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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.
Imran Khan Pauses Long March to Islamabad
By Umair Jamal
The former Pakistani prime minister has given the Shehbaz Sharif government six days to call elections.
Can IPEF Reduce India’s Economic Dependence on China?
By Niranjan Marjani
IPEF will have to contend with the same worries that led India to walk out of RCEP.
Modi Visits the Buddha’s Birthplace in Nepal
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
The Indian prime minister’s religious diplomacy could make Nepal a pawn in India’s domestic politics, even make it appear complicit in BJP’s communal politics.
Indian Court Sentences Kashmiri Leader to Life in Prison
By Ashok Sharma and Aijaz Hussain
Yasin Malik led the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front but subsequently shifted to peaceful means.
Indian Assistance to Sri Lanka: Lifeline or Chokehold?
By Rathindra Kuruwita
India received many concessions from the Rajapaksas in recent years and has vested interests in the status quo.
Taliban Say Deal Signed With UAE Firm to Manage Airports
By Rahim Faiez
However, the deal left more questions than answers, as Qatar and Turkey were in line to run the airports.
What Lies Behind Modi’s Nepal Visit?
By Bipin Ghimire and Apoorva Pathak
The choice to visit Lumbini for Buddha's birthday was carefully crafted both religiously and geopolitically.
Imagine a World Without the Taj Mahal
By Muqtedar Khan
Will the Qutub Minar and the Taj Mahal too be destroyed by Hindutva vandals like the 500-old Babri Masjid and replaced with temples?
Bulldozers Emerge as an Important Weapon in BJP’s Anti-Muslim Arsenal
By Kavita Chowdhury
The demolition of properties owned by Muslims was electorally rewarded in Uttar Pradesh. The tactic is being adopted in other parts of India now too.
India’s Hindutva Groups Have the Gyanvapi Mosque in Their Crosshairs
By Tarushi Aswani
Hindutva groups are laying claim to a growing number of sites where Muslim monuments and mosques stand, arguing that temples once stood on the same land.
Is Gwadar’s New Development Prepared to Handle Its Weather?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Gwadar often sees intense seasonal rains that can cause flooding. Recent CPEC-linked development in the rapidly growing city may be making that problem worse.
China Becomes Wild Card in Sri Lanka’s Debt Crisis
By Bharatha Mallawarachi, Krutika Pathi and Joe McDonald
Beijing has promised to “play a positive role” in talks with the IMF and offered Colombo more loans but is reluctant to cut its debt.