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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.
With India’s Electrical Grid Under Strain, Rural Hospitals and Clinics Find Reliable Power in Rooftop Solar
By Sibi Arasu
The reliability that solar has brought has been a revelation.
Taliban’s Ban on Afghan Women Working in UN Pushes Them Into Further Deprivation
By Dawa Sherpa
The Taliban's ban on Afghan women working in the U.N. can be viewed as part of its broader strategic plan to reestablish gender norms and hierarchy within the country.
India’s Modi Makes the Most of the Moment in Papua New Guinea
By Mark S. Cogan
In the absence of U.S. President Joe Biden, the Indian leader used his trip to Port Moresby to position his country as a leader of the Global South.
Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Contribution to Securing an IMF Loan for Sri Lanka
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Sri Lankan president finds himself in a unique situation that allows him to implement IMF recommendations in full, a fact that the IMF wouldn’t have missed.
A G20 Meeting in Disputed Kashmir
By Suparna Banerjee
India is attempting to present the territory a bastion of peace, four years after the abrogation of Article 370. But that peace has come at a high cost.
Pakistan’s Chaos Is Not Good News for India
By Mohamed Zeeshan
The longer Pakistan's political crisis runs, the more vigilant India ought to be on its border.
How Afghan Girls Are Overcoming Barriers Through Online Learning
By Laiq Zirack
Deprived of education for more than 600 days, Afghan girls seek refuge in online education even though access is scarce and difficult.
China’s Sinopec to Enter Retail Fuel Market in Crisis-hit Sri Lanka
By Bharatha Mallawarachi
The 25-year contract with the petroleum giant is expected to ease the fuel shortage in the country.
No, Imran Khan Is not Pakistan’s Ayatollah Khomeini
By Umair Jamal
Unlike Iran’s Khomeini, the former Pakistani PM is neither a revolutionary nor is he seeking to overthrow established institutions as part of his so-called righteous struggle.
Why the US Should Be Neutral in Bangladesh
By Joseph Rozen
Relations between the two countries are fraying. This will provide China with space to expand its influence in Bangladesh.
How the BJP Uses Cinema and False Communal Narratives to Further Its Divisive Agenda
By Kavita Chowdhury
The film "The Kerala Story" claims that 32,000 Hindu women of Kerala were converted to Islam and recruited into the Islamic State.
The Impact of Political Instability on Pakistan’s Internal Security
By Abdul Basit
Troops have been deployed in cities to quell violent protests. Militant groups could target them.