Blog
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.
India Steps Up Engagement with the Taliban Regime
By Sudha Ramachandran
Its top-most diplomatic official engaged with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister in Dubai recently.
Will Trump Intervene to Get Pakistan’s Imran Khan Freed?
By Umair Jamal
The U.S. may not want to stake its ties with the Pakistani military to back a politically volatile and unpredictable figure like Khan.
Revolution and Rivalry: Can Bangladesh Escape Its Illiberal Past?
By Shafi Md Mostofa
Bangladesh’s entrenched political culture, rooted in decades of illiberal democracy, violence, and bad governance, casts a long shadow.
Sri Lanka’s Dilemmas Over Chinese ‘Research’ Vessels
By Ajay Darshan Behera
Promises made to India by President Anura Dissanayake in December 2024 must be matched with action.
India’s Response to World’s Largest Dam in China Faces Local Opposition
By Rajeev Bhattacharyya
The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project will generate electricity and regulate water flow. But locals are angry about government secrecy over the project.
Will Former Friends Pakistan and the Taliban Be Able to Mend Relations?
By Muhammad Murad
To address its terrorism concerns, Pakistan is simultaneously pursuing diplomacy with the Taliban government in Afghanistan and cross-border attacks.
The Dark Underbelly of India’s Fast-expanding Gig Economy
By Kavita Chowdhury
Gig workers for online delivery partners are paid poorly, work long hours, and aren’t provided social security.
Why India’s BJP Is Confident of Being in Power for a Long Time
By Ajay Gudavarthy
Its ability to set the terms of the national discourse and political agility prompts BJP leaders to claim that they will be in power for a few more decades.
Jimmy Carter’s Nepal Connection
By Birat Anupam
The former U.S. President was the highest-ranking American leader to advocate for the de-listing of the Maoists as a terrorist group.
The TTP and the Pakistan-Afghanistan Conundrum
By Aarish U. Khan
It’s hard to imagine that cross-border airstrikes will serve the desired goal of ending the rising level of violence and lawlessness in the areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan.
The Role of Bangladesh’s Military in the July Revolution and Its Historical Legacy
By Shafi Md Mostofa
After a long period of military rule, the military’s overt role in politics has diminished since the 1990s – as evidenced by its restrained role during the revolution of July-August 2024.
Will India-Indonesia Ties Take a Leap Forward in 2025?
By Rushali Saha
Indonesian President Prabowo will be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade, a sign of the importance New Delhi accords its relations with Jakarta.