Ear to Asia

<p>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 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute/podcasts">Asia Institute podcast</a>. Produced and edited by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://profactual.com">profactual.com</a>. Music by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://audionautix.com">audionautix.com</a>.</p>

<p>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 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute/podcasts">Asia Institute podcast</a>. Produced and edited by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://profactual.com">profactual.com</a>. Music by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://audionautix.com">audionautix.com</a>.</p>

<p>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 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute/podcasts">Asia Institute podcast</a>. Produced and edited by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://profactual.com">profactual.com</a>. Music by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://audionautix.com">audionautix.com</a>.</p>

<p>Indonesia’s 17,000-plus islands boast the world’s third-largest tropical rainforest, home to endangered species and Indigenous communities, and a vital shield against climate change. Yet in 2024, the country lost 261,000 hectares of forest—its worst single-year decline since 2021. Why has deforestation surged just as earlier trends seemed to improve? Beyond palm oil, the pressures now include pulpwood plantations, nickel mining, and large-scale food-security schemes that risk draining peatlands, razing mangroves, and displacing communities. Now almost a year into President Prabowo Subianto’s new administration, will Jakarta finally take forest protection seriously—or will it be business as usual? What reforms could steer investment toward already-cleared land, curb land speculation, and protect habitats close to collapse? And how can accountability thrive when so many lawmakers hold stakes in extractive industries? Multi-award winning forest conservationist Farwiza Farhan, and seasoned Asia Institute Indonesia watcher Dr Charlotte Setijadi, join host Sami Shah to examine the forces reshaping Indonesia’s landscape. An <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute/podcasts">Asia Institute podcast</a>. Produced and edited by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://profactual.com">profactual.com</a>. Music by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://audionautix.com">audionautix.com</a>.</p>

<p>Governments across Asia are confronting a new kind of policy challenge — one that’s moving faster than most have ever had to legislate for. The astonishing speed of generative AI development has prompted both excitement and alarm in Asia’s capitals, where the potential for economic growth and national prestige is being weighed against serious questions about risk, regulation, and long-term control. In China, we’ve seen some of the world’s earliest binding regulations on generative AI, with policymakers steering innovation to align with stated political values. Japan, by contrast, has recently pivoted toward a “light touch” governance model — part of a wider shift in Asia that favours innovation-friendly oversight, even as public concerns about misinformation, data misuse, and algorithmic bias continue to mount. In other countries like India, Malaysia and South Korea, dedicated AI bodies have been established, but concrete legislation remains elusive. So what are Asian governments actually doing — and not doing — to shape the direction of this transformative technology? And how are they managing the balancing act between economic ambition and ethical caution? Professor Jeannie Paterson from Melbourne Law School and Professor Haiqing Yu from RMIT University join host Sami Shah to explore how Asia is balancing the risks and rewards of generative AI. An <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute/podcasts">Asia Institute podcast</a>. Produced and edited by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://profactual.com">profactual.com</a>. Music by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://audionautix.com">audionautix.com</a>.</p><p><strong>Suggested readings</strong></p><p>Expanded ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics – Generative AI <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Expanded-ASEAN-Guide-on-AI-Governance-and-Ethics-Generative-AI.pdf">https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Expanded-ASEAN-Guide-on-AI-Governance-and-Ethics-Generative-AI.pdf</a> </p><p>China bets on open-source technologies to boost domestic innovation <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://merics.org/en/report/china-bets-open-source-technologies-boost-domestic-innovation">https://merics.org/en/report/china-bets-open-source-technologies-boost-domestic-innovation</a></p><p>Open source and under control: The DeepSeek paradox <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://360info.org/open-source-and-under-control-the-deepseek-paradox/">https://360info.org/open-source-and-under-control-the-deepseek-paradox/</a></p>