The Gold Series goes theoretical. We discuss the evolution of International Relations (IR) scholarship in India with respect to the Great Debates that have shaped the trajectory of the discipline. We find out how receptive Indian academia has been in responding to the wider trends in the discipline of IR.

We are joined by Prof Sumit Ganguly in this conversation. He is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and holds the Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations at Indiana University, Bloomington. A specialist on the contemporary politics of South Asia is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of 20 books on the region.

References:
1.  Menon, S.S., 2013. Address By NSA Shiv Shankar Menon On Strategic Culture And IR Studies In India At The 3Rd International Studies Convention. [online] Mea.gov.in.
2. Bayly, M.J., 2017. The forgotten history of Indian international relations. ORF Issue Brief, 210, pp.1-8.
3. Basrur, R.M., 2009. Scholarship on India’s International Relations. International Studies, 46(1-2), pp.89-108.
4. Paul, T.V., 2009. Integrating International Relations studies in India to global scholarship. International Studies, 46(1-2), pp.129-145.
5. Behera, N.C., 2007. Re-imagining IR in India. International relations of the Asia-Pacific, 7(3), pp.341-368.

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "International Relations Scholarship in India vis-a-vis The Great Debates of IR", Gold(5), 21 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4254875

Research Credits:
Ambuj Sahu (Host)

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The invention of nuclear weapons technology altered the course of modern history and changed the dynamics of world politics. Over a century later these weapons still play a dominant role in geopolitics and international affairs. Nuclear bombs don’t require detonation to have a huge impact- it has already permeated our thinking and continues to influence the behaviour of nation states. 

The subject of Nuclear weapons opens up a plethora of complex yet interesting issues- from discerning the scope of disarmament to understanding the psychology behind power dynamics.

To help make sense of this nuclear quagmire, we are joined by Dr Manpreet Sethi, a leading expert in matters of nuclear politics. Dr Sethi is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi where she heads the project on nuclear security. A former member of PM’s Informal Group on Disarmament in 2012, she has also been part of India’s Track II initiatives. She is a Member of the Executive Board of Indian Pugwash Society and a Consultant with the Global Nuclear Abolition Forum and Asia Pacific Leadership Network.

In this episode of The Bridge Project Gold series on Nuclear Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Dr Sethi discusses several important issues, such as the relevance of the Nuclear non proliferation treaty, the role of multilateral and other institutions in promoting disarmament and India’s role in arms control and non-proliferation efforts, the geopolitical realities in the field of nuclear following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Show Notes:

1. Manpreet Sethi, 'Early Adulthood: 22 Years Of Nuclear India And Pakistan – Analysis', https://www.eurasiareview.com/27052020-early-adulthood-22-years-of-nuclear-india-and-pakistan-analysis/

2. Manpreet Sethi, 'What India’s Covid-19 fight means for its nuclear strategy', https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/indias-covid-19-fight-means-nuclear-strategy

3. Manpreet Sethi, 'Acceptance of Mutual Vulnerability and Responsible Behaviour: Equally Necessary for COVID-19 and Nuclear Deterrence', http://capsindia.org/files/documents/5b14f009-25b9-4e7d-be5d-6cf462217619.pdf

4. Manpreet Sethi, 'COVID-19 holds up mirror to nuclear risks', http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinon/2020/04/197_287147.html

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "The Future of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation", Gold(4), 14 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4163774 

Research Credits:
Zoya Akther (Host) and Tanya Rana

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode of The Bridge Project Gold Series, we will talk about "The Human Dimension" of International Relations. We will try to understand the intangible factors that determine the interest and approach towards Indian Foreign Policy. How do of life experiences, passion and risk-taking abilities of an individual lead him/her to address real-world research problems in International Relations? The objective of this offbeat episode is to motivate young scholars on how they can play their part in bridging the policy-academia divide in IR and Indian Foreign Policy.

We are joined by Dhruva Jaishankar in the quest.
Dhruva Jaishankar is Director of the U.S. Initiative at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF). He is also a Non-Resident Fellow with the Lowy Institute in Australia and is a regular contributor to the Indian and international media. He has been associated with Brooking Institution in the past, worked in CNN-IBN as a news reporter and also been a consultant to many strategic firms from time to time.

Show Notes
1. Munck, G.L. and Snyder, R., 2007. Passion, craft, and method in comparative politics. JHU Press.
2. For more information on Dhruva Jaishankar's work, visit http://www.dhruvajaishankar.com/

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "The Human Dimension in International Relations", Gold(3), 7 June 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/4070837

Research Credits:
Ambuj Sahu (Host) and Mahima Kaur Bajaj

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Rivalries are a feature of international politics. Great power rivalry being the showpiece event. The never ending-security dilemma amongst Great Powers have often brought the world to near catastrophes over varying time periods in history. In an era of rapid advancement in technology leading to a new arms race & the resultant unpreparedness to deal with other kinds of risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic have once again brought into question the nature of great power politics. Additionally, this brings unintended consequences for countries like India that look to manoeuvre through these currents. 

To help us understand the historical basis of great power rivalry, the future grand strategies of U.S, China and Russia and its implications for India, we are joined by Professor C Raja Mohan, who is Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. 

Earlier, Professor Mohan taught South Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University and at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Prof Mohan was also the Founding Director of Carnegie India in New Delhi. He also writes a regular column 'Raja Mandala' for the Indian Express. 

In this episode of The Bridge Project Gold Series, Prof C Raja Mohan provides his take on a number of issues including the future of the Sino-American relationship in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the growing Sino-Russian strategic cooperation, the influence of domestic politics on great power competition and India's foreign policy challenges & opportunities in this context.

Show Notes

1. C Raja Mohan, "China has replaced Russia as ‘the foreign hand’ in American politics", https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/us-china-relations-trade-war-bernie-sanders-us-elections-donald-trump-c-raja-mohan-6361155/

2. C Raja Mohan, "India’s Russian Option in Eurasia", https://www.isas.nus.edu.sg/papers/indias-russian-option-in-eurasia/

3. C Raja Mohan, "Coronavirus poses a challenge to China’s place in global affairs, its political leadership", https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/coronavirus-outbreak-china-economy-xi-jinping-6261284/

4. C Raja Mohan, "With global institutions in turmoil, India needs to be pragmatic and fleet-footed", https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/world-health-organisation-coronavirus-crisis-india-delhi-china-un6356921/

5. Rajesh Rajagopalan, "With new WHO leadership role, India can’t fool partners with balancing acts", https://theprint.in/opinion/with-new-who-leadership-role-india-cant-fool-partners-with-balancing-acts/419165/

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Great Power Rivalry and Its Implications for India", Gold(2), 31 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3982763

Research Credits:
Carl Jaison

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In a world with more than one centre of power, multilateralism has incentivised developing and developing centres to share a table and engage in meaningful discussions. Multilateral diplomacy has been an effective catalyst for India's external relations in the years after independence. Diplomats have been the foot soldiers of India's ethos in different summits, negotiations and assembly sessions, holding the flag high. 

So, how did India's foreign service contribute to sustainable multilateral diplomacy? What are the different sets of case studies, incidents and turning points that define this school of thought?

The third episode in The Bridge Project Diplomacy Series features Ambassador Kishan S Rana and Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukarji in which they speak about 'Approaches to Multilateral diplomacy'.

Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, he worked in the China desk from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.

Ambassador Mukerji, currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1978 to 2015. He went on to serve as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2013 to 2015 during which he crafted the successful campaign in the United Nations General Assembly to have a Resolution adopted by consensus to declare 21 June of every year as the International Day of Yoga. 

In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives, they speak on a range of themes such as the structure and institutional capacity of the Indian diplomatic legacy; incidents of significance; diplomatic skills required for bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and path for the future.

Show Notes

1. Kishan S Rana, “Fixing India’s Strategic Thinking Vacuum”, The Wire, https://thewire.in/diplomacy/india-strategic-thinking

2. Kishan S Rana, “21 st Century Diplomacy: Globalized Diplomacy”, Diplo
Foundation, https://www.asef.org/images/docs/ModelASEM_Diplo_GlobalizedDiplomacy.pdf

3. Asoke Kumar Mukerji, “The impact of Multilateralism in India”, Indian
Foreign Affairs Journal Vol. 13, No.4, http://www.associationdiplomats.org/Publications/ifaj/Vol%2013/13.4/IFAJ-13.4-ARTICLE%202-F.pdf 

4. Asoke Kumar Mukerji, Speech by Ambassador Asoke Mukerji on 70th Anniversary of UN Charter, https://www.pminewyork.gov.in/pdf/uploadpdf/1883670th%20anniversary%20UN%20stmnt%20PR%20June%2027,%202015.pdf

5. Asoke Kumar Mukerji, “China’s Multilateral gambit in South Asia”, National Security- Vivekananda International Foundation Vol. II, https://www.vifindia.org/sites/default/files/national-security-vol-2-issue-3-article-AMukerji.pdf

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "India's Experience in Multilateral Diplomacy: A Practitioner's Perspective", Exclusives (3), 24 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3891464 

Research Credits:
Akshita Goyal & Prarthana Puthran

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The second episode in The Bridge Project Diplomacy Series features Amb. Kishan S Rana and Amb. Rajiv Bhatia in which they speak about Indo-Pacific Policies of USA, China and India.

Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, he worked in the China desk from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.

Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia is a Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies Programme at Gateway House. During a 37-year innings in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), he served as Ambassador to Myanmar and Mexico and as High Commissioner to Kenya and South Africa. He was Senior Visiting Research Fellow during 2011-13 at the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore.

In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives moderated by Priyal Pandey, Junior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, they speak on a range of themes such as the construct of Indo-Pacific, US-China Geostrategic Rivalry in the Region, India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, ASEAN and its relations with China, US and India and Quad as a Collective Security Model.

References:
1. Medcalf, R., 2015. Reimagining Asia: From Asia-Pacific To Indo-Pacific , The Asan Forum.
2. US Department of Defense, Indo-Pacific Strategy Report (Washington DC, June 2019).
3. Saran, S., 2019. How China Views Indo-Pacific. [online] Tribune India News Service.
4. He, K., & Li, M. (2020). Understanding the dynamics of the Indo-Pacific: US-China strategic competition, regional actors, and beyond. International Affairs, 96(1), 1-7.
5. Kesavan, K., 2020. India’s ‘Act East’ Policy And Regional Cooperation, ORF
6. Bhatia, R., 2020. Maritime Security For India And Vietnam. [online] Gateway House.
7. Mishra, V. and Das, U., 2019. India’s Understanding Of The Quad & Indo-Pacific: Distinct Narrative Or A Flawed One?, Observer Research Foundation
8. Bhatia, R., 2019. Quad In The Indo-Pacific, Gateway House.

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "The Indo-Pacific Vision of USA, China and India", Exclusives (2), 17 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3790460

Research Credits:
Priyal Pandey (Moderator) & Varun Maturkar

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

A diplomatic machinery serves as the nervous system of a country's foreign policy initiatives. It is the medium through which a country's external relations is built and sustained. Diplomacy is not just about the larger-than-life summits between leaders or flashy events organised for the satisfaction of the political class. Without the behind-the-scenes work done by diplomats, foreign policy might not be an effective and serious field. 

So, how does a country's foreign service department contribute to effective diplomacy? What are the different sets of principles, practices and priorities used in diplomacy? What are the selection criteria for the diplomatic services across countries? 

The first episode in The Bridge Project Diplomacy Series features Ambassador Kishan S Rana and Ambassador Vijay K Nambiar in which they speak about 'Diplomatic Systems in U.S, China and India'.

Ambassador Rana is currently Professor Emeritus and a Senior Fellow at the DiploFoundation. During his distinguished Indian foreign service career, he worked in the China desk from 1963-1965 and 1970-72 and was also Ambassador and High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius, and Germany.

Ambassador Nambiar served in the Indian Foreign Service from 1967 to 2004, after which he was Deputy National Security Advisor to the Government of India (2005- 06) and then seconded to the United Nations in New York for 11 years in the rank of Under Secretary-General (2006-2016). 

In this episode of The Bridge Project Exclusives moderated by Aayush Mohanty, Research Associate, Vivekananda International Foundation, they speak on a range of themes such as the structure and institutional capacity of the American, Chinese and Indian diplomatic systems; the selection criteria for the foreign services in India; diplomatic skills required for bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and many more.

Show Notes

1. Kishan S Rana, "Kautilya's Legacies", Business Standard, https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/kautilya-s-legacies-117052901625_1.html

2. Kishan S Rana, "Diplomacy & Patronage", Business Standard, https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/diplomacy-and-patronage-116101100669_1.html

3. Vijay K Nambiar, "The Belt and Road Initiative Post-April 2019: Plus ça Change", ICS Occasional Paper, https://icsin.org/publications/the-belt-and-road-initiative-post-april-2019-plus-ca-change-1

4. Sudha Ramachandran, "The Indian Foreign Service: Worthy of an Emerging Power?, https://thediplomat.com/2013/07/the-indian-foreign-service-worthy-of-an-emerging-power/

5. External Affairs Minister's speech at the 4th Ramnath Goenka Lecture, 2019, https://mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/32038/External+Affairs+Ministers+speech+at+the+4th+Ramnath+Goenka+Lecture+2019

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "Diplomatic Systems in the USA, China & India", Exclusives (1), 10 May 2020, URL: https://www.buzzsprout.com/921337/3695782

Research Credits:
Aayush Mohanty (Moderator) & Aishani Jaiswal

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

There is no dearth of knowledge or even ideas. In fact, the particular problem we face these days is the confinement of knowledge and ideas within particular areas of study. Increasingly, there seems to be little scope for absorbing theories and practices from other areas of study. Therefore, the need of the hour is to search out for the best ideas around. The question, then, before us is whether International Relations has all the answers to issues of public importance? If you think it does not, The Bridge Project Exclusives is the one for you!

The Bridge Project Exclusives is a brand new segment of The Bridge Project podcast series that would feature in-depth analyses and interesting anecdotes from experts representing fields beyond International Relations.

Through a series of episodes based on a particular theme, the aim is to integrate best practices and ideas from a wide variety of fields to help improve the study and practice of International Relations. 

For more updates on this and other podcast segments, do follow us on our Facebook page 'The Bridge Project', on Twitter @Project2Bridge and Instagram 'project2bridge'. The Bridge Project can be subscribed to on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other channels where you listen to your podcasts.

So, join us on this initiative and help spread the word as The Bridge Project Exclusives makes its mark.

In the pilot episode of The Bridge Project Gold Series, we have a conversation about Prof. Harsh V. Pant. Professor Harsh V Pant is Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.

In this episode, he examines the effects of COVID-19 on the current international order and estimate possible future trajectories. He also speculates the trends in globalization in a post-COVID world. He also talks about the academia-policy divide in the country and give tips to young scholars on how to 'bridge the gap' in the future.

References
1. Harsh Pant, China and the Coronavirus Pandemic: Is a New Global Order in Sight?, Ideas Factory, ORF, April 2 2020.
2. Deudney, Daniel, and G. John Ikenberry. “The Nature and Sources of Liberal International Order.” Review of International Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 1999, pp. 179–196. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20097589.
3. Slaughter, Anne-Marie. "How to Succeed in the Networked World: A Grand Strategy for the Digital Age." Foreign Affairs 95, no. 6 (2016): 76-89.
4. Bender, M., 2020. Trump Funding Threat Against World Health Organization Linked To Hiring Practices. [online] WSJ.
5. Inside China’S All-Out War On The Coronavirus, New York Times.

Attribution:
The Bridge Project (2020), "International Order & Globalization in a post-COVID World", Gold(1), 08 May 2020, URL:

Research Credits:
Ambuj Sahu & Aishani Jaiswal

Music Credits:
Inspired by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3918-inspired
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Introducing a brand new segment of the podcast series, we bring to you The Bridge Project ‘Gold Series’. 

In this series, we invite experienced and prolific thought leaders in academia and policy to speak about diverse themes across International Relations.

The Gold Series will feature one-on-one interviews with some of the most popular voices from the field of International Relations and Indian Foreign Policy.

Through the Gold series, we seek to focus on the domain expertise of these individuals to address issues that may not be discussed frequently in the scholarly or policy communities.

For more updates on this and other podcast segments, do follow us on our Facebook page 'The Bridge Project' and on Twitter @Project2Bridge. The Bridge Project can be subscribed to on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other channels where you listen to your podcasts.

So, join us on this initiative and help spread the word as The Bridge Project goes gold.