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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.
Anti-India Militancy Returns to Srinagar
By Sudha Ramachandran
An attack on a bus carrying police personnel that left three dead reaffirms that Kashmir’s summer capital is not militant-free.
Afghanistan’s Health Care System on the Brink of Collapse
By Elena Becatoros
Kabul’s COVID-19 hospital has run out of essential drugs and available medicines are well past their expiry date.
Examining the Taliban’s Words, Thoughts and Deeds, Part II: Hostage Diplomacy
By Mohammad Bashir Mobasher and Mohammad Qadam Shah
The Taliban are well-practiced at taking and using hostages. Now it’s a nation held hostage.
In Kashmir, a Closed Mosque Belies India’s Religious Freedom
By Aijaz Hussain
The 600-year-old Jamia Masjid is a venue for Friday prayers for Kashmir’s Muslims but also a nerve center for massive anti-India protests.
Hamid Karzai ‘Invited’ Taliban to Take Kabul to Stop Chaos
By Kathy Gannon
In an interview, the former Afghan president says that there would have been an agreement for a peaceful transition had President Ghani remained in the Afghan capital.
How Bangladesh’s Liberation Shook Up South Asia
By Mohamed Zeeshan
After 1971, there were expectations that South Asia would move on from religious nationalism – but the region has gone in the opposite direction.
Unpacking Modi’s Summit for Democracy Speech
By Ashutosh Nagda and Angshuman Choudhury
The Indian prime minister gave an unusually narrow speech to avoid opening himself to criticism.
Calls for Repealing AFSPA Grow Louder in India’s Northeast
By Rajeev Bhattacharya
The Indian Army’s killing of innocent civilians in Nagaland has triggered angry protests in the region.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Right-Turn
By Tarushi Aswani
Its "soft Hindutva" rhetoric is aimed at drawing Hindu votes.
Examining the Taliban’s Words, Thoughts, and Deeds, Part I: The Myth of Taliban 2.0
By Mohammad Bashir Mobasher and Mohammad Qadam Shah
Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have been on a PR blitz to re-brand for international audiences.
Why Did Russian President Putin Visit India?
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
Contradictions in the India-Russia relationship, rooted in China and the Quad, will be difficult to overcome in the long term.
‘We Are Committed in Principle to Women Participation,’ Says Taliban Minister
By Kathy Gannon
The Taliban’s interim Foreign Minister Muttaqi said that his government has no issue with the US.