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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.
Revisiting ASEAN-India Relations
By Suyash Desai
The ASEAN-India relationship has had its share of highs and lows. Where do things stand today?
The Real Threat to Hinduism: The Slow Death of India's Rivers
By Gauri Noolkar
Outrage over the ban on firecrackers should be directed at the destruction of South Asia's natural heritage.
Afghanistan’s Persian Linguistic Identity
By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
What's in a name when it comes to an official language? Quite a lot for Afghanistan.
White House: Trump and Modi Resolve That US and India Should 'Have the World's Greatest Militaries'
By Ankit Panda
The White House's readout of the latest Trump-Modi meeting includes an unusual line.
Karachi’s Migrants and Militants
By Umair Jamal
Karachi's politics are a mess, thanks to outside interference by Pakistan's security establishment and elites.
South Asia’s 4 Competing Jihads
By Muhammad Nawaz Khan
Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban have differing visions for the region.
The 'Ease of Doing Business' in India
By K.S. Venkatachalam
India has to go a long way to go before it can be counted among the top 50 of the World Bank's Doing Business rankings.
ISIS Might Have One Last Escape Route: Pakistan
By Kunwar Khuldune Shahid
As ISIS' stronghold falls in the Middle East, Pakistan may provide the most fertile ground for Islamic State.
Sri Lanka's Proposed Constitution Comes Under Attack
By Ana Pararajasingham
International interest, not international laws, will deliver autonomy to Sri Lanka’s Tamils.
#MeToo and #HimToo Come to India
By Priyanka Borpujari
India's feminists are divided in the wake of a global phenomenon aimed at serial sexual harassers.
Afghanistan Stares Down the Barrel of the Long Defeat
By Gautham Ashok
SIGAR paints a worrying picture of the security situation in Afghanistan.
Hamid Karzai and the Russia Connection
By Samuel Ramani
The former Afghan president is promoting positions closely aligned with Russian interests.