TechnoPolitik - The Takshashila High-Tech Geopolitics Team's 2023 Year in Review
This year we published a cool 32 editions of TechnoPolitik and grew to have 1558 even cooler engaged subscribers. We also became a weekly newsletter as developments at the intersection of technology and geopolitics heated up this year.
This edition showcases the Takshashila Institution’s HTG programme’s work over the past year. We also point out the 6 most interesting editions of the year as well.
And Finally, a Happy New Year from everyone here at Takshashila!
Course Advertisement: Admissions for the Jan 2024 cohort of Takshashila’s Graduate Certificate in Public Policy (Technology and Policy) programme are now open! Visit this link to apply.
Happy Holidays from the Takshashila High-Tech GeoPolitics Team! As we enter the new year, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of our highlights from 2023. But before we do that, we want to celebrate the amazing work of our team members here at the HTG Programme over the past year.
The HTG team comprises of:
Nitin Pai, co-founder and Director, Takshashila Institution
Pranay Kotasthane, chairperson (HTG) and Deputy Director, Takshashila Institution
Aditya Ramanathan, Research Fellow
Bharath Reddy, Programme Manager (GCPP)
Rijesh Panicker, Research Fellow
Satya S. Sahu, Research Analyst
Saurabh Todi, Research Analyst
You can explore the rest of the research team, who also regularly contribute to TechnoPolitik here. Special shoutout to Anushka Saxena, Amit Kumar, and Bharat Sharma!
The HTG team had a few big moments throughout the year.
Pranay and Raghu A. Jaitley’s book, “Missing in Action: Why You Should Care About Public Policy” launched in January 2023 and immediately made its way to the #1 spot in the Public Policy category on Amazon.
It's been a busy time for India's lunar ambitions. In 2023, it signed the Artemis Accords, launched the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, and announced a new goal of putting an Indian on the Moon by 2040. Takshashila has initiated a project on lunar exploration and governance that will examine the policy issues involved and provide concrete recommendations on how India can best pursue its ambitions as a spacefaring nation. Look out for upcoming podcast episodes, discussion documents, and recommendations.
We launched a podcast mini-series focused on the growing geopolitical and geoeconomic importance of semiconductors, titled “SiliconPolitik” under the aegis of Takshashila’s All Things Policy podcast. Since then the series has seen several guests, including Prof. Douglas Fuller (author of Paper Tigers, Hidden Dragons), and Prof. Navakanta Bhat (ex-chair, Center for Nanosciences and Engineering, IISc, Bangalore) covering topics ranging from how Trade Policy crafts semiconductor ecosystems, to unravelling the factors that chip in to make a chip.
We launched a project on locating a framework for Artificial Intelligence Governance, with Bharath, Satya, Rijesh, Sridhar Krishna, and Nitin at the helm. The project’s first research output, a Takshashila Discussion Document on a Pathway to AI Governance, is now out. Keep an eye out for interesting podcast episodes and other output as we ramp this project up.
To cap the year off with another successful book launch, Pranay and Abhiram Manchi’s “When the Chips are Down: A Deep-Dive Into a Global Crisis”, debuted in November 2023 and following tradition, promptly climbed to the #1 spot in the International Relations category on Amazon.
We are hiring for Staff Research Analyst positions with the HTG and Space Power programmes. If you would like to join an intellectually vibrant and fun workplace, apply here!
The HTG research circle saw a long list of research documents on diverse focus areas. Some of them are:
Takshashila SlideDoc - China’s Quest for Innovation and Technological Advancement
Beyond forced technology transfer and espionage, this study delves into China's unique blend of foundational improvements in health and education, a "Creative Insecurity" driven by geopolitical rivalry, and a distinctive top-down policy model. This multifaceted approach, ranging from state intervention to foreign investments, sheds light on China's rapid advancement in various domains of science and technology.
Takshashila Discussion Document - Analysing India’s Position on the Information Technology Agreement
This document examines India's stance on ICT tariffs under the ITA-1 and its implications for domestic electronics manufacturing, contrasting India's approach with the strategies of Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It argues that India's challenges in the ICT sector are incorrectly attributed to the ITA-1 duty regime, but also a lack of complementary industrial policies and understanding of how electronics global value chains operate. The paper suggests India should reinforce its ITA-1 commitments, consider the ITA-2 expansion's impacts, and pursue Free Trade Agreements to better integrate into the global ICT value chains.
Takshashila Discussion Document - Rebooting AI in India
This study assesses India's position in the global AI landscape and proposes the creation of BharatAI, a privately funded R&D firm, to address fundamental AI challenges. With a proposed investment of $250 million over five years, BharatAI aims to catalyze India's AI innovation, offering a bold and impactful strategy to narrow the widening AI gap with leading nations and revitalize India's AI development efforts.
Takshashila Discussion Document - Open RAN: Challenges and Pathways for Adoption
This research document explores Open RAN's evolution from an initiative for enhancing mobile network vendor diversity to becoming a geopolitical tool for network security and vendor competition. It discusses its challenges, the need for regulatory expertise, and strategic adoption, including leveraging non-intelligent Chinese components for cost-effective and secure mobile networks.
This research critically examines the challenges of applying traditional telecom regulations to globally operating OTT communication services like WhatsApp and Skype. It highlights how stringent licensing could hinder innovation and consumer welfare, and explores the technical and practical issues surrounding the selective banning of OTT services. The study reveals how bans can lead to the rise of less-regulated platforms, potentially jeopardizing user safety and disrupting vital communication channels, especially in emergencies, while also impacting small businesses and digital inclusivity.
Takshashila Discussion Document - Approaches to Advance India’s Interests in Outer Space
In December 2022, the United Nations overwhelmingly adopted a resolution that called for states to commit not to carry out destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests. The proposed destructive DA-ASAT missile test moratorium did not restrict the research, development and deployment of counter-space capabilities. India, however, abstained from voting on the resolution and indicated its preference for legally binding instruments. Moreover, India has yet to put forward its proposals for members of international fora to pursue. This document recommends four approaches which India can pursue to secure its interests.
To explore more research documents from the various circles at Takshashila, click here!
Finally, here are 6 of our most important editions over this past year.
What We're Reading (or Listening to)
[Opinion] Pannun case: Time to reimagine spy agency for Information Age, by Pranay Kotasthane and Shibani Mehta
[Article] What does China’s 2024 economic policy look like? , by Anushka Saxena
[Podcast: BWC Global Forum] Episode #10: Gene Drives, ft. Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Saurabh Todi and Shambhavi Naik