Raghav's Take

India’s record-breaking T20 World Cup win saw an ecstatic celebration, but the joy was short-lived as stock markets crashed the next morning due to global events. Studies show cricket defeats hit markets harder than wins. Raghav Bahl asks: Can India’s cricket and equity cults shape each other’s future? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We break down nine vital resolutions India needs in 2026 to strengthen its democracy and revive its economy. We cover the key ideas shaping the debate on democratic trust, election integrity, judicial accountability, economic reforms, and the deep structural issues holding India back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India just posted a stunning 8.2% GDP growth number. At the same time, the rupee slid sharply and interest rates were cut. Economists argued. Politicians celebrated. Twitter exploded. But here’s the uncomfortable question: do these numbers actually reflect economic strength? This video breaks down why GDP, the number we obsess over the most, is a deeply imperfect measure. It’s an estimate, not a h...

In this video, we explore a compelling Raghav's Take that revisits an important 'what-if' question: What if India had built its democratic system on Proportional Representation (PR), like South Africa did in 1994? After the end of apartheid, South Africa faced violent ethnic conflict, deep political divisions, and existential fear—much like India did at the time of independence. Yet, its negotiate...

What if India didn’t use First Past the Post (FPTP) for its parliamentary elections? In this video, we break down The Quint’s opinion on how India’s electoral system shapes our democracy and why many of the world’s top democracies use Proportional Representation (PR) instead. We explore how FPTP can amplify majorities with minority vote shares, how PR could boost inclusion, and whether India’s fou...

In an America split between red rage and blue outrage, could the center be making a comeback? Raghav Bahl’s sharp political chronicle, “Is Centrist Thought Re-Emerging in Intensely Polarized America?”, travels through Donald Trump’s America — DTA, the self-proclaimed “Divine Democracy.” Through the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk, his widow Erika’s stunning act of forgiveness, and unexpecte...

In Part 2 of his provocative AI series, Raghav Bahl continues his stream-of-consciousness dive into the post-AI world. After asking *“What the @#$ is AI?” in Part 1, he now takes on the bigger question — *“How the @#$ will AI change our world?” From the rise of trillionaires and tech oligarchies to the collapse of traditional labour markets, Bahl explores five existential questions: Will AI flip t...

In this episode of Raghav’s Take, we dive into the chaotic, fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence and how it’s reshaping everything we know. From writing desks to codebases, from newsroom editors to lights-out factories run by robots, AI is upending industries at a pace that challenges classical economic thinking. While understanding AI in its entirety remains a challenge, its power and its...

India’s macroeconomy looks strong: low inflation, falling fiscal deficit, record capex, booming stock markets. Yet private investment and consumption are stagnant. In this sharp analysis, Raghav Bahl explores why India’s so-called Goldilocks Economy is anxious, trapped in what he calls the 'Invisible Spectrum' of un-reforms. From FDI outflows and millionaire migration to bans on new industries, ju...

India's GST is critiqued as a 'loser' using the ludicrous example of popcorn, which was earlier taxed at three different rates: 5%, 12%, and 18%. This complexity enabled corruption and draconian abuse. Will the proposed reforms truly fix it? In this episode of Raghav’s Take, Raghav Bahl breaks down the new GST structure, the business community’s response, and his five essential fixes to make GST a...

India and America have never had a simple relationship - moving from supplicants to adversaries, and finally, strategic partners. But with Donald Trump shaking up global trade, where does that leave India? In this episode of Raghav’s Take, Raghav Bahl argues why India should not feel overawed or bullied by America and how our regulations, digital power, and economic resilience give us an edge. Lea...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barack Obama’s presidency reshaped South Asia’s geopolitics. From exposing Pakistan’s duplicity on bin Laden and nukes to backing India for a permanent UN Security Council seat, Obama left behind a legacy of mistrust with Islamabad and strengthened ties with New Delhi. This final episode of our 7-part series explores how Obama’s decisions—from drone strikes and the Abbottabad raid to defence deals...

In Part 6 of the special "America-India-Pakistan" series, Raghav Bahl dives into the transformative role played by President George Bush Jr in reshaping US-India relations. During his tenure, Bush Jr ended India's nuclear isolation, lifted economic sanctions, and fostered deep cooperation between the two nations. Despite the post-9/11 shift in US policy towards Pakistan, Bush Jr’s focus on strengt...

In Part 5 of the series, Raghav Bahl delves into how after the Cold War ended, India and America went from estranged democracies to strategic partners. Clinton’s five-day India visit and frosty Pakistan stopover marked the moment the balance tipped. This is how trust was built - step by step. This episode unpacks: End Of Estrangement between India and US Growing Isolation of Pakistan Clinton’s Lan...

Part 4 of Raghav Bahl’s riveting historical series on the triangular relationship between America, India, and Pakistan dives into the high-stakes Cold War era of the late 1970s through early 1990s. As the world reeled from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and South Asia drifted into nuclear brinkmanship, US foreign policy under Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush underwe...

Why did Richard Nixon favour Pakistan while Indira Gandhi stood firm on India’s sovereignty? This video dives deep into a forgotten Cold War chapter when the US-India relationship hit rock bottom. From Nixon’s secret China deal brokered through Pakistan to his infamous "tilt" during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, we decode the geopolitics that shaped South Asia. Watch how Indira Gandhi pushed...

In Part 2 of our Cold War mini-series on the US-India-Pakistan triangle, we explore how Pakistan won over the Kennedy White House while India struggled to keep up. From Nehru’s waning influence and Ayub Khan’s charm offensive to Kennedy’s diplomatic missteps and the Indo-China war, we unpack a volatile decade that shaped the region’s geopolitics. We also examine LBJ’s humiliating ‘ship-to-mouth’ f...

America’s foreign policy towards India and Pakistan has shifted since the 1940s, often influenced by global politics and the personalities of US presidents. Early years saw the US favouring Pakistan due to India’s nonalignment and socialist leanings. Raghav Bahl asks: Could America’s changing stance reshape South Asia’s power balance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thought‑provoking video by Raghav Bahl, we explore three devastating incidents — the Pahalgam terror attack, the RCB fan‑stampede, and the Air India crash — to understand what they reveal about life, death, and human resilience. Watch as we question our mortality, confront grief, and affirm the meaning behind loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Raghav's Take we discuss how President Trump's Mar-a-Lago Accord could pave the way for India to reintroduce its sovereign dollar bonds. We explore the historical context, the challenges faced during the 2019 attempt, and the potential benefits of this strategic move for India's economy. Watch as we analyze the implications of this development and what it means for India's finan...

This video traces India-Pakistan conflicts from 1965 to 2025 through personal memories and shifting US policies. From American support for Pakistan in 1971 to a hands-off approach in 2025, the narrative shows changing global dynamics. Raghav Bahl asks, 'What really drives America’s unpredictable stance on South Asia?' From exposing misinformation to delivering impactful human rights reporting, our...

In this episode of Raghav's Take, we break down how Trump's Executive Order 14178 which was meant to roll back the U.S. digital dollar—may have handed a golden opportunity to Europe. With the European Central Bank pushing ahead with the Digital Euro, is the U.S. at risk of losing its long-held "exorbitant privilege" of dollar dominance? Watch as Raghav Bahl unpacks the geopolitical and economic im...

In this video, we delve into President Trump's Executive Order 14178, which halts the development of a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). We explore the implications of this decision on America's financial future, the rise of private Stablecoins, and how this move might cede ground to digital currencies like the Digital Yuan and Euro. Is this a safeguarding of privacy or a strategic blunde...

After a brief but intense escalation near Pahalgam, India and Pakistan have pulled back with a ceasefire now in effect. But the Indian stock markets remain volatile. In this video, Raghav Bahl analyses how markets often respond after military conflict subsides. Drawing parallels from the Kargil War and WWII, could the return to calm trigger a delayed 'war boom' rally? Or are we heading for a new c...