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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.
SIGAR on the Unsustainability of the Afghan Air Force
By Catherine Putz
In a classified January 2021 report, SIGAR warned that the Afghan air forces were unsustainable without continued U.S. support. The newly declassified report explains why.
Sri Lanka’s President Strikes Reconciliatory Note as Debt Crisis Looms
By Krishan Francis
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is willing to learn from the international community on human rights issues, he told Parliament.
Pakistan’s National Security Policy Prioritizes Economic Security
By Niha Dagia
Its content is impressive but it lacks a roadmap.
China’s Bridge Over the Pangong Tso in Ladakh
By Tarushi Aswani
In general, bridges bring people together and facilitate trade. But for India’s Ladakhis, the bridge across the Pangong Tso brings uncertainty and apprehension.
In Kotputli: Rich Lands, Impoverished People
By Sneha Swaminathan
Illegal mining, crop failure, and disease devastate the people who live in an important epicenter for stone quarrying in India.
India State Assembly Elections: Where Is the Level Playing Field?
By Sudha Ramachandran
Multi-phase assembly elections will give parties with deeper pockets like the BJP an undue advantage.
Will the Ruling BJP Be Ousted in Uttar Pradesh?
By Kavita Chowdhury
Its principal rival, the Samajwadi Party, has stitched together alliances with parties representing the Backward Castes, Dalits, and Muslims.
UN Seeks $5 Billion to Aid Millions of Afghans as Country Struggles
By Edith M. Lederer
The U.N. said the appeal will be followed by a pledging conference in mid-March, but a number of nations already announced new funding.
India’s Supreme Court Intervenes in Hate Speeches Against Muslims
By Ashok Sharma
The apex court intervention relates to calls for genocide of Indian Muslims made at a Hindu religious conclave last month.
Will al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent Find Support in India?
By Shafi Md Mostofa
The local branch of al-Qaida failed to appeal to Indian Muslims in the past, but it hasn’t given up.
Betel Nut Smuggling From Myanmar to India Booming: Report
By Sebastian Strangio
The central government has ordered authorities in Mizoram and Manipur to clamp down on the surge of illicit trade.
The Problem With Modi’s Repeal of India’s Farm Laws
By Roshni Kapur
Both the laws’ passage and repeal demonstrate the Modi government’s lack of parliamentary procedure and public consultation. That means similar issues are likely to recur in the future.