Interpreting India

India's lunar exploration journey began with Chandrayaan-1, which marked a significant milestone in 2008 by becoming the first Indian mission to orbit the moon. This mission also contributed to the discovery of water ice on the moon, catalyzing renewed global interest in lunar exploration. India has since built on this success with subsequent Chandrayaan missions, most recently Chandrayaan-3, which achieved a successful soft landing on the moon.In this episode, Jatan Mehta discusses the strategic importance of lunar exploration for India and how Chandrayaan-3 has provided India with a solid foundation for future missions. He emphasizes that while India has made significant progress, it still lags behind space giants like China in terms of capabilities and resources. However, India's increasing participation in international collaborations, such as the U.S.-led Artemis Accords and the LUPEX mission with Japan, positions it well for future advancements in lunar exploration.The discussion also touches on the challenges of lunar exploration, including the technical difficulties of landing on the moon and the uncertainties surrounding lunar resources like water ice. As nations compete for access to the moon's South Pole, Jatan explains that there is still much to learn about the actual accessibility of these resources.Furthermore, Jatan highlights the role of private space companies and the growing interest in international partnerships. He mentions how India's collaboration with NASA and Japan could enhance its lunar capabilities, and the potential for India's private sector to contribute to global lunar missions.Episode ContributorsJatan Mehta is a globally published independent space writer and the author of Moon Monday, the world’s only newsletter dedicated to covering lunar exploration developments from around the globe. He also writes Indian Space Progress, a monthly report contextualizing the progress of India’s increasingly relevant space capabilities in the global arena. He has also been an Editorial Consultant for space organizations globally.Tejas Bharadwaj is a research analyst with the Technology and Society Program at Carnegie India. He focuses on space law and policies and also works on areas related to applications of artificial intelligence and autonomy in the military domain and U.S-India export controls. Tejas is also part of the group that works in convening Carnegie India’s annual flagship event, the “Global Technology Summit” co-organized with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.Additional ReadingsMoon Monday Blog by Jatan Mehta Chandrayaan Missions - ISROArtemis AccordsChina's Lunar Exploration ProgramNASA's CLPS Program Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

The Modi-Biden era is characterized by a profound deepening of ties between India and the U.S., with significant cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, enhanced defense partnerships, and strengthened diplomatic ties. Arun K. Singh discusses initiatives such as the iCET and the INDUS-X, which bolster the partnership, particularly in high-tech sectors like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and defense. The conversation also covers strategic challenges and alignments, particularly concerning China and the broader Indo-Pacific region.Throughout the episode, Singh articulates the nuanced shifts in policy and perspective shaping the relationship since the early 2000s. From nuclear agreements to the recent developments under the Quad framework, the dialogue illuminates the collaborative efforts defining current U.S.-India ties. The discussion not only explores strategic imperatives but also delves into the personal dynamics between leaders, highlighting their pivotal role in bilateral engagements. The episode underscores the complexities and strategic considerations that continue to drive the India-U.S. relationship forward in the face of global challenges.Episode Contributors Arun K. Singh is a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India. Singh has extensive experience across the globe, including as India’s ambassador to the United States, Israel, and France. Throughout his distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service, he has served during pivotal periods in key global capitals and was instrumental in shaping India’s policies, notably the continued progress in the U.S.-India relationship, India’s closer ties to Israel, and the formulation and implementation of India’s policies related to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, including in the period following 9/11.Rudra Chaudhuri is the director of Carnegie India. His research focuses on the diplomatic history of South Asia, contemporary security issues, and the important role of emerging technologies and digital public infrastructure in diplomacy, statecraft, and development. Readings:The Modi-Biden Dynamic for Next Steps in India-U.S. Relations by Arun K. Singh The U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET): The Way Forward by Rudra Chaudhuri, Konark Bhandari, and Ashima SinghA Quad Initiative on Digital Public Infrastructure by Rudra Chaudhuri and Aadya Gupta Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

There has been a significant transformation in Europe-China relations over the past decade, with a shift from economic optimism to cautious de-risking. While Europe has sought partnerships with China, particularly in industrial and technological sectors, there are increasing concerns about economic dependencies that may be leveraged by Beijing for political gain. The Russia-Ukraine war has further complicated the dynamic, as China’s support for Russia has created divisions within Europe regarding how to engage with China moving forward.In this episode, Janka Oertel explains the key drivers behind Europe’s changing relationship with China and the ongoing debates in European policy circles about how to reduce dependencies on Chinese goods, technology, and investments without completely decoupling. She emphasizes that de-risking is not a simple, one-size-fits-all strategy but rather a complex process that varies across European countries and industries.The episode also discusses how China has sought to deepen relationships with countries in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, providing investments through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to gain access to EU markets. Oertel notes that while some EU countries have welcomed Chinese investments, others are growing increasingly wary of Beijing’s intentions.The conversation touches on how Europe is looking to collaborate with India and the Global South as part of its broader strategy to diversify partnerships and reduce its reliance on China. The discussion highlights the importance of political will on both sides to make the EU-India relationship a cornerstone of future European foreign policy.Episode Contributors:Janka Oertel is the Director of the Asia Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Her research focuses on EU-China relations, US-China relations, Asia-Pacific security, and emerging technologies. She is the author of "End of the China Illusion: How We Must Deal with Beijing's Claim to Power."Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decision-making. She also writes extensively on South Asian regional dynamics and minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific.Additional Readings:The End of Germany’s China illusion With Janka Oertel by Janka OertelEU-China Relations: De-Risking or De-Coupling—the Future of the EU Strategy Towards China: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2024/754446/EXPO_STU(2024)754446_EN.pdfEuropean Commission’s 2019 Strategic Outlook on China: https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2019-03/communication-eu-china-a-strategic-outlook.pdf"China's New International Paradigm: Security First" by Helena Legarda: https://merics.org/en/chinas-new-international-paradigm-security-first"This isn't a new weapon, it is a new world"—three things Oppenheimer tells us about tech. https://www.ias.edu/news/video-2024-public-policy-lecture Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.

There are many factors that have led to China's more assertive foreign policy, especially under Xi Jinping. In this episode, Helena Legarda discusses the centralization of power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and how this has influenced China's strategic ambitions on the global stage. She also highlights the increasing role of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in defense diplomacy and how various domestic agencies, including think tanks and local governments, contribute to shaping China’s foreign policy.The conversation also touches on the CCP's reliance on nationalism as a source of legitimacy, especially in the face of economic challenges. Helena discusses how this heightened nationalism impacts China's foreign relations and the challenges it poses for the international community.Additionally, the conversation explores the evolving relationship between Europe and China, particularly the European Union's strategy of "de-risking" rather than decoupling from China. Legarda provides insights into how Europe’s changing stance towards China might influence global geopolitics and the role that countries like India could play in this new strategic environment.How does China balance its ambitions for global leadership with the growing challenges at home? What role does defense diplomacy play in China's foreign policy? And how are global powers like the EU and India adjusting to China's rising influence?Episode ContributorsHelena Legarda is a lead analyst with MERICS. Her research focuses on China’s defense and foreign policies, including their domestic sources and drivers, and their geopolitical impact. Prior to joining MERICS she gained professional experience at the Delegation of the European Union to China and at research and advisory firm China Policy in Beijing. Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decision-making. She also writes extensively on South Asian regional dynamics and minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific.Additional Readings:The Xi Jinping Doctrine of China’s International Relations by Feng ZhangChina’s New International Paradigm: Security First by Helena Legarda "Comprehensive National Security" Unleashed: How Xi's approach Shapes China's Policies at Home and Abroad by Katja Drinhausen and Helena Legarda EU-China Relations: De-Risking or De-Coupling − The Future of the EU Strategy Towards China  Every two weeks, Interpreting India brings you diverse voices from India and around the world to explore the critical questions shaping the nation's future. We delve into how technology, the economy, and foreign policy intertwine to influence India's relationship with the global stage.As a Carnegie India production, hosted by Carnegie scholars, Interpreting India, a Carnegie India production, provides insightful perspectives and cutting-edge by tackling the defining questions that chart India's course through the next decade.Stay tuned for thought-provoking discussions, expert insights, and a deeper understanding of India's place in the world.Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review to join the conversation and be part of Interpreting India's journey.