Blog
The Pulse
South Asia is a story of promise and peril where Asia’s conflicting forces of modernity and reaction meet head on. Home to a multitude of different cultures, ethnicities, and religions, The Diplomat's regional correspondents and experts will provide the insight you need to navigate one of the world's most consequential regions.
Challenging South Asia’s Toxic Patriarchy Through Podcasts
By Allia Bukhari
South Asian female influencers bring to light issues faced by the region's women in their families and society amid a general, feminist discourse.
5 Reasons Why Kashmir Matters
By Hussain Nadim
Kashmir is not getting safe; it’s only getting more insecure and unsustainable to govern for the Indian government.
Resurgence of Terrorism in Pakistan
By Shahid Afzal Khan
A recent spate of attacks is adding weight to fears that the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan poses a security nightmare for Pakistan.
Indian State of Uttar Pradesh Begins Voting in Test for Modi’s Hindutva Politics
By Krutika Pathi
The polls are a referendum on the state’s saffron-robed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a poster figure for the Hindu right-wing.
Hijab-Wearing Muslim Students Are Being Shut out of Schools in India
By Kavita Chowdhury
Why does wearing a hijab to school merit a ban when heads of government in India are overtly Hindu in their dress and practice?
50 Years of Japan-Bangladesh Ties: From Economic to Strategic Partnership
By Hussain Shazzad
This often-overlooked partnership figures prominently in the strategic and economic goals of both countries.
Will the Indian Farmers’ Movement Successfully Transition From Protests to Polls?
By Ananya Sharma
The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, which emerged from the farmers’ movement, is in the fray in upcoming state assembly elections in Punjab.
New COVID-19 Wave Batters Afghanistan’s Crumbling Health Care
By Kathy Gannon
Nearly half the samples in public laboratories in Afghanistan between January 30 and February 5 tested positive for COVID-19.
India-Nepal Territorial Dispute Flares up Again
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
Indian Prime Minister Modi spoke of a road through disputed Lipulekh with an eye on Hindu votes. It could deepen anti-India nationalism in Nepal.
Conflict Over Afghanistan’s UN Seat Widens
By Catherine Putz
The wrangling over Afghanistan's U.N. seat is microcosm of the larger political battlefield in Afghanistan.
Mauritius Presses Claim for Indian Ocean Islands Under ‘Unlawful’ UK Administration
By David Rising
The ICJ founded in 2019 that Mauritius is the rightful owner of the Chagos Islands, which are currently administered by Britain and host a crucial U.S. military base.
Bangladesh and Myanmar Resume Talks on Rohingya Repatriation
By Shafi Md Mostofa
If the situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine state does not instill confidence in the Rohingya refugees, voluntary repatriation would be impossible.