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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.
Lakshadweep: Trouble in Paradise?
By Sudha Ramachandran
A series of controversial changes by a BJP appointee is causing concern on the island chain.
Paranoid State: India Battles COVID-19 and Conspiracy Theories
By Asim Ali
As consensus breaks down, both India’s ruling party and its opponents have enthusiastically embraced a conspiratorial political culture.
Pakistan Seeks to Punish Criticism of Army
By Niha Dagia
A new bill, if it were to become law, would further damage the Pakistani media’s ability to hold the military to account.
Women in India Come Together to Fight COVID-19
By Akanksha Khullar
It is time to recognize the efforts of these unseen heroes of the crisis and acknowledge the critical roles that women play in Indian society.
Afghan Forces Struggle, Demoralized, Rife With Corruption
By Kathy Gannon
The government says the army can hold its own, but military experts warn of a tough fight ahead.
Taliban Warns Pakistan About Hosting US Military Bases
By Umair Jamal
The coming weeks and months will reveal the exact role the United States envisions for Pakistan in Afghanistan after the U.S. military withdrawal is complete.
Bangladesh Journalist’s Arrest Highlights Growing Curbs on Press Freedom
By Asif Muztaba Hassan
Investigative reporter Rozina Islam was arrested on charges of espionage many consider dubious.
Sri Lanka’s Problem With Women in Power
By Lihini Ratwatte
The first woman to be appointed as a deputy inspector general of police was removed from office just six months later.
Nepal’s President Announces Fresh Elections Amid Continuing Political Upheaval
By Arun Budhathoki
The decision comes amid regional geopolitical churn and a deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. How Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli navigates both will determine his future.
Over 6,000 Myanmar Nationals in India’s Northeast
By Rajeev Bhattacharya
Local reports from Mizoram and Manipur put the number of refugees at close to 7,000.
Australia Closes Its Embassy in Kabul, Others Scale Back
By Tameem Akhgar
Embassies in the Afghan capital are located in a so-called Green Zone, considered the most heavily protected.
China Completes New Highway Near De Facto Border With India
By Sudha Ramachandran
The highway will enable the People’s Liberation Army to mobilize troops and military equipment faster overland to the Line of Actual Control.