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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.
Unraveled: Where Indians Come From, Part 1
By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
Population genetics sheds light on the origins of modern South Asians.
Will India’s Trump Fears Ease With the New US Asia Reassurance Initiative Act?
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
New Delhi will be hoping that Congress can continue to rein in Trump’s worst instincts.
On the Verge of Peace, Afghanistan Needs a Carefully Managed Strategy
By Gul Maqsood Sabit
A strategy for Afghanistan must put events in proper order and move forward with caution.
What’s Wrong with India’s Efforts to Check Human Trafficking?
By Avinash Giri
A recent case of human trafficking highlights the capability-will gap in Indian law enforcement.
Seeking Capital for the Capital: Will India and China Jointly Fund Amaravati?
By Krzysztof Iwanek
The story of Amaravati went from a regional tussle to being part of global processes.
Bangladesh's Awami League Wins Landslide Victory; Opposition Rejects Result
By Julhas Alam and Emily Schmall
Sheikh Hasina has won a third term in an election the opposition candidate dismissed as “farcical.”
India and the Evolving Geopolitics of the Middle East
By Nadeem Ahmed Moonakal
India's “Link West” policy has seen both continuity and change.
India Faces a New Reality in Afghanistan
By Harsh V Pant and Vinay Kaura
It's past time for India to take stock of new realities in Afghanistan.
What Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Latest Prison Sentence Means
By Umair Jamal
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
The Origins of Odisha’s Tribal-Dalit Political Nexus
By Parul Abrol
How the British gave birth to the Adivasi vs. Dalit equation in the Indian state of Odisha.
Why Bhutan’s ‘Blood Tax‘ Needs To Be Scrapped
By Namgay Zam
Bhutan’s regressive taxation of women’s sanitary products needs to go.
A New Chapter in India-Maldives Relations
By Vinay Kaura
With a change of leadership in Male, the Maldives have turned back to India.