The India Briefing

In this episode of The India Briefing , former Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian joins hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari for a wide-ranging and incisive conversation on the state of the Indian economy. Drawing on decades of experience as a policy insider and analyst, Subramanian offers a candid assessment of India’s growth narrative, the reliability of GDP data, and the deeper stru...

In this special episode of The India Briefing, Nobel Laureate and development economist Esther Duflo joins hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari for a wide-ranging conversation on poverty, inequality, and evidence-based policymaking in India. Duflo, whose path breaking work on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) has transformed development economics, reflects on two decades of field research a...

This episode of The India Briefing delves into The Great Mughals exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum, which celebrates the artistic and cultural achievements of the Mughal Empire’s golden age (1560–1660). Hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari are joined by historian and author Ira Mukhoty to explore the dynasty’s true origins, the influence of Mughal women, and the rich artistic leg...

In this episode, Pragya Tiwari and Mukulika Banerjee take a step back from the news cycle to  reflect on the broader question of democracy and how we can ‘cultivate’ it. They use the idea of ‘cultivating democracy’ as a framework to look at the socio-political faultlines that impact the health of democracies world over. The discussion is based on Mukulika’s recent inaugural lecture at the London S...

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...

Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari interview Professor Christophe Jaffrelo t, a prominent scholar on violence, caste, and Indian politics, currently leading the research project The 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, gener...

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, cult...

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. Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in Episode Notes:  The Seen and the...

In this episode of The India Briefing, hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari look back and discuss the headlines of 2024 in politics, art, culture, cinema, the changing nature of public good in politics, reflections on the future of democracy in India and lots more. Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in

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 independe...

In this episode, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari delve into the indictment of Gautam Adani and others, exploring the serious charges of securities fraud and bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The conversation looks at the impact on the company's market value, investor sentiment, and the Indian government's response. The discussion highlights the volatility of Ad...

In this episode, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari delve into the indictment of Gautam Adani and others, exploring the serious charges of securities fraud and bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and also speak to Jerry Roth and Avi Singh for their perspective. The discussion highlights the implications of US laws extending beyond its borders, the complexities of transnation...

In this episode, our hosts Mukulika Banerjee and Pragya Tiwari discuss the severe air pollution crisis in Delhi, particularly during the winter months. They explore the various causes of pollution, including stubble burning, vehicular emissions, and industrial pollution, as well as the health impacts on the population. We also cover government responses, the political dynamics surrounding pollutio...

In today’s episode, we look at the complex web of India-Canada relations in light of the allegations surrounding India's involvement in the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. We also speak with Foreign Affairs expert Suhasini Haider who has been monitoring the situation closely. Produced by Oijo Media Pvt Ltd | www.oijo.in

In the first major state elections after India's parliamentary elections earlier this year, the strife torn Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the state of Haryana went to polls in October 2024. Political anthropologist, Mukulika Banerjee and writer, Pragya Tiwari, discuss the significance of the polls, give you a lowdown of the electoral battle and outcomes, and analyse what the results...

India is the world’s most populous country, with a median age of 28 and an emerging economic powerhouse. Whatever happens here is bound to have an impact on the future of business, climate change, jobs, geopolitics and much more around the world. And yet there is no singular reliable source where you can go to make sense of the country.  The India Briefing aims to fill this gap. Through crisp conv...