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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.
Why India and Pakistan Should Work Toward a Joint Framework Against Smog
By Arooj Fatima
A transboundary problem, smog inflicts a heavy burden on public health and the economies of the two countries.
East-West Showdown Looms at G-20 FMs Meeting in India
By Matthew Lee
Antagonism over the Russia-Ukraine war has left G-20 host India in the unenviable position of trying to reconcile clearly irreconcilable differences.
Pakistan’s Plans for Poverty Eradication in Most Impoverished Districts
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Twenty of Pakistan’s poorest districts have been chosen for implementation of the Ministry of Planning’s development plan for 2022-2027.
Modi Regime’s Prickliness to Criticism Is Growing
By Kavita Chowdhury
The Congress party's spokesperson joins a long list of journalists, activists, and politicians detained for criticizing Modi and his government.
India Revives Civil Militia After Hindu Killings in Kashmir
By Aijaz Hussain
Village militias were first formed at the height of the militancy in the mid-1990s but were subsequently disbanded.
Is Sikh Militancy Returning to India’s Punjab State?
By Sudha Ramachandran
The meteoric rise of a self-styled radical Sikh preacher who propagates the cause of an independent Khalistan has set alarm bells ringing.
Global Spillover Effect and Pakistan’s Economic Woes
By Sania Zeb
To address food inflation, the government should increase agricultural productivity, improve supply chain mechanisms, and implement price stabilization measures.
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Protest Delay in US Resettlement
By Rahim Faiez
The delay has left the refugees in a vulnerable situation as they struggle with economic problems and lack of access to health and education in Pakistan.
As China’s FM Qin Gang Prepares to Visit India, Reflections on Wang Yi’s Views
By Saheb Singh Chadha
Former Foreign Minister Wang’s speech late last year indicated that China-India relations are likely to remain troubled for a while.
Bangladesh Calls for Revision of Power Purchasing Deal With Adani
By Shafi Md Mostofa
New Delhi has distanced itself from a controversial and unequal deal between Adani Power and the Bangladesh Power Development Board.
Politics Drives Assam’s Crackdown on Child Marriage
By Kavita Chowdhury
Most of those arrested for underage marriage in the Northeast Indian state are Muslim men.
For Now, India Has a Limited Appetite for Diplomacy With Pakistan
By Siddhant Bajpai
While India would like the current phase of stability at the LoC to continue, it has little incentive to try to make a grand gesture toward peace with Pakistan.