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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.
India Reels Under Brutal Heat Wave, Blackouts
By Krutika Pathi and Aniruddha Ghosal
Supplies of coal at thermal power plants are running perilously low, underscoring India’s need to diversify energy sources.
EU Hedges Its Bets by Turning to a Difficult India
By Mohamed Zeeshan
To be a viable economic alternative to China in the long run, India needs to achieve sustained growth, build an export base, and ensure social harmony and political stability.
As Iran-Taliban Tensions Rise, Afghan Migrants in Tinderbox
By Mehdi Fattahi and Isabel DeBre
Both Iran and the Taliban do not want an escalation, but long-smoldering hostilities risk spiraling out of control.
What Drove India’s Jaishankar to Bangladesh?
By Shafi Md Mostofa
Regional geopolitics was an important item on the Indian foreign minister’s agenda.
The China Factor in India’s Engagements With Europe
By Niranjan Marjani
Repeated recent engagements are an an opportunity for India and European countries to iron out their differences over the perception of strategic threats emerging from Russia and China.
Lawmaker: Sri Lanka President Agrees to Remove Brother as Prime Minister
By Krishan Francis
MP (and former president) Sirisena says Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to a national council and a new prime minister; the prime minister's spokesperson said that had not been communicated yet.
Heat Wave Scorches India’s Wheat Crop, Singes Its Export Plans
By Aniruddha Ghosal
India's hopes of exporting its wheat at a time when the rest of the world is struggling with grain shortages have been hit hard by an unusually early summer and unprecedented heat.
India’s School Education Is in Grave Crisis
By Kavita Chowdhury
Already existing inequalities in education have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
After Rana Plaza, How Far Has Bangladesh Come on Worker Safety?
By Shaikh Abdur Rahman
The 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy sparked a sea change in Bangladesh’s approach to worker safety.
Is Nepal Going the Way of Sri Lanka?
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
Although Nepal’s economic health is worrying, tourism is picking up and foreign remittances are poised to increase.
Rajapaksas’ Unpopularity Surges as Debt Crisis Worsens
By Krutika Pathi and Krishan Francis
But Sri Lanka's ruling family is refusing to heed the demand for their resignation.
Will Sri Lanka’s IMF Gamble Work?
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Implementing the IMF’s recommendations will be a daunting task for the Rajapaksa government as it will be resisted by the masses, opposition parties, and trade unions.