While shared anxieties over China have brought India and the United States closer, President Donald Trump’s second-term tariffs and tougher immigration rules have injected fresh strain into the relationship. The pressure on New Delhi to curb Russian oil imports comes as Moscow itself deepens ties with Beijing, complicating India’s long-standing defence and energy partnerships. So where does this leave India’s quest for strategic autonomy? Can it still balance cooperation with the U.S., reliance on Russia, and cautious engagement with China? Or is that space rapidly closing? Political scientist Dr Pradeep Taneja from the University of Melbourne puts the India–US relationship under the microscope. Presented by Sami Shah. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

A year into his presidency, Prabowo Subianto stands at a pivotal moment in Indonesia’s political journey. Elected on promises of both continuity and change, his government has faced unrest in the streets, the dismissal of a long-serving finance minister, and questions over the strength of Indonesia’s democratic institutions. At the same time, Jakarta’s growing engagement with BRICS and its delicate balancing act between China and the United States are reshaping its global outlook. So, what does Prabowo’s first year reveal about Indonesia’s political direction? How resilient is its democracy under his leadership? And what kind of regional and global power is Indonesia seeking to become? Prof Tim Lindsey from Melbourne Law School and Dr Ian Wilson from Murdoch University join host Sami Shah to assess Prabowo’s first year in office, and its implications for Indonesia’s domestic politics and foreign policy. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

For many East Asians living in Western societies, the first challenge they face is their own name — mispronounced in classrooms, simplified in workplaces, or changed altogether to fit in. Behind these small acts lie deeper questions of identity, belonging, and cultural respect. How do naming traditions shaped by centuries of history meet the bureaucracies and biases of today’s West? And what does genuine respect look like in a globalised world — merely saying a name right, or something more? Professor Ikuko Nakane and Dr Lewis Mayo, both from the Asia Institute, join host Sami Shah to examine the question of what it means to negotiate anglophone societies with an East Asian name. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.