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.
April 23, 2021
What’s Going on at the Iran-Pakistan Border?
By Mariyam Suleman
A crackdown on the thriving trade in smuggled Iranian oil could wreak havoc on local economies on both sides of the border.
April 22, 2021
Even COVID-19 Can’t Stop the Battle for Bengal
By Sudha Ramachandran
The skyrocketing cases in India have barely made a dent in the feverish campaigns being mounted in West Bengal’s elections.
April 22, 2021
What Is the Significance of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Latest Attack in Quetta?
By Umair Jamal
The attack on Serena Hotel, far outside TTP's usual operating area, is an extremely worrying sign that the group has regained its old strength.
April 22, 2021
The Problem With India’s Economic Diplomacy in South Asia
By Granth Vanaik
From trade to infrastructure development, India has a troubling habit of over-promising and under-delivering.
April 21, 2021
Regional Interests at Stake as Biden Announces Military Withdrawal From Afghanistan
By Saif Khattak
Russia, China, Iran, India, and, most of all, Pakistan have interests at stake as the U.S. aims to withdraw from Afghanistan.
April 21, 2021
Pakistani Parliament Debates Whether to Expel French Envoy
By Babr Dogar and Munir Ahmed
Will the Pakistani government give in to threats from radical Islamists?
April 21, 2021
‘No Place For You’: Indian Hospitals Buckle Amid Virus Surge
By Aniruddha Ghosal and Neha Mehrotra
Amid a ferocious second wave of COVID-19, India's hospitals are overrun.
April 20, 2021
What the Second Wave of COVID-19 Means for India’s Public Diplomacy
By Muhsin Puthan Purayil and Anudeep Gujjeti
Vaccine diplomacy has given way to vaccine nationalism as India struggles with a massive spike in infections.
April 20, 2021
UN Urges Bangladesh to Delay Rohingya Refugee Island Transfers
By Sebastian Strangio
The controversial island relocation plan points to the challenges facing the resolution of the refugee crisis in southeastern Bangladesh.
April 19, 2021
Nepal’s Political Travails Continue Amid Twists
By Arun Budhathoki
Much remains uncertain about Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s future. But he could spring yet another surprise.
April 19, 2021
The Flickering Edge of Hope: Pakistan’s LGBTQ+ Community Battles Prejudice and Discrimination
By Saad
The beleaguered community watched neighboring India’s 2018 decriminalization of consensual homosexual relations with wistful joy.
April 17, 2021
Even as Virus Cases Soar, Nepal Re-Opens Mt. Everest
By Kamal Dev Bhattarai
Amid a second wave of COVID-19 infections, hundreds of climbers are set to scale the world’s tallest mountain.
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