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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.
In Kashmir, Empty Grave for Teenager Killed by Indian Forces
By Associated Press
Under a policy started in 2020, Indian authorities have buried scores of Kashmiri rebels in unmarked graves, denying their families proper funerals
Indian Defense Ministry Year End Review Focuses on China
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
India’s year end defense review explicitly mentions China, an interesting feature given the reluctance of Indian leaders to directly address Beijing at times.
Fresh Controversies Erupt Over Citizen Register in Assam
By StoriesAsia
The state in India’s restive northeast continues to struggle to maintain an accurate record of citizens.
India Rolls Out New COVID-19 Vaccines Amid Rampant Skepticism
By Sudha Ramachandran
The country’s approval of two vaccines whose efficacies are not completely known has prompted many to accuse the Modi government of vaccine nationalism.
2 Trips by South Asian Foreign Ministers: Between Home and Abroad
By Abhijnan Rej
In South Asia, domestic politics often interfaces with geopolitics, presenting unexpected challenges for regional powers, big and small.
An ‘Orchard of Bad Apples’ Weighs on New Afghan Peace Talks
By Associated Press
Escalating violence has all sides pointing the finger at each other as negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban resume.
One Federation, One Election? Narendra Modi’s Push for Simultaneous Elections in India
By Krzysztof Iwanek
The (unlikely) introduction of simultaneous elections in India would favor the richest national parties at the expense of regional parties.
India’s Effort to Reform the United Nations Security Council Demands a New Mindset
By Mohamed Zeeshan
Fence-sitting and ambiguous positions on key international security issues hasn’t served the country’s global ambitions well.
Gunmen Kill Prominent Journalist in Western Afghanistan
By Associated Press
Bismillah Adil Aimaq is the fifth journalist killed in Afghanistan in the past two months.
Pakistani Shiites Rally Against Murder of Coal Miners by Islamic State
By Associated Press
Pakistan’s Hazara community has been targeted many times in recent years by Sunni militant groups, including IS. Now they're demanding government action.
Death Penalty for Rape: An Ineffective Lethal Lottery in South Asia
By Bansari Kamdar
Instead of instituting capital punishment, governments need to address the social and legal problems underpinning the region's epidemic of sexual violence.
India-Bangladesh Relations: Time to Move Beyond Connectivity
By Sudha Ramachandran
A new railway link highlights the warming ties between the two countries; New Delhi must not let them be derailed by domestic politics.