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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.

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India’s Family Planning: Moving the Needle from ‘Control’ to ‘Choice’

India’s Family Planning: Moving the Needle from ‘Control’ to ‘Choice’

By Debanjana Choudhuri
India’s family planning program focuses on birth limitation rather than planning, is skewed toward female sterilization, and excludes youth from the conversation.
Afghan Women Footballers Flee to Pakistan

Afghan Women Footballers Flee to Pakistan

By Niha Dagia
The Afghan National Girls Youth Football team, its coaches, and their families were facing threats from the Taliban.

With Taliban’s Rise, India Sees Renewed Threat in Kashmir

With Taliban’s Rise, India Sees Renewed Threat in Kashmir

By Aijaz Hussain
The Taliban victory has boosted the hope of anti-India terror groups in the region.

More than $1.2 Billion in Humanitarian Aid Pledged to Afghanistan

More than $1.2 Billion in Humanitarian Aid Pledged to Afghanistan

By Catherine Putz
The Taliban’s ascension to power in Kabul has given way to an economic crisis, which in tandem with droughts has fueled a food crisis, too.

Where Will the Afghan Refugees Go? Non-Humanitarian Openings for the Unfolding Crisis

Where Will the Afghan Refugees Go? Non-Humanitarian Openings for the Unfolding Crisis

By Anshu N. Chatterjee
Time and again international powers involved in Afghanistan have aided refugees for political and strategic reasons that extend far beyond humanitarian concerns. 
Donors Voice Concerns Over Taliban Rule as UN Seeks Funds

Donors Voice Concerns Over Taliban Rule as UN Seeks Funds

By Jamey Keaten
Can donors help everyday Afghans without handing a public relations victory or cash to the Taliban?

Does India Need a Caste Census?

Does India Need a Caste Census?

By Parul Abrol
The latest data on caste is needed to formulate policies to address socioeconomic inequality.
Gender Responsive Budgeting Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in India

Gender Responsive Budgeting Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in India

By Akanksha Khullar
The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing economic inequalities within India’s patriarchal society.

Can CPEC Move Beyond Infrastructure?

Can CPEC Move Beyond Infrastructure?

By Muhammad Tayyab Safdar and Max C. Barte
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has largely failed to provide the manufacturing investment Pakistan so desperately needs.

What the Taliban’s Interim Government Means for Afghanistan’s Neighbors

What the Taliban’s Interim Government Means for Afghanistan’s Neighbors

By Zeeshan Salahuddin
The increasing chasm between the Taliban's promises and their delivery leaves Afghanistan's neighbors with few good options.

Rampaging COVID-19 Cases Expose Flaws in Kerala’s Healthcare Model

Rampaging COVID-19 Cases Expose Flaws in Kerala’s Healthcare Model

By A. Harikumar
While cases across India have declined after a devastating surge in April and May, the situation in Kerala remains serious.
Taliban Caretaker Government: Good for Internal Cohesion, Bad for Governance

Taliban Caretaker Government: Good for Internal Cohesion, Bad for Governance

By Haroun Rahimi
The new government might have saved the Taliban from internal fracturing, but it has certainly made it harder for them to govern Afghanistan. 

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