Share
Checks and Balance from The Economist
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 and the man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has become an economic powerhouse during his ten years in charge. But he’s also the frontman for a chauvinistic Hindu nationalist dogma.
Can Mr Modi continue to balance both parts of his agenda and finish the job of turning India into a superpower? The Economist’s Avantika Chilkoti finds out what makes him tick.
Launching June 2024.
To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.
If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
More episodes
View all episodes
Power grab: Presidential authority in 2025
49:40|President Trump redefined and extended the power of the presidency this year. Will those powers endure or will the Supreme Court or Congress push back in 2026? Charlotte Howard hosts with Steve Coll and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
309. MAGA vs machine: Republicans split over AI
48:09||Ep. 309President Donald Trump says he will punish any state that implements its own regulations on artificial intelligence. The bodyshot to federalism is a gift to the tech industry, and one that upsets many Trump supporters who worry about AI’s effects on jobs, national security, and humanity. How will the Republican divide play out?John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
308. Americas first: Donald Trump’s threats to Venezuela
49:52||Ep. 308America sent an aircraft carrier to the waters off Venezuela, and it has blown up suspected drug boats at sea. From a president with an isolationist bent, this menacing posture is baffling. Is it all a bluff to force Nicolas Maduro to resign? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
307. Philip, meet Charlotte: a Howard-family Thanksgiving
45:19||Ep. 307Philip K. Howard is an outspoken authority on government reform whose books include “The Death of Common Sense” and “Saving Can-Do”. He is also co-host Charlotte Howard’s father. In a special episode aiming to reflect tetchy political discussions over Thanksgiving dinner, they discuss America’s bureaucratic morass and why escaping it is so difficult. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
306. Loot first: Donald Trump’s transactional presidency
49:35||Ep. 306A Swiss delegation donated a gold bar and a Rolex clock to President Trump’s presidential library. Days later America’s tariff rate on Switzerland dropped by more than half. Mr Trump is running the nation’s business alongside his own—at what cost? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
305. ICE show: how Donald Trump is creating his own police force
49:34||Ep. 305Immigration agents are patrolling Chicago. President Trump says they are there to clamp down on crime. He has threatened to deploy border forces to other liberal cities. Is this theatre? Or is this a new kind of presidential police force? John Prideaux hosts with Aryn Braun and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
304. Feeling blue: what Democrats can learn from the elections
45:52||Ep. 304Democrats celebrated a string of electoral victories on Tuesday. The winners include a former spy, an ex-Navy helicopter pilot, and a democratic socialist. But finding a unifying message for that big tent may prove difficult in future elections. Will the party over-interpret the results and provide an opening for the GOP?John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
303. Free for all: Zohran Mamdani’s New York
49:10||Ep. 303New Yorkers are expected to elect Zohran Mamdani as mayor on November 4th. The Democratic Socialist has promised free childcare, a $30 minimum wage, and a rent freeze for millions. But the New Yorker in the White House has his own plans to “straighten out” America’s biggest city. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and James Bennet.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.
302. Map quest: gerrymandering and a race to the bottom
46:49||Ep. 302States across America are breaking norms and rushing to approve new congressional districts. These redrawn maps are likely to help the GOP in the midterm elections. The Supreme Court may also lend the Republicans a hand, as it reconsiders a key section of the Voting Rights Act. Charlotte Howard hosts with James Bennet and Steve Coll. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcastsListen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe 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.