India as peacemaker: a futile endeavour in hope?
“Everything that my poor mind writes with its chalk of hope on the board of my heart, fate like a little boy laughs to itself and wipes away. “
This translated poem is drawn from the ‘Seven Hundred Gahas’, or the ‘Gahasattasai’, a collection of poems on love, written originally in one the classical languages of India, Maharashtri Prakrit (this poem dates back to approximately 100 CE (Deccan)).
Could the thought of India as a peacemaker in the current geopolitical climate be a similarly futile endeavour in hope? If you were to ask this of Takshashila’s Director for the Strategic Studies Programme, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Prakash Menon, he would say not so. In his op-ed for The Print, he examines the complex geopolitical milieu that India finds itself in, and argues that India could indeed take on the mantle of a peacemaker in this climate, as it navigates the increasingly terse dynamics created by major world powers. Click here to read the full article and learn more (or to see why Greek historian Thucydides makes an appearance in his analysis.)
P.S.: If you like the thought of spending the rest of your day reflecting on Sanskrit love poems, why not listen more here or watch here to hear Pranay Kotasthane, Saurabh Chandra and Khyati Pathak in conversation with Anusha Rao & Suhas Mahesh on Puliyabaazi discussing the influence of Sanskrit poetry on India’s literary culture among other things.
And while I have you in the mood to muse, join us in reflecting on this quote by the ever-lauded Aristotle:
“Quality is not an act; it is a habit.”
Takshashila co-founder Narayan Ramachandran cites this Aristotelian pearl of wisdom as he examines the missing piece in the conversation on the road toward Viksit Bharat: quality of outcomes in India’s policy reform agenda.
He writes in his latest column for Mint:
“There is some debate in academic literature about whether prosperity begets generational health or vice versa. A safe bet is that they move with interdependence and in tandem.
Particularly because of the significant advances in public health and nutrition science and the experience of other countries, India can benefit by using a “public health"-based stepping stone to prosperity. Each healthy working age adult not only can contribute to their full potential, but they can also in aggregate improve upon the envelope of potential for their whole generation.”
Read the full article here.
A $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030?
We turn our attention next to the recent (and promising) news of the Union Cabinet approving a new BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) policy. Given that bioeconomy remains the chief driver to achieve strong economic growth, while pursuing our climate change commitments, how well prepared is India to support its development? Our research proposes recommendations for action in five key areas related to India’s bioeconomy: governance, research and development, capacity building, intellectual property rights and foreign engagement. Takshashila’s Head of Research, Shambhavi Naik, has documented some highlights of Takshashila’s exploration of this question in this thread on X. Continue on to read the full report here.
As we near the mid-way point of this week’s Dispatch, why not have a surge in pace with some recent nuclear power-related news from both India and China (you’ve quickly forgiven us for that terribly punny joke, we hope).
First, we look homeward.
Nuclear Power Surge: India
China’s recent nuclear power-related developments do not stand alone as the most notable in the region. Far closer home, India’s recent budget announcements heralded the opening of a new chapter in the country’s own nuclear power sector: private sector partnerships.
Where foreign direct investments and domestic private sector investments were once warded away from the state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), this new deregulation announcement allows for the private sector to establish small nuclear reactors and develop small modular reactors (SMRs).
In this op-ed for Nikkei Asia, Takshashila’s Saurabh Todi, argues that these changes are welcome news for the nuclear power sector. May we venture to capture his three arguments with a quick alliterative guide?
One: familiarity. The private sector is familiar with India’s nuclear power infrastructure, as they support the operation of nuclear power plants as contractors supplying components or through engineering and civil works.
Two: funding. With the arrival of private sector players, government grants and budgetary loans can be re-directed elsewhere as these new players bring with them greater funding. The inevitable spillover effect on the pace and scale of infrastructure construction is worth noting.
Three: facilitation. The entry of private industry will facilitate the flourishing of the country’s domestic manufacturing ecosystem and associated startups. Such developments further facilitate innovation and economies of scale.
But wait, there’s some fine print to these sectoral developments: private partnerships are limited to Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs), built on India’s 220 MW pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology. As well, research and development on emerging nuclear energy technologies will be prioritised, the latter enabled by the $11 billion National Research Fund.
This op-ed astutely observes that the fruitfulness of such partnerships can only be released with due preparation for implementation but remains optimistic given the successes realised in India’s space sector reforms.
Next, we look outward to China.
Nuclear Power Surge: China
As of two weeks ago, China’s nuclear power strategy includes a sizable $33.3 billion dollar investment to expand its coastal nuclear plant arsenal.
China’s nuclear power expansion is driven by its increasing energy demand while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. If the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), is any indication, its nuclear capacity vision of 70 GW by 2025 sets it on track to pass the United States’ current operational nuclear capacity of 102 GW.
However, the country’s position on inland nuclear power plant investments may present a potential hurdle in its race to carbon neutrality by 2060. Read here to learn more from this op-ed penned by Takshashila’s Rakshith Shetty.
While changes to China’s nuclear power investments are reasonably well known, its internal military politics are less so. Read on to decipher our somewhat cryptic statement.
Is there more than meets the eye when it comes to changes in the Chinese military?
The 97th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was marked on August 1, 2024. Seemingly shrouded by the fanfare of the anniversary celebrations were “clandestine changes in the military leadership.” Set against the backdrop of China’s ongoing South China Sea dispute with the Philippines, these changes are ostensibly an effort to better prepare China for the naval challenges it faces ahead.
However, is there more to these changes than meets the eye? This is the very question that Takshashila’s Anushka Saxena grapples with in her recent op-ed for The Hindu. Click here to read the full piece that attempts to uncover some of these surreptitious developments.
Moving beyond Chinese military ranks, let’s take a quick gander at what surprising measure India ranks 4th in globally among top five nations according to 2023 International Monetary Fund (IMF) data.
India ranks 4th globally in offering this subsidy?
In a recent blog, Takshashila’s Anisree Suresh scrutinises the implications of India’s 4th place rank in fossil fuel subsidies globally (per 2023 IMF data). Given the widely recognized negative externalities of such energy subsidies, why still do such investments persist?
To note, while the recent Union Budget allocated Rs 11,925 crore for Fossil Fuel Subsidies (FFS), Anisree highlights that FFS has declined by 59 percent in the last decade before being disrupted by the 2022 energy crisis, which in turn fuelled (you’ll have to once again forgive the pun) coal, oil and gas subsidies.
As the global community clamours for the elimination of FFS amidst climate change considerations, what could a market-based solution in India look like? Click here to learn more.
Once upon a PGP Public Policy Seminar…
When we talk about a community of changemakers, no group comes to mind quicker than Takshashila’s Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Public Policy students.
Takshashila’s PGP welcomed its eighth cohort earlier this year. This past week however, we were delighted to host them for their very first in-person workshop of the year, with a visit to the nation’s capital to hear from a group of exceptional public policy practitioners. Click here to get a sneak peek of seminar highlights.
All Things Policy
Another easy highlight of the week is our All Things Policy episode, which, spoiler alert, includes a bonus video component - how fortunate you get to see FaFa virtually! (Confused by that reference? It’s a cheeky throwback to a 2023 Dispatch seen here, where we note the eerie similarities between our Deputy Director and the famed Malayalee actor who goes by the moniker FaFa to fans).
Our pick for All Things Policy episode of the week is this discussion between none other than Takshashila’s very own Pranay Kotasthane and Anushka Saxena who engage on the topic of Chinese production ecosystem’s overcapacity and India’s potential positioning in this context. Listen to the podcast here, or better still, catch them on the aforementioned special video episode by visiting our YouTube Channel here.
Wait, There’s More!
If our earlier section on India’s bioeconomy piqued your interest, our new course in Life Science Policy may be calling your name. This expert capsule course covers a vast array of laws, policies and guidelines that govern research and use of life science in India. If you are interested in understanding how India approaches life science policy — look no further, this course is tailor-made for you. Full course details and the application form can be found here.
Last but not least, we’re looking for a motivated scholar interested in following developments related to Pakistan's economy, domestic politics, and foreign policy. Do you know someone up to the task? Refer them to this link.
This edition of the Dispatch was written by Kripa Koshy, Programme Manager for Takshashila’s Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy.