South Asia Chat

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 Ivan Lidarev, Visiting Research Fellow, ISAS.

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 Pakistan is negotiating strategic and economic challenges arising out of the ongoing Iran war. They examine Pakistan’s delicate balancing act between key regional powers, its energy security challenges, and its complex relationships with Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. They also discuss Pakistan’s potential role as a mediator in an escalating crisis.

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 structural change. The central question is whether a status-quo political force can carry forward an agenda born out of anti-establishment protest, and what this means for Bangladesh’s democratic trajectory. To discuss this unfolding situation, Saeeduddin Faridi, Research Analyst, ISAS-NUS is in conversation with Professor Asif M. Shahan, Professor, Department of Development Studies, Dhaka University and Senior Research Fellow, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development. They discuss the expectations around institutional reforms, the fragmented political landscape in the country, issues of inclusion and representation and the foreign policy challenges.

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 macroeconomic stability, including managing inflation, fiscal deficit and growth amid global uncertainty. Key themes include manufacturing and investment policies, incentives for cloud computing and data centres, the India Semiconductor Mission, and measures supporting MSMEs. The conversation also covers India’s evolving semiconductor strategy, challenges in attracting private and foreign investment, and budget priorities related to energy security, critical minerals and carbon capture.

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 with Rajni Gamage, Research Fellow, ISAS.