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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.
A New Bangladesh Is Emerging But It Needs India Too
By Muqtedar Khan and Umme Salma Tarin
Bangladesh’s foreign policy work starts with India because it has greater implications for domestic harmony.
From Doha Accord to Doha Process: Why the International Community Fails to Bring Peace to Afghanistan
By Muhammad Murad
The U.S. and the global community have repeatedly failed to recognize that engaging with the Taliban alone will not bear fruitful results.
India to Hold First Assembly Elections in Disputed Kashmir in 10 Years
By Aijaz Hussain
Polls to be held between September 18 and October 1 will elect a local government, but real legislative power will remain with New Delhi.
India’s Quest for Nuclear Energy: In Pursuit of Clean Energy Goals, Despite Protests
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
New Delhi has failed to engage seriously with protests and proven unable to have honest conversations about the risks and benefits of nuclear power with the people.
‘No to the Taliban!’ Afghans Gather in Washington to Demand Action
By Catherine Putz
Three years after the Taliban returned to power, the Afghan diaspora in the Washington, D.C. area demonstrated outside the White House calling for concrete action.
A Gen-Z Revolution in Pakistan Will Have to Wait
By Abdul Basit
Ongoing protests in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fail to strike a chord in Punjab and Sindh, where most Pakistanis live.
Trainee Doctor’s Rape and Killing Sparks Protests Across India
By Bikas Das
In protest, government hospitals in several cities have suspended medical services except for emergency treatment.
3 Afghans Face Different Fates After the Taliban Takeover
By Freshta Jalalzai
For some, Taliban rule means a life in hiding. For others, it brought a long-awaited homecoming. Still others are just hoping for a lasting peace.
The Dark Side of Pakistan’s Muzaffargarh Solar Power Project
By Asfandiyar
As the government prioritizes energy over lives, residents of the Thal region in the Punjab province confront the heartbreaking loss of their ancestral lands.
Maldives Completes U-Turn From ‘India Out’ to ‘Closest Ally’
By Ahmed Naish
The visit of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Malé marked the renewal of traditionally close ties that soured in the early days of President Muizzu’s administration.
Students Who Ousted Hasina Are Helping Lead Bangladesh, From the Streets to the Ministries
By Krutika Pathi and Shonal Ganguly
While the students say they have the grit to get things done, there are concerns over their lack of political experience and the extent of their ambitions.
Putting Bangladesh-India Relations on an Even Keel
By Sreeradha Datta
The high levels of violence and the subsequent disintegration of the Awami League took New Delhi completely by surprise. Now India must recalibrate its foreign and security policy in Bangladesh.