South Asia Chat

Episode 319: India's Election Commission Under the Scanner

Over the past few weeks, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has been in the eye of a storm primarily due to a media report on disagreements among the three election c

Episode 318: From CEPA to Energy Security: Rethinking Canada-India-South Asia Economic Ties

In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Divya Murali, Research Associate at ISAS, speaks with Mr Edgard Rodriguez, Senior Development Economist at Canada’s International D

Episode 317: From Trade to Supply Chains: The Next Chapter for India, Malaysia and ASEAN

As global supply chains shift and digital trade expands, is the India–ASEAN economic partnership ready to meet emerging challenges? In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms

Episode 316: India-ASEAN Relationship in 2026: Challenges and Prospects

Ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar, Distinguished Visiting Research Fellow, ISAS-NUS, in conversation with Dr Sandeep Bhardwaj, Research Fellow, ISAS-NUS, unpacks India's multif

Episode 315: Energy Impacts of the West Asia Crisis on South Asia

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to the hostilities between the US and Iran have significantly impacted South Asian countries. There was some hope of a return to n

Episode 314: World Cup 2026: India is Missing Yet Again

Despite the football World Cup, regarded as the  greatest show on earth, having expanded to 48 participating countries in 2026, we are  once again in the all too familiar

The Bookshelf: Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King

In this episode, we speak with Patrick Olivelle, author of Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King. The author is in conversation with Imran Ahmed, Research Fellow, ISAS.

Episode 313: A Tale of Two States: Assembly Election Results in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal

The electoral verdict in West Bengal, where the Bharatiya Janata Party won a landslide victory against the three-term Trinamool Congress government, and the emergence of

The Bookshelf: Spying in South Asia: Britain, the United States, and India's Secret Cold War

In this episode, we speak with Paul McGarr, author of Spying in South Asia: Britain, the United States, and India's Secret Cold War. The author is in conversation with Iv

Episode 312: Pakistan and the Iran-War: Negotiating Strategic Challenges and Mediating Peace

Iqbal Sevea speaks with Moeed Yusuf, former National Security Advisor to Pakistan’s Prime Minister and Vice Chancellor of Beaconhouse National University, about how Pakis

Episode 311: The 2026 Bangladesh Elections and Referendum

In this episode, we dive into Bangladesh’s February 12 elections and referendum—a pivotal moment that brought a familiar party back to power while calling for deep struct

Episode 310: India's 2026 Budget: Beyond the Headlines

In this episode of South Asia Chat, Iqbal Sevea discusses India’s 2026 Union Budget with Vinod Rai and Amitendu Palit. The discussion focuses on the budget’s approach to

The Bookshelf: Performing Sovereign Aspirations: Tamil Insurgency & Postwar Transition in Sri Lanka

In this episode, we speak with Bart Klem, author of Performing Sovereign Aspirations: Tamil Insurgency and Postwar Transition in Sri Lanka. The author is in conversation

Episode 309: South Asia Outlook: Tariffs, Trade and Growth in 2026

In this episode of South Asia Chat, host Iqbal Sevea speaks with Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, to assess how the Indian

Episode 308: COP30 and the Changing Politics of Climate Action

Held in the Amazon, COP30 carried significant political and symbolic weight for global climate negotiations. Positioned by the Presidency as an “implementation COP,” the

Episode 307: India-Russia Relations : Exploring New Facets Of Cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India on 4th and 5th December- marking it his first trip in the last four years. This visit comes at a very delicate geopolitical

The Bookshelf: Art Cinema and India's Forgotten Futures: Film and History in the Postcolony

In this episode, we speak with Rochona Majumdar, author of Art Cinema and India's Forgotten Futures: Film and History in the Postcolony. The author is in conversation wit

Episode 306: Unpacking Bihar Assembly Elections 2025

The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections have delivered a decisive victory for the National Democratic Alliance. The outcome has renewed discussions on the state’s long standing

Episode 305: Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Tensions

The Afghanistan-Pakistan border, long defined by porous boundaries and competing national interests, has once again become a flashpoint for regional instability. In recen

The Bookshelf: Toward a Free Economy: Swatantra and Opposition Politics in Democratic India

In this episode, we speak with Aditya Balasubramanian, author of Toward a Free Economy: Swatantra and Opposition Politics in Democratic India. The author is in conversati