Why Hardware Subscriptions are a Bad Idea
Dear Reader,
Hope you are doing well. This week’s edition focuses on the ASAT test ban by the US, the problems with hardware subscriptions, the field of geo-engineering, and our upcoming discussion on India’s national security situation.
US’ ASAT Test Ban
The United States (US) has officially pledged to stop conducting destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite (DA-ASAT) testing in space. During the announcement made on 18 April, US Vice-President Kamala Harris called on other nations to follow suit in the hope of establishing a norm of responsible behaviour in space and mitigating the problem of space debris. To date, China, India, Russia, and the US are the only countries that have demonstrated debris-creating ASAT capabilities.
In this piece for the Hindustan Times, Pranav R. Satyanath, a Research Analyst with Takshashila’s Strategic Studies Programme, argues that while the ban aims to mitigate the risk of space debris, it neither guarantees the redressal of an arms race in space nor does it signal the onset of international norms against ASAT testing. Pranav also suggests a potential path for India to respond to and navigate this unilateral test ban by the US.
Why Hardware Subscriptions are a Bad Idea
A few weeks ago, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that “Apple Inc. is working on a subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware products, a move that could make device ownership similar to paying a monthly app fee... The program would differ from an installment program in that the monthly charge wouldn’t be the price of the device split across 12 or 24 months. Rather, it would be a yet-to-be-determined monthly fee that depends on which device the user chooses."
In his fortnightly column for Mint, Nitin Pai argues why these decisions must not be left to the design choices and business models of technology companies. They certainly deserve a say, but not at the expense of citizens and democratic governments. Nitin writes:
We have over two decades of empirical evidence to show that information economy business models lead to a few companies acquiring massive global market-political power, and may use that to stifle competition even if the industry itself has few entry or exit barriers. A future where a handful of big global companies own the phones, laptops, modems and servers that everyone requires to participate in any activity is a lot worse than even today’s world where “you must be on WhatsApp and Facebook" to be in society. If tech oligarchs don’t like you, your company or your government, they can hit the kill switch and your fancy smartphone becomes a useless piece of glass, metal and silicon. Is this not what they effectively did to Russians?
A scenario where a political-corporate decision halfway around the world bricks hundreds of millions of smartphones in India is certainly far-fetched, even if it’s within the realm of possibility. But there are good reasons to be wary of hardware subscriptions in less drastic but no less consequential matters.
The Need for a Geo-engineering Governance Framework
Geo-engineering refers to large-scale, deliberate human intervention in the Earth’s natural processes that is done to counteract the effects of climate change. A key aim of this effort is to reduce CO₂ content in the atmosphere through human intervention. This would result in trapping less heat in the atmosphere, eventually slowing down the effect of global warming. Geo-engineering has the potential to be an alternative to cutting carbon emissions. However, there are concerns given that research is still in its early stages and there is little clarity about the unintended consequences of such actions.
In his article for Firstpost, Arjun Gargeyas makes a case for why geo-engineering must not be ruled out as an option for climate change mitigation, offering potential opportunities for India and China to collaborate. Arjun writes:
India and China have the possibility of driving forward the conversation on continuing credible research in the field of geo-engineering. Both countries have been torchbearers for the rest of the developing world at climate conferences and both can work together to formulate a well-rounded governance framework regulating the research and technology in the field. If this is indeed a fast-track solution to tackle climate change, developing countries can indulge in utilising these techniques to meet climate goals.
While ethical considerations should be taken into account, the two countries can develop a holistic model (that also looks at potential negative consequences of geo-engineering techniques) to have solar radiation management as a probable climate policy option. National agencies can be set up for funding solar geo-tech research and also keep tabs on the experiments being conducted. Incentivising development in the field must be a priority for both countries.
However, considering the historical criticism of the field as well as the concept of unanticipated consequences of human actions, the framework must be robust enough to account for the pitfalls of the field itself. Advocating for responsible use of these techniques must be a priority for both nation-states. Ensuring that the degradation of the existing environment as a result of human intervention not taking place should be an integral part of any governing mechanism that deals with geo-engineering processes and techniques. There must also be a mechanism to deploy these technologies when considerable research has been conducted and the potential effects of using these geo-engineering techniques have been identified.
Event: India’s National Security Situation
Takshashila is collaborating with the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) for what promises to be a riveting discussion on India’s national security situation.
The News Minute’s Editor-in-Chief Dhanya Rajendran will be in conversation with MP Manish Tewari and Lt. General Prakash Menon, Director of the Strategic Studies Programme at The Takshashila Institution.
The discussion will also draw on points made in Mr Tewari’s new book 10 Flashpoints: 20 Years National Security Situations that Impacted India.
The event is scheduled to be held on May 5th from 6:30-8 PM at BIC. You can RSVP for the event here.
India and China’s Response to the Ukraine War
Manoj Kewalramani, chairperson of the Indo-Pacific Studies Programme appeared on the Sinica Podcast with Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations and associate professor of political science at Boston University.
The episode offers fascinating analysis and insight into the complex relationship between China and India in light of the Russia-Ukraine War. They also talk about India and China’s historical frictions, divergent current interests and differing visions for a future world order, all of which makes arriving at a new modus vivendi between the two a challenging task.
Labour Law Reforms in India
Indian workers, establishments, and trade unions have been demanding labour law reforms for a decade or so. Now that the new labour codes have been passed, the country has witnessed protests and discourse against the same.
Sudisha Mishra sits down with labour economist Professor KR Shyam Sundar to discuss how these labour law reforms affect the working class, do establishments benefit, and what we can hope for the future.
Why You Should Take the GCPP (Technology & Policy)
The rapidly expanding technology sector in India will be a key factor in determining the path of progress. Developments in technology are intricately entangled with politics and society.
The Graduate Certificate in Public Policy (Technology and Policy) is a unique offering from Takshashila that will help you understand the political economy and social impact of technology.
Through networked self-study, lectures, and interactive discussions, you will gain a sound knowledge of various policy analysis frameworks and tools.
The GCPP (Technology & Policy) is delivered online, allowing students to participate and learn from anywhere while working in full-time positions. The course consists of weekly online webinars (typically held on Saturdays) spanning 12 weeks and two workshops.
Applications for the May 2022 cohort of the GCPP (Tech & Policy) are open. Classes begin on May 7 and the last date to apply is 30th April.
That’s it from us this week. Take care and stay safe!