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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.
Islamic Fundamentalism Raises Its Head in Post-Hasina Bangladesh
By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya
Many statues like those of Mujibur Rahman were defaced for political reasons. But targeting sculptures like that of Lady Justice lay bare the Islamists’ anti-statue agenda.
Maldives President Accuses National Bank of Attempted Coup
By Ahmed Naish
The Bank of Maldives suspended foreign currency spending from local cards but reversed the decision six hours later after the government intervened in the face of a public uproar.
Animating Peace: How Pakistan’s ‘The Glassworker’ Found a Voice in Hiroshima
By Muhammad Rauhan Rasheed
Making a movie with an anti-war theme in a state known for glorifying war in its history is a bold step.
Virtue and Vice Law Further Affirms Taliban’s Power in Afghanistan
By Muhammad Murad
With the new virtue and vice law, the Taliban are on track to take the country back to the norms of their late 1990s rule.
Jammu and Kashmir Likely to See a Fractured Verdict in Assembly Elections
By Sudha Ramachandran
The real contest for power will unfold after election results are announced on October 8.
Nuclear Security Takes Priority Amid India’s Renewed Push for Nuclear Power
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Sameer Patil, Shravishtha Ajaykumar , and Prateek Tripathi
As India’s nuclear energy program continues to grow, so does the responsibility to ensure its security.
What a Kamala Harris Administration Would Mean for India
By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
There may be some upbraiding of the Modi government on human rights issues, but ultimately, India-U.S. relations will likely continue as usual.
Bangladesh’s Interim Government Signs UN Convention on Enforced Disappearance
By Julhas Alam
Earlier this week, it established a commission to investigate cases of enforced disappearances during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's rule since 2009.
What Next for Nepal’s Transitional Justice Process?
By Meena Bhatta
Nepal’s legislature finally approved long-awaited changes to the transitional justice law. Do the benefits outweigh the flaws?
Can Gwadar Port Handle Half of Pakistan’s Cargo Shipments?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Currently, if functional, the port can manage only 11 million tons of bulk cargo annually, just 17 percent of Karachi Port’s cargo.
Outgoing EU Diplomat Raffaella Iodice Reflects on Her Time in Afghanistan
By Freshta Jalalzai
Iodice stood by the girls and women of Afghanistan when nearly everyone else had left, a commitment that deeply resonated with many in the war-torn nation.
Bangladesh Must Navigate the Reality of Infrastructure as a Weapon of Foreign Interference
By Anil Wasif
Major infrastructure projects offer developmental benefits while creating vulnerabilities and dependencies. How will Bangladesh balance these concerns amid competition from India, China, and the U.S.?