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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.
What Can the Imbalance in the BJP’s National vs Regional Popularity Tell Us?
By Krzysztof Iwanek
The BJP supplies 55 percent of lawmakers in the federal Parliament but just 31.6 percent in state legislatures.
Despite COVID-19 the Future of India’s Maoist Insurgency Looks Like Its Past
By Tarun Nair
The anti-state movement’s longevity is intimately tied to New Delhi’s overreliance on kinetic options. The pandemic is unlikely to change this.
Afghan President Names Council for Peace Deal with Taliban
By Associated Press
The High Council for National Reconciliation will have the final say on whether the Afghan government signs a possible deal struck with the Taliban.
Can China Replace Saudi Arabia for Pakistan?
By Ameena Tanvir
Islamabad needs both Riyadh and Beijing for its domestic as well as foreign imperatives.
What Does the Controversial Anti-Money Laundering Bill Tell Us About Pakistani Politics?
By Umair Jamal
Pakistan’s parliament rejected a major Anti-Money Laundering Bill, claiming the government had left out the opposition’s amendments.
India-Vietnam Relations: Strong and Getting Stronger
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
With China a shared concern, India and Vietnam continue to deepen their relationship.
Indigenous Tribes in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands Battle Coronavirus
By Sudha Ramachandran
Contact with the outside world has cost them dearly in the past. Will they be able to survive the pandemic’s assault?
India’s Congress Party Must Reform to Resurrect
By Ambar Kumar Ghosh
Lack of leadership and political vision along with organizational problems continue to plague a political force with storied legacy.
Can Saudi Arabia Continue to Take Pakistan’s Friendship for Granted?
By Umair Jamal
The recent statement by Pakistan's foreign minister demonstrates Islamabad's growing discontent with Riyadh.
Why Bangladesh Reaches out to China
By Sudha Ramachandran
New Delhi is to blame as the Dhaka-Beijing relationship deepens.
Is China’s Belt and Road Initiative Strategic? Perhaps Not.
By Abhijnan Rej
Beijing’s BRI experience with Modi’s India shows a lack of feel for shifting sands.
Afghan Forces Fail to Arrest Former Soccer Head on Run From Sexual Abuse Charges
By Catherine Putz
Karim’s continued evasion exposes several uncomfortable truths for the Afghan authorities on the limits to power in a fractured country.