James Crabtree has been the Mumbai bureau chief for the Financial Times, a senior policy advisor in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and was a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Today, the journalist and author is an Associate Professor in Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

His latest book, The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age takes an in-depth look at the “…billionaire class in a radically unequal society” where the country’s top 1% now own nearly 60% of its wealth.

James Crabtree has been the Mumbai bureau chief for the Financial Times, a senior policy advisor in the UK Prime Minister&rsquo;s Strategy Unit and was a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard&rsquo;s Kennedy School of Government. Today, the journalist and author is an <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/our-people/faculty/james-crabtree">Associate Professor in Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy</a>. His latest book, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/554196/the-billionaire-raj-by-james-crabtree/">The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India's New Gilded Age</a> takes an in-depth look at the &ldquo;&hellip;billionaire class in a radically unequal society&rdquo; where the country&rsquo;s top 1% now own nearly 60% of its wealth.

Foreseeable is a podcast of Global-is-Asian, the flagship digital platform of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. In each episode, we invite an expert for a conversation relating to their area of expertise and to find out what they foresee happening in the future.

Listen to us on:
Spotify
Apple podcasts
Google podcasts

Foreseeable is a podcast of <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/gia">Global-is-Asian</a>, the flagship digital platform of the <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/">Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy</a>. In each episode, we invite an expert for a conversation relating to their area of expertise and to find out what they foresee happening in the future.
Listen to us on:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3mbDpHMPlnHguLjRLqblhd">Spotify</a></li>
<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foreseeable-a-podcast-series-by-global-is-asian/id1489689191">Apple podcasts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://podcasts.google.com/?q=foreseeable%20podcast">Google podcasts</a></li>
</ul>

Foreseeable is podcast series from Global-is-Asian, the flagship digital platform of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Hear from thought leaders on future challenges and opportunities they foresee in areas ranging from international relations, climate change, social and cultural issues and more.

Foreseeable: A Podcast Series by Global-is-Asian

Policy Unpacked is a production of Global-is-Asian, the flagship digital platform of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Each episode we invite one of the school’s public policy experts for a conversation relating to their area of expertise, and listen to them unpack about policy and trends in the world.

Policy Unpacked is a production of <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/gia">Global-is-Asian</a>, the flagship digital platform of Singapore&rsquo;s <a href="https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/">Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy</a>. Each episode we invite one of the school&rsquo;s public policy experts for a conversation relating to their area of expertise, and listen to them unpack about policy and trends in the world.

Policy Unpacked Podcast

Touring India’s New Gilded Age with James Crabtree

For decades, ASEAN has largely taken a neoliberal approach to regional economic security, grounded in the belief that economic cooperation and integration among its member states would help ensure peace and stability, while also promoting prosperity for its people.

More recently, it has been strained by the longer-term economic repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East. Against this backdrop, a key question emerges. Does ASEAN's longstanding economic security paradigm remain fit for purpose?

In this episode of Policy Unpacked, join expert panel, Dr. Denis Hew, Senior Research Fellows at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Dr. Su-Hyun Lee, Senior Associate Fellow at the Centre for Multilateralism Studies and Deputy Head of Graduate Studies at RSIS-NTU, Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony, Associate Dean (International Engagement) and Head of the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, also at RSIS-NTU, and Dr Barbora Valockova, Research Fellow at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation (CAG) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, as they explore how shifting geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics are reshaping the economic landscape of the ASEAN region.

For decades, ASEAN has largely taken a neoliberal approach to regional economic security, grounded in the belief that economic cooperation and integration among its member states would help ensure peace and stability, while also promoting prosperity for its people. More recently, it has been strained by the longer-term economic repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East. Against this backdrop, a key question emerges. Does ASEAN's longstanding economic security paradigm remain fit for purpose? In this episode of Policy Unpacked, join expert panel, Dr. Denis Hew, Senior Research Fellows at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Dr. Su-Hyun Lee, Senior Associate Fellow at the Centre for Multilateralism Studies and Deputy Head of Graduate Studies at RSIS-NTU, Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony, Associate Dean (International Engagement) and Head of the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, also at RSIS-NTU, and Dr Barbora Valockova, Research Fellow at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation (CAG) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, as they explore how shifting geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics are reshaping the economic landscape of the ASEAN region.

Policy Unpacked: ASEAN at the Crossroads - Rethinking Economic Security

Resilience has become a familiar term in recent years, especially after COVID-19, supply chain disruptions, rising geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change. But today, resilience is no longer just about recovery. It is about how countries and regions adapt and rethink how they operate in a more uncertain and fragmented world. For ASEAN, this challenge is particularly complex. Resilience looks different across emerging technologies, global value chains and health and other non-traditional security issues. And policy choices in one area can create vulnerabilities in another.

In this episode's of Policy Unpacked, join our expert panel, LKYSPP's Dr. Denis Hew and Dr Miguel Gomez, Senior Research Fellows at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, SMU's Associate Professor Chang Pao Li and RSIS' Professor Mely Anthony, as they explore what resilience really means for ASEAN and what it will take for the region to remain competitive, resilient and secure.

Register for their Ideas Festival here: https://lkyspp.sg/reimagining-regional-resilience

Or find out more here: https://lkyspp.sg/ideasfestival2026

Resilience has become a familiar term in recent years, especially after COVID-19, supply chain disruptions, rising geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change. But today, resilience is no longer just about recovery. It is about how countries and regions adapt and rethink how they operate in a more uncertain and fragmented world. For ASEAN, this challenge is particularly complex. Resilience looks different across emerging technologies, global value chains and health and other non-traditional security issues. And policy choices in one area can create vulnerabilities in another.
In this episode's of Policy Unpacked, join our expert panel, LKYSPP's Dr. Denis Hew and Dr Miguel Gomez, Senior Research Fellows at the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, SMU's Associate Professor Chang Pao Li and RSIS' Professor Mely Anthony, as they explore what resilience really means for ASEAN and what it will take for the region to remain competitive, resilient and secure.
Register for their Ideas Festival here: <a href="https://lkyspp.sg/reimagining-regional-resilience">https://lkyspp.sg/reimagining-regional-resilience</a> Or find out more here: <a href="https://lkyspp.sg/ideasfestival2026">https://lkyspp.sg/ideasfestival2026</a>

Policy Unpacked: Reimagining Regional Resilience - Technology, Global Value Chains & Health Security

Southeast Asia is navigating a far more contested and uncertain strategic environment. Military tensions, major power rivalry and territorial disputes are growing, while transboundary challenges from economic shocks to cyber risks, are testing the region's resilience. 

For ASEAN, this raises a critical question: How can the region remain stable, resilient and relevant as global power structures shift? 

Tune in to this episode of Policy Unpacked with LKYSPP's Prof Selina Ho, Prof Khong Yuen Foong as well as, NUS' Law School's Prof Tan Hsien-Li, as they examine how changing global dynamics are reshaping the Asian regional order and what this means for ASEAN's role going forward. Excited to hear more about this? 

Register for their Ideas Festival here: https://lkyspp.sg/reimagining-regional-resilience

Or find out more here: https://lkyspp.sg/ideasfestival2026

Southeast Asia is navigating a far more contested and uncertain strategic environment. Military tensions, major power rivalry and territorial disputes are growing, while transboundary challenges from economic shocks to cyber risks, are testing the region's resilience. For ASEAN, this raises a critical question: How can the region remain stable, resilient and relevant as global power structures shift? Tune in to this episode of Policy Unpacked with LKYSPP's Prof Selina Ho, Prof Khong Yuen Foong as well as, NUS' Law School's Prof Tan Hsien-Li, as they examine how changing global dynamics are reshaping the Asian regional order and what this means for ASEAN's role going forward. Excited to hear more about this? Register for their Ideas Festival here: <a href="https://lkyspp.sg/reimagining-regional-resilience">https://lkyspp.sg/reimagining-regional-resilience</a> Or find out more here: <a href="https://lkyspp.sg/ideasfestival2026">https://lkyspp.sg/ideasfestival2026</a>

Touring India’s New Gilded Age with James Crabtree

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