A weekly podcast on key developments in South Asia.
| Title: | Episode 311: The 2026 Bangladesh Elections and Referendum |
| Guest Speaker/s: | Professor Asif M Shahan |
| Designation: | Department of Development Studies, Dhaka University |
| Abstract: | 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. |
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| Date: | 23 February 2026 |
| Title: | Episode 310: India’s 2026 Budget: Beyond the Headlines |
| Guest Speaker/s: | Assoc Prof Iqbal Sevea, Mr Vinod Rai and Dr Amitendu Palit |
| Abstract: | 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. |
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| Date: | 09 February 2026 |
| Title: | The Bookshelf: Performing Sovereign Aspirations: Tamil Insurgency & Postwar Transition in Sri Lanka |
| Guest Speaker/s: | Professor Bart Klem |
| Designation: | Department of Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University |
| Abstract: | 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. |
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| Date: | 29 January 2026 |
| Title: | Episode 309: South Asia Outlook: Tariffs, Trade and Growth in 2026 |
| Guest Speaker/s: | Assoc Prof Iqbal Sevea and Dr Amitendu Palit |
| Abstract: | 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 economy navigated global shocks in 2025 and what lies ahead in 2026. The discussion explores the impact of US tariffs, domestic demand, inflation trends, trade reforms, and India’s evolving free trade strategy, offering insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping India’s economic trajectory in a changing global order. |
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| Date: | 23 January 2026 |
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For any podcast-related queries, please contact us at hkaur@nus.edu.sg