Beyond the Indus

A conversation with journalist Abby Seiff about the challenges facing Cambodia's Tonle Sap lake.

What does the future hold for Pakistan?

Podcast hosts Ankit Panda () and Katie Putz () are joined by Mohammad Taqi (), a columnist for , to discuss Pakistan’s April 2022 political crisis, which led to the end of Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister. The podcast covers the domestic politics leading up to Khan’s political end and expectations for Pakistan’s new government.

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to  Asia Geopolitics podcast ; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe , or .

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, .

A conversation with retired U.S. Naval Captain Carl Schuster.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw his first full-scale ICBM test since November 2017.

Podcast hosts Ankit Panda () and Katie Putz () discuss North Korea’s first full-scale test of an intercontinental-range ballistic missile since 2017.

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to  Asia Geopolitics podcast ; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe , or .

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, .

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had wide-ranging effects across the Indo-Pacific. The hosts discuss the consequences.

Podcast hosts Ankit Panda () and Katie Putz () discuss some of the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on states in the Asia-Pacific. The episode covers the Russia-China relations, regional reactions, and the economic effects on Central Asian states.

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to  Asia Geopolitics podcast ; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe , or .

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, .

A conversation with Dave Welsh from the Solidarity Center.

Independent trade unions in Thailand and Myanmar are currently doing it hard, with authoritarian regimes in both countries taking a dim view of labor activism and using the courts to silence complaints over plant closures and even disputes over railway safety.

the State Railway Union of Thailand and13 unionists, including Sawit Kaevwan, head of the overall Thai Trade Union Movement, and court orders major garment brands like Victoria’s Secret, Torrid, and Lane Bryant are among them.

Dave Welsh is the country director for Thailand and Myanmar of the Solidarity Center, an international labor rights organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices and programs in 60 countries.

A lawyer by background, Welsh has previously been the Solidarity Center’s director in Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Bangladesh over the past 16 years.

Welsh spoke with The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt about growing support for independent trade unions as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to punish regional economies, forcing businesses to restructure – which all too often leaves workers stranded without compensation.

What does the Biden administration seek in the Indo-Pacific?

Podcast hosts Ankit Panda () and Katie Putz () discuss the Biden administration’s newly released Indo-Pacific strategy.

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to  Asia Geopolitics podcast ; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe , or .

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, .

How has U.S. commitment to Southeast Asia changed over time? What do Southeast Asian states want from the United States?

Podcast hosts Ankit Panda () and Katie Putz () are joined by senior columnist Prashanth Parameswaran to discuss his new book, 

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to  Asia Geopolitics podcast ; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe , or .

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, .

A conversation with Brian Eyler of the Stimson Center.

The lower Mekong River is entering its fourth year of drought with poor rainfall, climate change, and hydropower dams producing the worst conditions along Southeast Asia’s largest waterway in more than 60 years, threatening the livelihoods of up to 70 million people.

As a result, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) is urging the six Mekong countries to urgently address “regional low flows, water fluctuations, and drought.”

In its latest report, "Mekong Low Flow and Drought Conditions in 2019–2021," the MRC found that since 2015 the hydrological regime had changed, with more water flow in the dry season flow and reduced wet season flow caused by increased storage reservoirs.

Brian Eyler directs the Southeast Asia Program and the Energy, Water, and Sustainability Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. He is an expert on transboundary issues in the Mekong region and specializes in China’s economic cooperation with Southeast Asia.

He spent more than 15 years living and working in China and over the last two decades has conducted extensive research with stakeholders in the Mekong region.

Eyler spoke with The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt about the drought, climate change, and massive dam construction which combined are causing unprecedented damage to the river system.

Eyler also serves as chair of the Stimson Center’s War Legacy Working Group. His first book, "Last Days of the Mighty Mekong," was published by Zed Books in 2019. He also holds an MA from the University of California, San Diego and a BA from Bucknell University.

Why is North Korea testing so many missiles in January 2022?

Podcast hosts Ankit Panda () and Katie Putz () discuss the reasons behind North Korea’s return to frequent missile testing this month.

Click the play button to the right to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to  Asia Geopolitics podcast ; if you use Windows or Android, you can subscribe , or .

If you like the podcast and have suggestions for content, please leave a review and rating on iTunes and TuneIn. You can contact the host, Ankit Panda, .