Takshashila hosts Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Academic Conference 2025
Sourav M Sourav M

Takshashila hosts Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Academic Conference 2025

The Takshashila Institution hosted the Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Academic Conference 2025 from February 28 to March 2, 2025, at Neev Academy, Bengaluru. The conference brought together NASP Fellows, distinguished mentors, and experts for an engaging exchange of research and ideas on Pakistan’s evolving political, economic, and security landscape.

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“Effecting Change” PGP Workshop in Bangalore
Sourav M Sourav M

“Effecting Change” PGP Workshop in Bangalore

The 14th, 15th and 16th of February saw the eighth cohort of our postgraduate programme (PGP) in public policy course come together for our Effecting Change workshop, hosted right here in Bangalore at the Takshashila Institution office located on vibrant Church Street. The three-day event was a dynamic space for learning, discussion, and collaboration, bringing 21 aspiring changemakers together to sharpen their skills and drive tangible impact

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Takshashila hosts a Roundtable Discussion on ‘Indo-Japanese Relations and the International Order 2025’
Anushka Saxena Anushka Saxena

Takshashila hosts a Roundtable Discussion on ‘Indo-Japanese Relations and the International Order 2025’

The Takshashila Institution hosted Mr. Noriaki Abe, Minister of Political Affairs, Embassy of Japan in New Delhi, for a Roundtable conversation with Takshashila researchers on ‘Indo-Japanese Relations and the International Order 2025’. Mr. Abe presented insights on Japan’s interest in and outreach to South and Southeast Asia, with special emphasis on the growing partnership with India.

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Takshashila hosts the fourth Bengaluru Science Policy Forum meeting
Wini Gurung Wini Gurung

Takshashila hosts the fourth Bengaluru Science Policy Forum meeting

The Takshashila Institution hosted the fourth Bengaluru Science Policy Forum meeting on 29 January 2025. The theme of the meeting was 'One Nation One Subscription' (ONOS). The discussion covered both ‘science for policy’ and ‘policy for science’ aspects of ONOS. 

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Takshashila Launches New Survey Report on India-China Relations
Sourav M Sourav M

Takshashila Launches New Survey Report on India-China Relations

Most Indians prefer closer trade and investment relations with China but believe that the boundary dispute inhibits deeper ties. This is among the key findings of a new survey published by The Takshashila Institution. The report, Pulse of the People: State of India-China Relations, was released on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at the Bangalore International Centre.

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Bangalore Security Dialogue 2024: Shaping India’s Airpower Future
Sourav M Sourav M

Bangalore Security Dialogue 2024: Shaping India’s Airpower Future

The Takshashila Institution and Dynamatic Technologies Ltd jointly hosted the inaugural Bangalore Security Dialogue (BSD) on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, in Bengaluru. Under the theme of Accelerating India’s Airpower Transformation, the daylong event brought together defence experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to deliberate the emerging trends in the aerospace domain.

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Takshashila Hosts Network for Advanced Study of Technology Geopolitics Fellowship Conference
Ashwin Prasad Ashwin Prasad

Takshashila Hosts Network for Advanced Study of Technology Geopolitics Fellowship Conference

The Takshashila Institution organised a three-day academic conference as part of the Network for Advanced Study of Technology Geopolitics (NAST) fellowship at The Chancery Pavilion, Bengaluru, from November 22nd to 24th.

Fellows from the pioneer cohort of the NAST fellowship (2024-2025) presented their work-in-progress papers on areas lying at the intersection of technology and geopolitics, such as semiconductors, satellite constellations, lethal autonomous weapons systems and AI. 

Following a welcome dinner on 22 November, over the course of the next two days, the fellows presented the findings of their research, while receiving feedback from mentors, scholars and practitioners. In addition, they also engaged in a crisis negotiation exercise with a hypothetical scenario involving the Quad and China.  

The NAST fellowship aims to create a cross-disciplinary community of scholars and a body of knowledge that will inform policy, strategy, economics, technology and society. Selected fellows get mentorship from some of the leading experts in critical and emerging technologies, with expertise in geopolitics, geoeconomics, and innovation. The deliverables of the one-year long  fellowship is publication of papers in leading journals, and the award includes a cash prize of INR one lakh for top three papers. The NAST fellowship, which is an initiative of the Takshashila Institution, is supported by Samāgata Foundation.

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Bengaluru Space Exercise - 2024
Ashwin Prasad Ashwin Prasad

Bengaluru Space Exercise - 2024

The Takshashila Institution hosted its inaugural Bengaluru Space Exercise, a two-day crisis simulation focusing on emerging governance and strategic challenges in outer space. The event, held on November 14-15, 2024, brought together stakeholders from India's military and civilian space sectors.

Through detailed crisis scenarios, participants explored two critical themes: the growing risks in an increasingly congested Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and the potential escalation of terrestrial conflicts into the outer space domain. The exercise aimed to gain fresh insights into strategic challenges and as well potential crisis responses. 

The participants consisted of officers from the Indian armed forces, representatives from the private space sector, and academics.

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Roundtable | India-China Trade and Investment: Approaches and Frameworks
Anushka Saxena Anushka Saxena

Roundtable | India-China Trade and Investment: Approaches and Frameworks

To create an engaging forum for deliberation on vulnerabilities in India’s trade relationship with China, on September 11, 2024, the Indo-Pacific Studies Team at Takshashila organised a Roundtable discussion. The discussion was led by Amit Kumar and Pranay Kotasthane, and the panelists included eminent scholars such as Amb. V.S Seshadri (Senior Fellow for Economic Security at Delhi Policy Group), Dr. Amitendu Palit (Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead, ISAS, NUS), Dr. Partha Mukhopadhyay (Senior Fellow at Centre for Policy Research), and Mr. Santosh Pai (Partner at Trilegal).

The relevant frameworks under deliberation were Defining Dependence-induced Vulnerabilities in Asymmetrical Trade Interdependence: A Conceptual Framework (by Amit Kumar), and A Framework to Approach Chinese Firms (by Pranay Kotasthane).

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Future Frontiers of India-US Collaboration
Wini Gurung Wini Gurung

Future Frontiers of India-US Collaboration

On 10 September 2024, the Takshashila Institution and US-India Business Council (USIBC) jointly organised an event ‘Future Frontiers of India-US Collaboration’, at the Taj West End, Bengaluru. Ambassador (retd.) Atul Keshap (President, USIBC) delivered welcome remarks, while Edward Knight (Executive Vice Chairman, Nasdaq and Chairman, USIBC) delivered the opening remarks. Narayan Ramachandran (Co-Founder, Takshashila) delivered the keynote address. He presented two key recommendations from a joint (upcoming) report on India-US relations by the Takshashila Institution and the Hudson Institute. First, expanding the India-US 2+2 meetings to become 3+3 by inviting ‘commerce’ to the table. Second, the need for deeper human capital exchange. An ensuing panel discussion on ‘Collaborative Frontiers in Emerging Technologies’ was moderated by Brad Staples (CEO, APCO) with Amy Hariani (Senior Advisor, USIBC), Pranay Kotasthane (Deputy Director, Takshashila), Sudhir Rao (India Managing Partner, Celesta Capital) and Saurabh Chandra (CEO, Ati Motors) as panellists. 

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Bretton Woods at 80: India’s Role in Creating the World Bank and IMF with Mr. Vikram Raghavan
Wini Gurung Wini Gurung

Bretton Woods at 80: India’s Role in Creating the World Bank and IMF with Mr. Vikram Raghavan

On August 28, 2024, Takshashila Institution hosted Mr. Vikram Raghavan, Lead Counsel at the World Bank, for a talk on ‘Bretton Woods at 80: India’s Role in Creating the World Bank and IMF.’ Speaking in his private capacity, Mr. Raghavan explained the competing proposals for post-war reparations, the Keynes Plan and the White Plan. On India’s contribution to Bretton Woods, Mr. Raghavan highlighted how the Indian government sought extensive consultations from the RBI and chambers of commerce. He discussed the prominent members of the Indian delegation and how India was recognized as an independent entity at the conference.

Mr. Raghavan recounted how the British delegation, including Sir Jeremy Raisman of the Indian delegation, revised the American Plan during their voyage to New York on the Queen Mary. He also mentioned a secret pre-conference meeting at a US beach, where heavy negotiations took place among the US and British delegations, with Sir Jeremy in attendance. India’s bold proposal that the fund should have a development mandate was debated and eventually agreed upon at Bretton Woods. India also contributed to World Bank’s Article 1.

He explained India’s formal membership in the Bank and Fund, noting the lengthy ratification process. Mr. Raghavan concluded by emphasizing that India became the World Bank’s biggest borrower and a development laboratory for the bank, and acknowledged the policy contributions of Indian Executive directors in the Bank and the Fund.

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Policy Seminar | Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Public Policy
Wini Gurung Wini Gurung

Policy Seminar | Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Public Policy

The eighth cohort of our Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Public Policy kicked off their first in-person workshop convening with a policy seminar in Delhi! We heard from a wide range of exemplary public policy practitioners on issues ranging from the economic trends to the clean energy transition India is grappling with.

Click here to learn more about the PGP and apply for the next cohort:

https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgp

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Book Conversation | Poles Apart: The Military and Democracy in India and Pakistan
Wini Gurung Wini Gurung

Book Conversation | Poles Apart: The Military and Democracy in India and Pakistan

On 16th August 2024, the Takshashila Institution held an in-person conversation with Dr Aditya Sondhi, author and a senior advocate, on his latest book, "Poles Apart: The Military and Democracy in India and Pakistan". Amit Gaur, a fellow of Takshashila's defence fellowship, moderated the session.

The session looked into various facets of civil-military relations in India and Pakistan, analysing military history and comparative constitutionalism in both countries. It also delved into the role of Bangladesh's military in the current political crisis in Dhaka. The session rightly identified how civil-military relations could be the deciding factor in the growth of democracy in the Indian subcontinent.

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Inaugural Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Fellowship Winners Announced
Shrikrishna Upadhyaya Shrikrishna Upadhyaya

Inaugural Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Fellowship Winners Announced

Takshashila’s Network for Advanced Study of Pakistan (NASP) Fellowship creates high-quality scholarship and knowledge of Pakistan in India by nurturing new generations of analysts in academia, the armed forces, think tanks, media, and industry. Today, we announce the successful completion of the pioneer cohort of the NASP Fellowship. The cohort commenced in May 2023, with 14 papers by 21 Fellows. Seven mentors, including Prof. Sumit Ganguly, Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, Dr TCA Raghavan, Dr Aparna Pande, Lt Gen. Prakash Menon, Anand Arni and Pranay Kotasthane, helped the NASP Fellows over ten months to refine their papers through online interactions. The Fellowship also comprised an in-person conference that was organised in November 2023, where the working papers were presented for feedback.

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Takshashila Hosted Christopher W. Hodges, US Consul-General, for a Discussion on India-US Partnership
Shrikrishna Upadhyaya Shrikrishna Upadhyaya

Takshashila Hosted Christopher W. Hodges, US Consul-General, for a Discussion on India-US Partnership

On February 28, 2024, the Takshashila Institution hosted H.E Mr. Christopher W. Hodges, US Consul-General in Chennai, India, for a closed-door conversation on the India-US partnership. The session was moderated by Mr. Narayan Ramachandran, co-founder of the Takshashila Institution. Mr. Hodges highlighted that the India-US partnership needs to move beyond the bilateral mechanisms of diplomacy, such as 2+2 dialogues and prime ministerial meetings, towards a partnership that revolves around diversity and inclusion, convergence of our broader values, and enabling right of access and engagement with each others’ populations.

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