NPC Watch: China's Defence in Jeopardy?

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1. 

   S1 · E1957 · 18 Sep 2026 · 37 min

   What If Your Biggest Launch Customer Is Yourself? | Space Launch 4

   Rockets need things to launch. Increasingly, that demand comes from large satellite constellations whose spectrum and orbital filings are mediated by states. Lokendra Sharma and Ashwin Prasad Rao discuss how Starlink and China’s megaconstellations are reshaping launch demand, why orbital rights matter to launch capacity, and whether India can use its own emerging constellation plans to strengthen its domestic launch industry. If you often think about space and India's foray into it, then we think you may like to take the Technopolitik survey designed by the Takshashila Institution. It aims…

2. 

   S1 · E1956 · 17 Sep 2026 · 27 min

   Brahmaputra: The Risk of a River Changing Slowly

   China’s mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo has raised concerns about downstream risks for India. Beyond the prospect of sudden floods, how could gradual changes in river flows and sediment reshape the Brahmaputra and the lives that depend on it? In this episode of All Things Policy, Kavya Rai speaks with Dr Y. Nithiyanandam about Himalayan hazards, climate change and the implications of upstream development for downstream states in India. They also discuss the role of geospatial monitoring, data sharing and scientific cooperation in strengthening India’s preparedness. The original op-ed about…

3. 

   S1 · E1955 · 16 Sep 2026 · 30 min

   What Happens After a Rocket Fails? | Space Launch 3

   Failure is an unavoidable part of developing launch vehicles, but not every launch company survives it. Lokendra Sharma and Ashwin Prasad Rao discuss why states sometimes continue supporting launch firms after expensive failures and sometimes allow them to disappear. Drawing on cases from the United States, China and elsewhere, they ask what India’s first serious private-launch failure will reveal about the state’s willingness to preserve domestic launch capability. The discussion draws on this newsletter: https://orrery.ashwinprasadrao.com/p/still-on-the-umbilical All Things Policy is a…

4. 

   S1 · E1954 · 15 Sep 2026 · 40 min

   Laughs and SCO-ffs At Bishkek

   In this episode of All Things Policy, Anisree Suresh sits with Manoj Kewalramani and Anushka Saxena to unpack the 26th SCO Summit. They analyse the key takeaways from the Summit and its Bishkek Declaration, the utility of the Organisation itself from an Indian perspective, and its wider impact on regional security and cooperation. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution,…

5. 

   S1 · E1953 · 11 Sep 2026 · 25 min

   What India Gains from BRICS and the SCO

   India’s participation in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation often appears contradictory. New Delhi shares the table with China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan even as it deepens ties with the United States, Europe and other Indo-Pacific partners. In this episode, Vanshika Saraf and Bhumika Sevkani examine what India actually gains from being on the table, where these groupings fall short, and whether continued participation strengthens India’s influence across regions and institutions important to a multipolar world. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to…

6. 

   S1 · E1951 · 9 Sep 2026 · 32 min

   Reading the Himalayan Warning Signs

   The devastating floods in Nepal are a reminder of how hazards in one part of the Himalayas can cascade into disasters hundreds of kilometres downstream. In this episode, Nithiyanandam Y, Head of Takshashila’s Geospatial Programme, speaks with Shreya Ramakrishnan about what triggered the recent disaster, what geospatial intelligence can tell us before such events occur, and how better observation, preparedness and cross-border cooperation can help India manage the risks of a changing Himalayan region. As promised, read and listen to Nithiyanandam Y's analysis of these events: Nepal Floods:…

7. 

   S1 · E1950 · 8 Sep 2026 · 38 min

   Navigating the Ice Silk Road

   A Chinese shipping company – Sea Legend- announced that it will be starting container shipping services between China’s east coast and the UK through the 'Ice Silk Road'. In this episode, Bhumika Sevkani and Anushka Saxena talk about the potential of the alternative route, the China-Russia partnership in the Arctic and the leverage that the Ice Silk Road could provide going ahead. Tune in to understand the global implications of exploring this trade route as well as the interests and actions of various geopolitical actors in the Arctic. All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy…

8. 

   S1 · E1949 · 7 Sep 2026 · 31 min

   What Does The Mecca Pact Actually Change?

   What does the emerging Mecca Pact mean for regional security and, more crucially, for India? In this episode of All Things Policy, Research Analysts Aishwaria Sonavane and Adya Madhavan deliberate on the trilateral defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan, analysing its capabilities, strategic asymmetries, and the gap between collective-defence commitments on paper and immediate operational realities. From the perspective of a Pakistan-Saudi nuclear umbrella to questions of military interoperability and Pakistan's long-term capability development, they examine what…

9. 

   S3 · E1948 · 4 Sep 2026 · 50 min

   Semicon 2.0 Focuses on Getting India's Chip Design Game Right

   On 31 August 2026, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) notified Semicon 2.0 – Scheme for the development of Semiconductor Design and Manufacturing Ecosystem in India. To discuss the hits and misses of this new architecture, Pranay Kotasthane speaks to Sunil Acharya, Management Director of the Semiconductor Future Accelerator Lab Foundation (SFAL). Sunil breaks down the incentives for chip design firms and explains how investors and entrepreneurs might perceive these changes. Read more: https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/2026/275860.pdf All Things Policy is a daily…

10. 

    S1 · E1947 · 3 Sep 2026 · 29 min

    You Can Have a Rocket and Still Lose Access to Space | Space Launch 2

    A rocket is only useful if it has somewhere reliable to launch from. Lokendra Sharma and Ashwin Prasad Rao discuss how geography, launch ranges, sea launch and access to foreign spaceports shape national launch capacity. They also examine India’s dependence on Sriharikota, the role of Kulasekarapattinam, and whether Technology Safeguards Agreements and overseas launch sites could give India more resilient access to orbit. The discussion draws on this recent newsletter edition discussing global space launch: https://orrery.ashwinprasadrao.com/p/still-on-the-umbilical For those interested in…