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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.
Pakistan to Host SCO Summit Amid Political Turmoil
By Umair Jamal
Protests by the opposition PTI and a major suicide bombing outside Karachi airport that killed Chinese civilians have cast a shadow over the event.
Sri Lanka’s New President Meets India’s Foreign Minister in Colombo
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Like his predecessors, President Dissanayake will have to carefully navigate between accommodating Indian demands and resisting overreach.
Jammu & Kashmir Election Hands Clear Mandate to Opposition Alliance
By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya
The results also indicate a triumph of Kashmir’s mainstream political forces over separatist sympathizers.
Maldives President Muizzu Does U-Turn on Maiden State Visit to India
By Ahmed Naish
He agreed to open an Indian consulate and endorsed an India-funded military harbor -- projects he previously opposed as they allegedly threatened Maldivian sovereignty.
How the Shahbagh-Hefazat Ideological Divide Is Influencing Post-Revolution Bangladesh
By Shahadat Hossain
Despite the unity during the 2024 protest movement, old divisions between secular leftists and Islamists quickly resurfaced.
Women’s Rights in Afghanistan: Will the Taliban Adhere to CEDAW?
By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
In 2003, Afghanistan ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, but the Taliban do not see their government as a continuation of the former Afghan regime.
Nepal’s Hydropower Ambitions at the Crossroads of Climate Shocks
By Atal Ahmadzai
The country's vulnerability to climate-related water shocks is exacerbated by its unique geological and hydrological features.
1 Year in, India’s Approach to the Gaza War Reflects a Wider Foreign Policy Change
By Liyaqat Nazir
India’s tilt toward Israel didn’t happen on October 7, 2023. It reflects a policy shift nearly a decade in the making, in line with West Asia’s changing geopolitics.
Constitutional Amendment: Managing Pandora’s Box for Nepal
By Meena Bhatta
Nepal’s post-insurgency constitution was a document of compromise among various political forces. Changing it will bring new risks.
Will Sikh Separatist Pannun Spoil India’s Plans to Mediate Between Russia and Ukraine?
By Armaan Mathur
The timing of the U.S. scrutiny of top Indian officials is important. It came even as India’s rising role in Quad was evident at the Delaware summit.
Afghanistan’s Reckoning Moment in the Fight for Women’s Rights
By Amy Smathers
Afghanistan’s women have not stopped fighting, and neither should the international community.
India Must Match China’s Speedy Moves in Bangladesh’s New Political Landscape
By Rakshith Shetty
Both were close to former Prime Minister Hasina. But China built ties with other parties too and has reached out faster to the new interim government.