As India assumes its G20 presidency, there are questions about its role in shaping the global agenda and promoting cooperation amidst ongoing challenges such as COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions.

But the first G20 Ministerial under India’s Presidency could not deliver a consensus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Can India play a role as a peacemaker in the conflict?

And, there is anticipation of a potential meeting between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of either the G-20 or SCO summit. Will this year provide a chance for the leaders of both countries to renew their efforts towards a political solution?

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini
Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi

In this episode of Geeta’s World, we look at the timing of the resignations, what does it have to do about their gender, what “a humanised” perception of political leaders means, and does it give in to the good old rhetoric that women do not make good leaders? Listen in!

In this episode, we delve deeper into the struggle of being an Ahmadiyya in Pakistan. We understand what makes an Ahmadiyya Muslim, their beliefs and customs? And what role does the community, representing perhaps 0.2 percent of Pakistan’s 208 million population, play in Pakistan’s politics, a democracy that has seen the Ahmadi, a religious minority boycotting the elections for over three decades?

What does their boycott tell about the role religion has played in Pakistan’s nationalist politics? And to help us do this, we are joined by a well-known Pakistani writer based in Washington, D.C. Farahnaz Ispahani.

Besides writing for national and international papers, Ispahani has also worked at ABC News, CNN and MSNBC as a journalist. A senior fellow with Religious Freedom Institute, a former member of Pakistani parliament, and a media advisor to then President Asif Ali Zardari, Ispahani has vociferously advocated for the rights of the minorities.

Listen in!

In this episode, we delve deeper into the struggle of being an Ahmadiyya in Pakistan. We understand what makes an Ahmadiyya Muslim, their beliefs and customs? And what role does the community, representing perhaps 0.2 percent of Pakistan’s 208 million population, play in Pakistan’s politics, a democracy that has seen the Ahmadi, a religious minority boycotting the elections for over three decades?

What does their boycott tell about the role religion has played in Pakistan’s nationalist politics? And to help us do this, we are joined by a well-known Pakistani writer based in Washington, D.C. Farahnaz Ispahani.

Besides writing for national and international papers, Ispahani has also worked at ABC News, CNN and MSNBC as a journalist. A senior fellow with Religious Freedom Institute, a former member of Pakistani parliament, and a media advisor to then President Asif Ali Zardari, Ispahani has vociferously advocated for the rights of the minorities.

Listen in!

A devastating earthquake ripped through Turkey and Syria, leaving destruction and debris on each side of the border. This has added a new dimension to the already complex situation in Syria, where a civil war has been raging for over a decade. And hundreds of people have already been confirmed dead across northern Syria, in both government-held and opposition-controlled areas.


But Because of the decade-long war, millions of Syrian refugees have already been forced to flee in the wider region and now many more will be displaced by disaster. Will their plight be mitigated?

And will the country’s response to the earthquakes impact Turkey’s politics? Could the ruling party AKP be unseated? Tune in!

Dwindling forex reserves and soaring inflation have pushed Pakistan’s economy in a shambles.

And Over the years, the military in Pakistan has always been in the saddle and seen the economic difficulties from close quarters. However, Pakistani experts are lamenting the fact that the country never moved ahead on the economic reforms that should have been brought in.

Is the military as an establishment not bothered about Pakistan’s economic difficulties, is it all about personal gain for all the stakeholders?

And the upper-class Pakistani citizens are largely immune from any economic difficulties. But is there a sort of a gloomy mood that's prevalent in the country? Or have they gotten so used to this instability? Tune in!

‘A man cannot become a woman.’ and ‘’not all women have vaginas’ : This has been the rhetoric and a matter of controversy in the past few days in the United Kingdom and Scotland. So, what’s the matter on this divided issue on LGBTQ+ rights and reforms.?

The Scottish government wants to pass a Bill that would allow trans people to self-identify their gender without medical or legal documents. But this has been vetoed by the UK govt.

But, interestingly, other countries including Ireland, Denmark, have also approved a similar bill last month. Why is it that the Sunak government is insistent on blocking it? Is it trying to use the issue to distract from domestic problems?

And the decision to block the bill comes barely two months after the UK Supreme Court blocked efforts by Scotland to hold a new independence referendum. Will UK’s opposition to this bill reignite the debate of Scottish independence? Geeta Mohan and Anna Priyadarshini discuss! Tune in!

Days after Lula’s presidency, on January 8, Brazil’s far-right former president Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed and ransacked the country’s presidential palace, Congress, and Supreme Court demanding a coup to ensure the ouster of Lula. But this has raised questions on the role of the armed forces, who allegedly have been glossing over the fact that his supporters were camping around their barracks and demanding a coup. Why is it that the country’s military forces are not in Lula’s confidence? And considering the wide popularity that Lula enjoys as a political leader, was this “protest” against Lula in particular or towards the pressing resentment against the Left sweep? Tune in!

After two years of another military coup, Myanmar is bracing to hold elections, again! The military junta is looking at the exercise as a means to add a veneer of legitimacy to its rule by force. But the embattled country is on the verge of implosion, with several militias comprising civilians fighting the military tooth and nail and even capturing parts of the country.

By offering support to Myanmar's military junta and not talking about the need for a 'return to democracy' and 'release of political prisoners', isn't India risking ending up on the wrong side of history?

What is the military junta hoping to achieve through these elections?

Geeta Mohan and Anna Priyadarshini discuss!

The year 2022 was jam packed with some pertinent and significant developments on the geopolitical front. Be it the Russia-Ukraine war, the Iran protests, the strict and regressive FIFA world cup that was played in the face of years of human rights abuses, the Tawang clash,  and the fact that as we, Indians, celebrated our 75th Independence Day, our neighbouring country Afghanistan marked one year of the return of an oppressive regime which believes in stripping women of all their rights and locking them up in their homes. And significantly, the months leading up to it also saw some stringent steps taken by the Taliban government. And all these will be a matter of discussion in this episode of Geeta’s World. 

And of course, in India’s context too, we will answer if India made a mark in geopolitics and economy. The fact that India has assumed its G20 presidency is something to look forward to this year. So this episode will track what trends and events shaped the year’s geopolitical domain.  Listen in!