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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.
Are Visiting Teams Facing Crowd Hostility at the Cricket World Cup in India?
By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya
Jingoism among sports crowds is not peculiar to India and blaming whole crowds is unfair.
In Pakistan, Hybrid Rule Is Further Institutionalized Through Dynastic Political Parties
By Ali Malik
Amid the power struggle between the PML-N, PPP, and PTI, the only winner has been the military establishment.
A Changed India Looks, Emotes, and Thinks Like Israel
By Mohamed Zeeshan
Its sympathies are with Israel. Indeed, it believes it too is Israel.
Pakistan Takes a Cautious Approach to the Israel-Gaza Conflict
By Umair Jamal
At the outset of the Russia-Ukraine war, then-Prime Minister Imran Khan traveled to Moscow. This time around Islamabad is avoiding taking sides.
Sri Lanka Allows a Chinese Research Ship to Dock at Colombo
By Bharatha Mallawarachi
The vessel had been expected to conduct research with Sri Lankan state institutions, but permission was granted only for replenishment.
The Taliban’s Quest for Foreign Funding Starts With China
By Aarish U. Khan
The Taliban are focusing on the countries that are most likely to be interested in investing in Afghanistan, notwithstanding its human rights record or potential for violence.
The Past, Present, and Future of Maldivian Democracy
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
No Maldivian government since 2008 has fully adhered to democratic norms. Will President-elect Muizzu break this pattern?
Climate-Proofing the India-Pakistan Indus Water Treaty
By Smiti Mathur
Failing to address the impact of climate change could lead to migration crises, supply chain disruptions, and even trigger a conflict between the two neighbors.
Nawaz Sharif Returns to Pakistan: The Army Playing a Safe Bet?
By Rishi Gupta
The army seems to have given a green signal to Nawaz Sharif to become the face of forthcoming general elections in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Imran Khan Could Face Death Sentence in Trial Over Revealing State Secrets
By Munir Ahmed
The case relates to Khan's waving of a confidential diplomatic letter at a rally after his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022.
Canada Removes 41 Diplomats From India After New Delhi Threatens to Revoke Their Immunity
By Rob Gillies
41 of Canada’s 62 diplomats in India have been removed in the latest escalation of the dispute over the slaying of a Sikh separatist in Canada.
India’s Digital Footprint on the Israel-Gaza War
By Antara Chakraborthy and Yasmine Wong
Pro-Israel content – including disinformation – is being widely shared on social media by Indian nationals, more significantly by right-wing Hindu nationalists.