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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.
Time for India to Play a Role in Israel-Palestine Peace?
By Kadira Pethiyagoda
India, with its balanced ties to both sides, could be a yet-to-be explored path to peace.
Is This the End of the Two-Party System in Bangladesh?
By K.S. Venkatachalam
Less than a year ahead of national polls, the leader of Bangladesh's opposition party has been convicted of corruption.
India Gains Access to Oman's Duqm Port, Putting the Indian Ocean Geopolitical Contest in the Spotlight
By Ankit Panda
Duqm adds an important node to a growing network of facilities in the Indian Ocean held by actors with interests in preserving the status quo.
By-Election in Punjab Reveals an Uphill Struggle for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf
By Umair Jamal
What does the recent by-election in Punjab tell us about the province's political dynamics?
The Pashtun Long March: Reviving the Nonviolent Creed of Bacha Khan
By Bilquees Daud
What could Bacha Khan teach Pakistan in light of the Pashtun Long March?
A New Reality Confronts India in the Middle East
By Harsh V. Pant
India is still stuck in the age-old debates of the Israel-Arab rivalry whereas the Middle East has moved on. Can Modi change that?
Flagging Pakistani Taliban Loses Another Top Gun
By Daud Khattak
Mehsud Taliban leader Khan Said Sajna is reported dead in a drone strike.
Can Soft Power Help Repair China-India Ties?
By Tridivesh Singh Maini
Bollywood and student exchanges can help change the negative narrative in China-India relations.
Justice Eludes Victims of Nepal’s Civil War
By Kamal Dev Bhattarai
Nepal’s two transitional justice mechanisms have failed to deliver justice to war-era victims.
US Air Campaign in Afghanistan Hits Targets Near Tajik and Chinese Border
By Catherine Putz
The U.S. airstrikes in Badakhshan are likely to please China, which may be helping the Afghans build a base in the region.
Love in the Time of Patriarchy: 'Love Jihad' in India
By Priyanka Borpujari
The murder of 23-year-old photographer Ankit Saxena reveals India’s dirty underbelly of religious and caste intolerance.
Democracy on the Brink in Maldives
By Olof Blomqvist
The current crisis is the culmination of political trends years in the making.