Re:Orient

Episode 6: Economy and Global Conflict: Where is Asia Headed?

Recent political and economic upheavals have profoundly changed the world order. The relevance of veteran post-war institutions such as the UN are being questioned. New alliances are emerging as countries, especially those in the global south, are working towards securing their own interests. In this episode, Taimur Baig, Managing Director and Chief Economist at DBS Bank; foreign policy analyst C. Raja Mohan; Managing Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute Rorry Daniels; Director of Education at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies in Sri Lanka Bhagya Senaratne; and Director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute Farwa Amer discuss these global challenges and Asia’s position in the changing state of affairs.

Episode 5: Good Health for All: How do we build equitable healthcare systems?

This is a challenging time for the social sector, which is reeling from global funding cuts. Organisations working in healthcare are particularly affected. In this episode, Vikram Patel, Paul Farmer Professor and Chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School; Dr. Balakrishna Korgaonkar, Associate Director at The Global Development Incubator and Diwakar Mittal, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs at Novo Nordisk, discuss how we can build affordable healthcare systems that serve those who need it the most and the role that technology will play in this endeavour.

Episode 4: Culture as jobs—can it drive economic growth?

Can creative industries drive economic growth in South Asia? With automation threatening traditional employment sectors, this episode investigates the untapped potential of culture as an economic driver. From film and music to fashion and crafts, we explore how cultural industries can generate sustainable jobs, foster entrepreneurship, and even serve as a tool for soft diplomacy in the region. Featuring voices from the creative economy and cultural leaders, this discussion makes the case for a stronger cultural investment strategy.

Episode 3: The Future of AI: Regulate or Innovate?

If you're on the internet, you've made a Faustian pact - you have unlimited access to knowledge and information, and the ability to make connections in exchange for your data. With AI, the subject of data privacy has renewed significance. Tech companies freely and without permission use the vast amounts of data available online to train AI models. But do we care? Does it matter that we have little control over our images and words that are being used by companies for a profit if the payoff is the opportunity to use AI tools? There are other questions worth thinking about: How do we tackle the biases inherent in the data that AI is trained on? How do we regulate tech companies and make them accountable to people?  This is one facet of the issue. The other is the undeniable fact that AI has immense benefits. It improves productivity, it can deliver education to remote, underserved communities and it can enhance healthcare in economically challenged communities. While we raise important questions about the ethics of AI, perhaps we should also keep in mind that AI is an evolving technology and that it will in time overcome its current faults.

Episode 2: There's Something in the Air

South Asia is home to some of the most polluted cities in the world: with alarming death tolls, widespread respiratory illness, and growing concerns around equity, access, and resilience. Yet, despite the scale of the problem, responses across the region often lean toward adaptive fixes rather than long-term, preventive action.   In this episode, we explore how the clean air movement is being shaped by public pressure, new technologies, and a growing recognition that clean air must be treated as a public good. Our discussion challenges conventional narratives: Is air pollution simply a consequence of how countries develop? Should clean air be a political, technological, and equity issue? And can we design solutions that are preventive, affordable, and fair, before the public can no longer breathe?