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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.
Women’s Rights in Afghanistan: Will the Taliban Adhere to CEDAW?
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
In 2003, Afghanistan ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, but the Taliban do not see their government as a continuation of the former Afghan regime.
Nepal’s Hydropower Ambitions at the Crossroads of Climate Shocks
By Atal Ahmadzai
The country's vulnerability to climate-related water shocks is exacerbated by its unique geological and hydrological features.
1 Year in, India’s Approach to the Gaza War Reflects a Wider Foreign Policy Change
By Liyaqat Nazir
India’s tilt toward Israel didn’t happen on October 7, 2023. It reflects a policy shift nearly a decade in the making, in line with West Asia’s changing geopolitics.
Constitutional Amendment: Managing Pandora’s Box for Nepal
By Meena Bhatta
Nepal’s post-insurgency constitution was a document of compromise among various political forces. Changing it will bring new risks.
Will Sikh Separatist Pannun Spoil India’s Plans to Mediate Between Russia and Ukraine?
By Armaan Mathur
The timing of the U.S. scrutiny of top Indian officials is important. It came even as India’s rising role in Quad was evident at the Delaware summit.
Afghanistan’s Reckoning Moment in the Fight for Women’s Rights
By Amy Smathers
Afghanistan’s women have not stopped fighting, and neither should the international community.
India Must Match China’s Speedy Moves in Bangladesh’s New Political Landscape
By Rakshith Shetty
Both were close to former Prime Minister Hasina. But China built ties with other parties too and has reached out faster to the new interim government.
The Coming Drift in India-Iran Relations
By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
India is more aligned with Israel than Iran with regard to combating terrorism. The latter sponsors terror groups in the Middle East as does Pakistan in South Asia.
The Fall of Sheikh Hasina and the Potential Rise of a Radical Political Pariah in Bangladesh
By Shafi Md Mostofa
Hasina’s Awami League has already been ousted from mainstream politics. Will it end up on the path toward violent extremism and strategic marginalization?
What Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Resignation Says About Indian Politics
By Kailash Prasad
In some ways, it’s messy politics as usual. But the circumstances leading to Kejriwal’s resignation will narrow the space for good policy to take root.
Sri Lanka’s New President Promises to Clean House
By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya
Above all, Sri Lankans voted for Anura Kumara Dissanayake due to his pledges to radically change the country’s corrupt political culture.
India and China Eye Indian Ocean’s ‘Pearl’
By Meenuka Mathew
Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will have to strike a deft balance between two regional powers.