Season 2 Episode 9 : Oil Market Volatility, U.S. War in Iran, Carney in the Indo-Pacific

March 13, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo explore the recent disruptions in global energy markets following the Strait of Hormuz closure, examining its impact on oil prices and the steps countries have taken to mitigate the effects. They also continue the conversation on the Middle East conflict, delving into the debate over potential U.S. troop deployments to Iran despite opposition from both Democrats and Republicans. They wrap up the episode with a quick look at Canadian PM Mark Carney’s trips to India, Australia, and Japan, and what they signal about Canada’s efforts to reduce dependence on the United States.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Andrew Ly / Shutterstock

Image: Tasnim News Agency / Hossein Zohrevand, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original.

Image: 205269. PM meets the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Mark Carney at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on March 02, 2026. Courtesy of the Government of India Press Information Bureau, via pib.gov.in.

Season 2 Episode 8 : Iran War in the Middle East

March 6, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo zero in on the escalating conflict in the Middle East, unpacking the U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iran’s retaliation against military bases and critical infrastructures in the Gulf. They explore Israel’s push for regime change, the impact on U.S. domestic politics, and how Europe and the Gulf Arab states are being drawn into the widening war.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Avash Media, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Season 2 Episode 7 : U.S. Tariffs after Supreme Court Ruling, Trump’s State of the Union

February 27, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo recap a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down President Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose global tariffs, exploring its implications for current trade deals and future negotiations. They then pivot to Trump’s State of the Union address, highlighting his claims of economic revival and conflict resolution abroad.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Mathieu Landretti, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image: The White House, Public Domain, via WhiteHouse.gov

Season 2 Episode 6 : India AI Summit, Japan's Stunning Election

February 13, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, Amlan Mohanty, Technology and Society Fellow at Carnegie India, joins hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo to discuss India’s upcoming AI Impact Summit, which will take place in New Delhi and feature global leaders and CEOs from companies like Nvidia, OpenAI, and Microsoft. They explore the Summit’s implications for global AI governance, India’s role as the first Global South host, and tensions around access, inclusion, and U.S.-China competition. Dhruva and Rachel then pivot to Japan, where they recap Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's major victory for the Liberal Democratic Party during the recent snap election.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Ministry of Culture (GODL-India), GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons
Image: 内閣広報室｜Cabinet Public Affairs Office, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Season 2 Episode 5 : India-U.S. Trade Deal, U.S.-Iran Tensions

February 6, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo break down a major shift in U.S.-India relations after U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a trade deal earlier this week. They explore what’s driving the breakthrough, what remains unclear, and whether this deal will put the bilateral relationship back on steadier ground. The episode then turns to rising tensions with Iran, as the United States increases its military presence in the Gulf even as informal nuclear talks take shape, heightening questions about escalation, diplomacy, and what to watch for next.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Image: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Season 2 Episode 4 : Trump’s Board of Peace, U.S. Defense Strategy, China Military Purges

January 30, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo examine Trump’s Board of Peace, a multilateral initiative originally aimed at overseeing the Gaza ceasefire — and the questions around its membership, funding, and Trump’s ongoing role. They also assess the Department of War’s newly released National Defense Strategy and its priorities for U.S. security, as well as China’s recent detainment of top PLA officers. 

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Transcript Available SOon

Image: Board of Peace session with world leaders at the Official, on 22/1/2026 from 10:30 to 11:30 in the Congress Centre – Congress Hall (Zone C), Stakeholder Dialogue (special session/board of peace). CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Courtesy of the World Economic Forum / Jason Alden, via Flickr.

Season 2 Episode 3 : Transatlantic Rift, EU-India Summit, UK-Mauritius Chagos Deal

January 23, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo are joined by Garima Mohan, Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, to discuss the growing momentum in EU-India relations ahead of an upcoming summit and potential trade agreement. Dhruva and Rachel also dig into the latest developments between Trump and Greenland, as well as the sudden resurrection of the U.K.–Mauritius Chagos Islands deal.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: FellowNeko, via Shutterstock.

Image: 111176. PM meeting the President of the European Commission, Ms. Ursula Von Der Leyen, in New Delhi on April 25, 2022. Courtesy of the Government of India Press Information Bureau, via pib.gov.in.

Image: Copernicus Sentinel-2 data 2021, ESA / CNES, via Wikimedia Commons.

Season 2 Episode 2 : Iran Protests, Germany-India Ties, U.S. Fed Tensions

January 16, 2026 — In this week’s episode of Around the World, Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo dive into the resurgence of protests in Iran and what it means for the country’s economic and political future. They also unpack German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to India and the growing tensions between the Trump administration and the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image: 200886. PM and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, participates in the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront at Ahmedabad, in Gujarat on January 12, 2026. Courtesy of the Government of India Press Information Bureau, via pib.gov.in.

Image: DSC_0454. Chair Powell answers reporters’ questions at the FOMC press conference on December 10, 2025. Courtesy of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, via Flickr.

Season 2 Episode 1 : Venezuela Operations, Greenland Tensions, and Recognition of Somaliland

January 9, 2026 — To kick off Season 2 of Around the World, hosts Dhruva Jaishankar and Rachel Rizzo recap what went down in Venezuela and the U.S. military’s capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife. They also discuss the revived tensions between the United States and Greenland, and touch on Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. 

Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript Available SOon

Image: SWinxy, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image: www.horndiplomat, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons