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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.
Is Regional Integration Still Relevant for India in South Asia?
By Niranjan Marjani
The country's long-running dispute with Pakistan has soured attempts to foster regionalism in South Asia.
It’s Advantage China in the Indian Ocean
By Mohamed Zeeshan
Wang Yi’s visits to the Maldives and Sri Lanka signal Beijing’s priorities fairly clearly: it's focusing on South Asia and the Indian Ocean.
India Starts Booster Shots for Vulnerable Amid Omicron Surge
By Aniruddha Ghosal
Although India is better prepared than it was last year, hospitals may not be able to cope as many medical personnel have fallen ill.
Sri Lanka Seeks Chinese Debt Restructuring Amid Crisis
By Krishan Francis
In addition to foreign debt obligations exceeding $7 billion, Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves are down to $1.6 billion, barely enough for a few weeks of imports.
Sri Lanka, India Sign Deal to Redevelop Aging Oil Terminal
By Bharatha Mallawarachi
The terminal is located near the strategic Trincomalee port, one of the world’s finest natural harbors.
Can India Lead South Asia by Example in 2022?
By Santosh Sharma Poudel
India’s smaller neighbors want New Delhi to prioritize regional forums like SAARC and respect their strategic autonomy in dealing with China.
Questions of Security, Religion and Laws Emerge in Poll-Bound Punjab
By Tarushi Aswani
Recent incidents of alleged ‘sacrilege’ in Sikh temples have stirred communal anger in the state.
Afghan Taliban Turn Blind Eye to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
By Kathy Gannon
The Afghan Taliban have shown no signs of expelling TTP leaders or preventing them from carrying out attacks in Pakistan, even as Pakistan pushes a reluctant world to engage with Afghanistan's new rulers.
Bangladesh in the New Cold War: Major Leaps by a Minor Power
By Hassan Ahmed Shovon
The country has shown diplomatic maturity and equipoise in its dealings with larger and rival powers.
2021 Was a Bad Year for Democracy in South Asia
By Niha Dagia
The pandemic made it easier for governments to justify authoritarian measures, including crackdowns on the media and excessive surveillance.
Indian Muslim Women Put Up on Auction Again
By Sheikh Saaliq
Photographs of prominent Muslim women, several of them critics of Indian PM Narendra Modi, were displayed in a fake online auction.
What Lies Behind Beijing’s Assigning of Chinese Names to Indian Places?
By Sudha Ramachandran
Beijing’s assigning of Chinese names to 15 places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh is aimed at strengthening its territorial claims there.