Can India’s Factories Survive America’s Tariff War?

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his much-anticipated visit to China. Mr. Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and also held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit. The two leaders decided to restart bilateral trade and air connectivity, and underlined the importance of peace and tranquility along the border. These decisions were significant as they were made five years after the deadly border clashes between the two neighbours in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh; and months after India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan (at the time, China supported the Pakistani military forces). Both leaders reaffirmed that the two countries were “development partners and not rivals, and their differences should not turn to disputes,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement after the meeting. Should India overlook boundary issues while normalising ties with China? Here we discuss the question. Tune in! Guest: Vivek Katju, former Indian diplomat and Antara Ghosal Singh, fellow at the Observer Research Foundation Host: Kallol Bhattacherjee Produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington’s latest tariff hike isn’t just a line in a policy paper. In India, it shows up in half-finished orders, idle machines, and nervous exporters. The U.S. says the penalties are for Russian oil, for blocking American goods, for standing firm with BRICS. While medicines and electronics may be spared, engineering firms — makers of auto parts, steel castings, heavy machinery — are already feeling the strain. In this episode, we discuss what the tariff war means for factories and the people who run them. Guest: Pankaj Chadha, Chairman of the Engineering Exports Promotion Council of India (EEPC) Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few weeks ago, containers of frozen shrimp left Indian ports bound for the United States. By the time they were halfway across the ocean, U.S. tariffs had spiked, prompting buyers to cancel orders. The result: millions of rupees worth of seafood stranded at sea. The impact goes far beyond trade figures. Fishermen in Andhra Pradesh must decide whether it’s worth taking their boats out, while women in Mumbai’s Sassoon Dock who peel prawns by hand worry if there will be work tomorrow. In this episode, K.N. Raghavan walks us through how a decision in Washington is reshaping Indian fishing villages, markets, and homes—and what it means for the future of India’s seafood exports. This episode is part of Tariff Watch, a special series from In Focus examining how U.S. trade policy is affecting Indian industries and the people who depend on them. Guest: K.N. Raghavan, Seafood Exporters Association of India Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Forest Rights Act (FRA) came into being in 2006. As we touch 20 years of its existence as a tool for tribal empowerment, the United Nations Development Programme, or the UNDP, has come out with a comprehensive new report, titled ‘Securing rights, Enabling Futures: Policy Lessons from Forest Rights Act and Future Pathways’. We know that the Forest Rights Act seeks to remedy a historical injustice against forest-dwelling communities, who have paid the heaviest price for ‘development’ through displacement and dispossession. This law restores the rights of these communities to live on forest land, and to use forest resources. While this sounds great in principle, it has run into many challenges in practice – including resistance from the forest bureaucracy itself. Recently, in a shocking development, thousands of forest rights titles disappeared from the records of the Chhattisgarh government. And in a stance that, on the face of it, would alarm forest-dwelling communities, the UNDP report suggests building a consensus for a ‘sunset clause’ that provides an ‘end date’ for the recognition and vesting of rights under the FRA – what does it mean? Why do we need a sunset clause for forest rights? Also, how can thousands of forest rights titles disappear all of a sudden? More broadly, how effective has been the implementation of the FRA so far, and what is required to make it more effective? Guests: Kanchi Kohli, well-known expert in environment and forest policy who has co-authored the UNDP report, and Abhinay Lakshman, who covers the FRA for The Hindu. Host: G Sampath Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Men’s tennis has always been defined by legendary rivalries. For nearly two decades, the Big Three – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic – treated us to unforgettable clashes on the sport’s biggest stages. That era has finally passed, and a new duopoly is taking centre stage. In this weekender episode, we delve into the exciting rivalry between World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, who most recently clashed in the U.S. Open final. They became the first men in history to contest three major finals in a single calendar year. What makes this rivalry so compelling? How do they compare to the Big Three? And will their dominance shape the ATP tour for years to come? Guest: N. Sudarshan from The Hindu’s sports bureau Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On september 9, 2025, Israeli forces launched an attack in Qatar in what is being seen as an unprecedented escalation beyond the Gaza conflict. The strike rattled Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’s political office for years and positioned itself as a key mediator in ceasefire and hostage negotiations. While Israel claims the strike was aimed at Hamas’s leadership, it has triggered wider concerns — about violations of sovereignty, the safety of negotiators, and the future of diplomacy in West Asia. So, what does this escalation mean for Qatar’s role as mediator? How does it affect the future of negotiations with Hamas? Is Israel signalling a new phase in its regional strategy, and what might this mean for U.S. allies and European powers navigating the fallout? Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu Host: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington’s new tariff regime, an extra duty on India-origin imports and the end of the $800 de minimis exemption, is already rippling through India’s textiles and apparel supply chain. Export margins are being squeezed, small businesses have maxed out working capital loans and inventories have piled up as orders have stalled, and mills are facing a major shortage of cotton. In the next part of a series on In Focus, looking at the impact of the United States’ 50% tariffs on goods imported from India, we unpack who gets hit, how jobs are affected, and what policy support could cushion the blow for the textiles and apparels sector – a sector for which close to a third of its export orders come from the U.S. Guests: Soundariya Preetha M, Deputy Chief of Bureau, The Hindu Thivya Rakini, State President, Tamil nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) Host: Kunal Shankar Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nepal is the most politically unstable democracy in the world since 1990 with 30 government tenures in 35 years. In this episode, we’re going beyond the breaking news regarding the recent upheaval in the country using numbers: What do they tell us about inequality, youth anger, and the failures of Nepal’s political class? And what reforms might actually make a difference? Click here to listen to Part 1 Guest: Srinivasan Ramani, Deputy National Editor, The Hindu Host: Nitika Francis Recorded by Thamodharan B and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On 8 September 2025, the quaint Himalayan town Kathmandu saw violent scenes. A ban on 26 social media platforms sparked protests that turned anti-corruption rallies deadly—19 people including school children were shot. The next day, offices of political parties, ministers’ homes and parliament itself were attacked. Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli resigned. How did it come to this? Why are young Nepalis losing patience? What does this mean for the country’s future? Guest: Roman Gautam, Editor, Himal Southasian Host: Anupama Chandrasekaran Produced and edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private coaching in India has grown into a parallel education system. It is no longer just extra help after school, but the backbone of learning for millions of students. In the last seven years, tuition has surged across all levels - from primary to higher secondary. Among rural girls in higher secondary, the rise is especially sharp, while States in the east like West Bengal, and Odisha are seeing some of the highest numbers, with coaching starting as early as Kindergarten. In some cases, families are spending more on tuition than on school itself. The podcast explores the factors contributing to this dependence on private tuition in the east. What does it say about the state of our schools? And how is this reshaping education in India? Guest: Sabir Ahamed, Programme Director at the Pratichi Institute Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices