logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
23m 30s

The club rules? India’s RSS

The Economist
About this episode

Is it a community-minded boys’ club, like the Scouts? A breeding ground for seething Hindu nationalism? A paramilitary puppetmaster of India’s governing elite? Our correspondent attends the annual bash of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. As Gulf countries diversify away from oil, their leaders are shifting their focus to science and innovation (11:03). And introducing our word of the year for 2024 (17:01).


Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Escalation: Middle East war widens
The war in Iran has entered its fourth day with further American and Israeli strikes, and Iranian retaliation across the region. Now Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has launched a ground offensive in Lebanon. Attacks on Tehran involved the use of Artificial Intelligenc ... Show More
24m 42s
Yesterday
War with Iran: Middle East in flames
This weekend, America and Israel launched long-anticipated attacks on Iran, killing Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader. Our correspondents analyse what his death means for the country and the strategy behind Iran’s retaliation. We report how Gulf States are dealing with u ... Show More
29m 18s
Feb 27
Bot the difference: AI’s absence in economic data
For all the promise of transformation that artificial intelligence offers, a close look at macroeconomic data shows little change. Sit tight. A brutal attack in Nigeria reveals how the security crisis is spreading ominously. And a tribute to Virginia Oliver, who cut an unusual fi ... Show More
22m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
The club rules? India’s RSS
Is it a community-minded boys’ club, like the Scouts? A breeding ground for seething Hindu nationalism? A paramilitary puppetmaster of India’s governing elite? Our correspondent attends the annual bash of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. As Gulf countries diversify away from oil, the ... Show More
23m 30s
Jun 2024
Trailer: The Modi Raj
<p>Narendra Modi may well be the most popular politician on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy.&nbsp;</p><br><p>A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider. The man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fa ... Show More
4m 58s
May 2024
Trailer: The Modi Raj
Narendra Modi is one of the most popular politicians on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy. A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider. The man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has beco ... Show More
4m 58s
May 2024
The Modi Raj: Trailer
Narendra Modi is one of the most popular politicians on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy. A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider. The man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has beco ... Show More
4m 58s
Jun 2024
1. The chaiwallah's son
Narendra Modi has been chosen to lead India for the third time in a row. But after 10 years in power, he was humbled at the 2024 national election. What kind of leader will he be? Stories from his youth in the Hindu nationalist movement offer clues.This episode draws on audio fro ... Show More
50m 36s
Sep 2025
On warhead be it: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
A long-suspected defence partnership between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has burst into the open. We ask what Pakistan’s extension of its nuclear umbrella will mean. As Chinese brands sweep the world, some (such as Biemlfdlkk) are wisely changing their names. And a look through his ... Show More
22m 27s
Feb 2025
Get your Strait facts: China’s quiet Taiwan push
We investigate China’s under-the-radar push to get other countries to change their official language on Taiwan’s independence. Would it make a difference in a bid to reunify by force? The case of a nurse jailed for killing babies exposes deep problems with British justice (10:10) ... Show More
22m 41s
Sep 2025
JAIpur to MumbAI: US firms invest in India
India is becoming one of the largest markets for Artificial Intelligence and shaping how the technology develops. Our correspondent assesses what type of AI superpower the country could be. Tracking the meltdown at Swiss chocolatier Nestlé. And celebrating the life of Robert Redf ... Show More
19m 12s
Aug 2025
Rule and divide: opposition grows in Syria
Less than nine months after Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the honeymoon is over. How is the new regime responding to rising dissent? Introducing Britain’s revolutionary retirees: why pensioners increasingly dominate political protest. And celebrating the life of o ... Show More
23m 38s