An Indian Approach to Technology Diplomacy
Dear Reader,
Welcome to another edition of Takshashila Dispatch. In today’s newsletter, we present our latest updates on India’s tech-diplomacy strategy, space cooperation through the Artemis Programme, semiconductor geopolitics, future of the British monarchy, cycling to work on the roads of Bengaluru (yes, that’s right) and much more.
An Indian Approach to Technology Diplomacy
Our latest research output ‘Takshashila Discussion Document - An Indian Approach to Technology Diplomacy’ by Arjun Gargeyas addresses how technology can be used as a credible diplomatic plank by the Indian State to further its national and geopolitical interests through a comprehensive ‘techplomacy’ strategy.
The document argues that the framework for utilising technology as a base for diplomatic negotiations rests on three main underlying guiding principles:
Principle 1: Focus on areas of strengths in India’s technology stack. This includes areas such as the large-scale digital payments ecosystem and drugs & vaccines in the biotechnology space.
Principle 2: Foster multilateralism as a necessity for tech development. Realising that there is no such thing as national industry but only global supply chains, India must focus on specific areas of technology supply chains and also lead multilateral efforts to set tech governance norms.
Principle 3: Learning from China’s techplomacy efforts. India can aim to export tech infrastructure through foreign policy projects and focus on key battlegrounds of digital competition like telecommunications and 5G.
Once there is traction from the government on techplomacy, the framework proposed above can serve as the guiding principles and strategies for India to adopt in using technology as a diplomatic tool.
India & Artemis Programme: Next Step for Space Cooperation?
After much delay and two aborted attempts, NASA’s Artemis I mission to the Moon was scheduled to be launched on September 27. However, the weather gods have caused it to be delayed further. In the latest Takshashila Issue Brief, we examine the opportunities and challenges from India potentially joining the Artemis Programme after signing on to the Artemis Accords:
The participating countries in the Artemis Programme, which today includes the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, apart from the United States, offer an opportunity to India to boost its lunar exploration capacity through collaboration. Joining the Artemis Programme could also benefit India in terms of opportunities for co-financing lunar and other space projects, and gaining access to critical space technologies.
Since India has also opened up its space sector to private enterprises, Artemis can pave the way for cross-border commercial opportunities. It opens up the possibility of creating supply chains and technology transfers between India and other participating countries.
India Must Prepare for a Sharp Drop in Russian Defence Supply
Pranay Kotasthane and Abhiram Manchi write for The Times of India on how India’s Russia problem will grow owing to Russia’s inability to fulfill India’s military orders in the future:
Russia has just ordered its first mobilisation since World War II to bolster its invasion of Ukraine. This clearly shows that the war is not going according to plan for Moscow. But Russia is still considered a dependable defence partner to India. An underlying assumption is that Russia will continue to be a reliable supplier even in the future. But this assumption fails to consider that Russia’s defence production capabilities will continue to decline well after the ongoing war in Ukraine ends.
Britain Shouldn’t Lose Sleep Over Getting Rid of Monarchy
Nitin Pai, in his column for the LiveMint, writes that the history of Britain’s constitutional monarchy is one of steady long-term progress towards liberal democracy and liberals, especially, have strong reasons to be conservative on this matter:
Would I want to be a subject of a monarch who has a right to rule? I could not answer this question because I am not British. But clearly, it is subjective. You can put this question to the people in a referendum, but the Brexit vote alerts us of the dangers of such a method, even if it is the best method available for it. Related issues will crop up. If the monarchy goes, will England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland wish to constitute a united republic, or go their separate ways?
The answer is somewhat easier for Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the various island states that still have the British monarch as their head of state. Barbados has become a republic and Jamaica too is headed in that direction. The hope is that the new set-up will be an improvement over the old one. But we can never be certain about it.
Pranay Kotasthane Appeared on CNBC Podcast on Semiconductor Geopolitics
Semiconductors are one of the most critical technologies of our time and a matter of national security. The U.S. along with South Korea, Japan and others have looked to form alliances around chips, in part to fend off a threat from the technological rise of China. Pranay Kotasthane discusses all this and more on CNBC’s Beyond the Valley podcast.
Cycling to Work - Hear from the Bangalore Bicycle Mayor
In last Friday’s episode of our daily podcast All Things Policy, Ritul Gaur and Sowmya Nandan speak to Sathya Sankaran who has been working towards a sustainable vision for Bengaluru. They discuss the solutions for issues around urban planning, urban governance, non-motorised transport and public transport.
Takshashila Participated at Public Affairs Forum of India’s 9th Annual Forum
Takshashila Institution was a supporting organisation of the 9th Annual Forum, the flagship event, of Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) that took place in New Delhi on 22nd & 23rd of September, 2022. The event witnessed participation from ministers and officials representing central and state governments, global and multilateral organizations, CEOs, media, think tanks, academia, and legislators. Takshashila’s team engaged with all stakeholders & deliberated on synergistic opportunities.
The highlight of the event was Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw discussing the Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 – which were his first remarks in public about the Bill after it was released last week by the concerned ministry.
Special Credit Course: Ethical Reasoning in Public Policy
Ethical Reasoning is a new course where you will learn to use concepts, frameworks and problem sets to examine and resolve ethical questions in public policy. Although the course incorporates moral principles, the emphasis is pragmatic: evaluating policy choices through ethical reasoning.
You will learn to assess the trade-offs inherent in public policy problems. By extension, you'll also start to see these choices in your own professional lives.
The course faculty is Nitin Pai, Co-Founder and Director, Takshashila Institution.
That’s all for this week. Take care!