorvoCB_7bhNe0WmiOGQ8XCwcDdXZ4CjuhjEB2wYU_3fegVXdT9X  The Sari by Mukulika Banerjee and Daniel Miller https://www.amazon.in/Sari-Mukulika-Banerjee/dp/1859737323  Pupul Jayakar  https://mapacademy.io/article/pupul-jayakar/  Martand Singh https://mapacademy.io/article/martand-singh/  Rajiv Sethi https://khojstudios.org/supporter/rajiv-sethi-scenographers/  Ahalya Matthan https://www.theregistryofsarees.com/  Rehwa Society  https://rehwasociety.org/  Sally Holkar https://mapacademy.io/article/sally-holkar/  Laila Tyabji https://mapacademy.io/article/laila-tyabji/  Dastakar https://www.dastkar.org/about-us/  Uzramma https://www.india-seminar.com/2003/523/523%20uzramma.htm  Khadi and Village Industries Corporation https://www.kvic.gov.in/kvicres/index.php  Crafts Council of India https://www.craftscouncilofindia.in/  Shama Pawar https://baromarket.in/collections/shama-pawar  Jaya Jaitly https://mapacademy.io/article/jaya-jaitly/  Dolly Jain (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/dolly.jain/?hl=en
Making Sense of India with Amit Varma and Milan Vaishnav
Jan 14 2025
Making Sense of India with Amit Varma and Milan Vaishnav
Episode Name : Making Sense of India with Amit Varma and Milan Vaishnav Episode Summary:  In this episode of the India Briefing, we speak with Milan Vaishnav, host of The Grand Tamasha and Amit Varma, host of The Seen and the Unseen on the lessons, the critical ideas and observations that they have encountered through conversations across the years and how they have helped shape their understanding of India. Episode Notes:  Episode Notes (References) The Seen and the Unseen with Amit Varma Everything and Everything with Amit Varma and Ajay Shah The Grand Tamasha Podcast with Milan Vaishnav Re-examining America’s bet on India - Milan Vaishnav and Ashley Tellis Ashley J. Tellis on India’s China conundrum  The Incredible Curiosities of Mukulika Banerjee Sowmya Dhanaraj Is Making a Difference Amitava Kumar Finds His Gulmohar Tree The Life and Times of Mrinal Pande The Life and Times of Ira Pande Swapna Liddle and the Many Shades of Delhi Rakhshanda Jalil Watches the Changing World The Life and Times of Shanta Gokhale The Life and Times of Jerry Pinto The Gentle Wisdom of Pratap Bhanu Mehta What Have We Done With Our Independence? - Pratap Bhanu Mehta joins Amit Varma Ram Guha Writes a Letter to a Friend  Kashmir and Article 370 - Srinath Raghavan joins Amit Varma The Citizenship Battles - Srinath Raghavan joins Amit Varma The Loneliness of the Indian Woman - Shrayana Bhattacharya joins Amit Varma The Loneliness of the Indian Man - Nikhil Taneja joins Amit Varma The Forces that Shaped Hinduism - Manu Pillai joins Amit Varma Ranjit Hoskote is Dancing in Chains Populism, South Asian Style Taking On India’s Patriarchal Political Order Dalits in the New Millennium  Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India by Mukulika Banerjee Is India a Flailing State?: Detours on the Four Lane Highway to Modernization by Lant Pritchet The Indian Supreme Court in the Modi Era Decoding the 2024 Indian General Elections The Gita Press and Hindu Nationalism - Akshaya Mukul joins Amit Varma Vinayak Calling Vinayak Hindutva and Violence: V.D. Savarkar and the Politics of History by Vinayak Chaturvedi Savarkar by Vaibhav Purandare The Ferment of our Founders - Shruti Kapila joins Amit Varma The Life and Times of Indian Economy - Rajeswari Sengupta joins Amit Varma Chandrahas Choudhury’s Country of LiteratureMigrants and Machine Politics: How India's Urban Poor Seek Representation and Responsiveness by Adam Michael Auerbach, Tariq Thachil H-Pop : The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars by Kunal PurohitWhen Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics by Milan Vaishnav Savarkar and the Making of Hindutva by Janaki BakhlePrivate Truths, Public Lies – The Social Consequences of Preference Falsification by TImur Kuran Accelerating India's Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance by Kartik MurlidharanIn Service of the Republic: The Art and: The Art and Science of Economic Policy by Ajay Shah, Vijay Kelkar
Cash Transfer for Women: The New Trend Shaping Indian Electoral Politics
Dec 21 2024
Cash Transfer for Women: The New Trend Shaping Indian Electoral Politics
In this episode of The India Briefing, hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari discuss the growing trend of Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) targeted at women voters, especially in the context of electoral politics. Women in India have historically been viewed as a bloc tied to their family, caste, or community, but in recent years, political parties have increasingly targeted them as an independent voting group. Further Reading - http://www.jstor.org/stable/23391448 http://www.jstor.org/stable/23017228 http://www.jstor.org/stable/43202584  http://www.jstor.org/stable/41419797  http://www.jstor.org/stable/23017224.  https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2021/04/29/Is-There-a-One-Size-Fits-All-Approach-to-Inclusive-Growth-A-Case-Study-Analysis-50279#:~:text=The%20paper%20finds%20that%20there,the%20better%20the%20overall%20outcome.  https://www.ceew.in/publications/lessons-worlds-largest-subsidy-benefit-transfer-scheme  https://www.epw.in/journal/2024/48/general-elections-2024/technology-votes.html  https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/opinion/how-women-voters-became-front-and-centre-of-the-electoral-outreach-by-political-parties-10331681.html  https://frontline.thehindu.com/politics/women-voting-patterns-india-2024-lok-sabha-election/article68266079.ece  https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/big-gains-karnataka-seats-congress-women-votes-8609547/  https://www.thehindu.com/elections/himachal-pradesh-assembly/did-women-voters-tip-the-scales-in-favour-of-the-congress-in-himachal-pradesh/article66247886.ece  https://theprint.in/opinion/mamatas-lakshmir-bhandar-was-a-secret-weapon-bengal-tmc-is-now-reaping-electoral-fruits/2099238/  https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/csds-lokniti-post-poll-survey-in-chhattisgarh-women-voters-give-a-push-to-bjp/article68266734.ece  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cash-is-king-direct-benifit-transfers-crowns-the-winner-in-maharashtra-jharkhand-election-results/articleshow/115609645.cms  https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/polls-and-freebies-who-doesn-t-love-cash-transfers-but-are-these-really-the-answer-handouts-elections-finances-11732686156261.html  https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/cash-transfers-help-bengal-women-take-financial-decisions-says-study/article67669112.ece  https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/vivek-kaul-cash-transfer-politics-has-an-impact-not-just-on-ballots-but-also-budgets-freebies-elections-populism-states-11733066312582.html  https://www.business-standard.com/markets/news/nine-states-go-all-in-betting-18-billion-on-women-s-empowerment-124120100466_1.html  https://thesecretariat.in/article/a-rise-in-education-and-health-budget-allocation-is-needed-to-achieve-the-10-trillion-gdp-dream  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/study-on-cash-transfers-shows-poor-spending-on-schooling-health/articleshow/20441455.cms  https://www.ifpri.org/blog/india-moves-replace-food-aid-cash-more-evidence-needed-nutritional-impacts/  https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/madhya-pradeshs-new-scheme-for-women-ladli-bahna-yojana-runs-into-trouble-4147839  https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/patriarchal-political-order/9262E786791FBF6090313B50520F6A31  https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/direct-transfer-of-money-is-bribing-voters/20241126.htm  The India Briefing is brought to you by Radio Oijo. Write to us with your comments and suggestions on TIB@oijo.in.