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.
Sri Lanka’s New Anti-terrorism Law is Old Wine in New Bottle
By J. S. Tissainayagam
If torture is to be eradicated in Sri Lanka the institutions of the magistrate and police need to be reformed.
India Can’t Afford to Lose Maldives Again
By Radhey Tambi
A recent visit by India’s defense minister was just the latest in a surge of outreach toward Maldives as its election nears.
India Army Patrols Streets to Defuse Clashes in Manipur
By Wasbir Hussain
Violence broke out in the northeastern state as majority Christian hill tribes objected to a plan to grant Meitei Hindus special privileges.
Modi Silent as India’s Women Wrestlers Grapple with Sexual Harassment by BJP MP
By Snigdhendu Bhattacharya
While the accused politician, who heads the Wrestling Federation of India, has refused to resign, the protesters threatened to continue the stir till they get justice.
Russia Unlikely to Face Criticism at SCO Meeting in India
By Krutika Pathi
The meeting at Goa is an opportunity for India to burnish its image as a major player in the global arena.
No, China Is Not Planning to Spend $58 Billion on a Railway Connection to Pakistan
By Adnan Aamir
On further investigation, the wave of stories about a new breakthrough in the China-Pakistan Railway are based on hot air.
China Strengthens Grip on Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port
By P.K. Balachandran
China Merchant Port Holding Company (CMPH), which already has a dominant presence in Sri Lankan harbors, will be setting up a warehousing hub in Colombo port.
China-Pakistan Ties Steam Ahead With Proposed Rail Project
By Umair Jamal
The $58 billion railway line will link the Pakistani port city of Gwadar with Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang province.
Indian Defense Minister Visits Maldives
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
The Maldives has remained one of India’s key maritime partners in the Indian Ocean neighborhood.
UN Summit in Qatar on Afghanistan Ends, Another Planned
By Lujain Jo
Absent from the meeting were the Taliban themselves, who took over Afghanistan in August 2021.
Can the European Union Tackle Afghanistan’s Crises?
By Rahimullah Kakar
The EU has the capability to take a proactive diplomatic and political stance in managing the impending preventable socioeconomic and politico-security crises in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Economic Crisis: What Went Wrong?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
The country is currently running on foreign loans taken on high rates of interest. It will have to repay $80 billion in the coming three years.