South Asia
Sri Lanka's Economic Recovery Underscores the Geopolitics of Debt
Sri Lanka’s IMF-backed recovery continues as the country works to restructure its debt and restore economic stability following its 2022 financial crisis. The ongoing process highlights the strategic interests of India and China in the Indian Ocean, as Sri Lanka balances international financial assistance with relationships among competing regional powers.
Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Funding Shortfalls
Millions of Afghans require humanitarian assistance as aid continues to decline and fall short of the country’s needs. Food insecurity, malnutrition, and the closure of resource centers place strains upon families as the country approaches the 2026-2027 winter season.
Sri Lanka’s Counterterrorism Reform Draws Scrutiny Over Detention Powers
Sri Lanka’s proposed replacement for its decades-old counterterrorism law has sparked debate over whether the legislation would meaningfully strengthen protections against arbitrary detention or preserve the broad executive powers that have drawn criticism under its predecessor.
India’s Special Intensive Revision Sparks Outrage Over Alleged Electoral Fraud and Disenfranchisement
Thousands of protesters in India are accusing the Chief Election Commissioner of electoral manipulation and demanding he resign. The demands came in response to the commission’s “Special Intensive Revision” deleting 130 million names from the electoral rolls over the past year. While officials claim SIR legitimately removed dead, relocated, and untraceable people, critics allege the operation disenfranchises minority voters and benefits Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party.
U.S.-India Trade Talks Hit ‘Plateau’ Over Russian Oil
U.S.-India trade talks have stalled as Washington applies tariff pressure over New Delhi’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil, putting India’s policy of strategic autonomy to the test.
Imran Khan’s Political Influence Endures as PTI Marches Toward Islamabad
Pakistani police placed large shipping containers along central roads surrounding Pakistan’s capital ahead of the planned demonstration, restricting access to key routes into Islamabad. PTI had originally scheduled the march for September 27, but it was postponed as negotiations between the two parties continued.
A Punjab Border Shooting Puts India-Pakistan Tensions Back in Focus
Two Pakistani nationals were killed along the Punjab border on Oct. 2, prompting India and Pakistan to summon each other’s diplomats. The incident has renewed diplomatic tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors, whose governments have offered conflicting accounts of what happened.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflict Puts Russia at Center of Regional Diplomacy
Regional powers called for dialogue as Afghanistan and Pakistan traded accusations over militant activity and cross-border attacks, but the Moscow meeting ended without a joint statement.
LNG Shocks Are Exposing South Asia’s Energy Vulnerability
Disruptions to Qatari LNG exports have sent energy costs soaring across South Asia, straining industries dependent on imported gas. While India has cushioned the shock through diversified sourcing, Bangladesh’s reliance on Qatar has left its economy increasingly exposed to the volatility of global energy markets.
Stranded at Zero Line: West Bengal's Deportations Spark Citizenship Disputes
Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won West Bengal in May's election, the new state government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched a "detect, delete and deport" campaign to expel undocumented Bangladeshi migrants. Bangladesh rejected these efforts and accused Adhikari’s government of refusing to adhere to proper repatriation channels. Meanwhile, reporters question the legal and humanitarian basis of these deportations, particularly as many individuals claim to be Bengali-speaking Indian Muslims.
Op-ed: Bangladesh's Measles Outbreak Reveals Gaps in Vaccination Framework
Since mid-March Bangladesh has faced an escalating measles outbreak, with suspected cases climbing into the tens of thousands in recent weeks, revealing underlying accumulated gaps in this seemingly robust vaccine framework, and emphasizing the need to identify the origin of these vulnerabilities and address them.
From Noida to Haryana, India’s Industrial Belt is Cracking Under the Weight of a Distant War
As the Middle East conflict drives up energy costs and empties kitchen cylinders, India’s migrant factory workers are either taking to the streets or heading home, and manufacturers are bracing for both.
Trust, Control, and Code: The Restrictions of India and U.S. Tech “Unionship”
Despite increasing strategic alignment in AI and defense, U.S exports lead, and India’s aim for complete independence is to restrict the development of their technology partnership and ongoing related negotiations.
Op-ed: India Faces Fertilizer Shortage Amid Strait of Hormuz Closure
In the wake of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, international attention has mainly been focused on oil shipment disruptions, with nations turning to pipelines and reserves for relief. Less noticed is the constraint on fertilizer shipments- a critical agricultural input with no strategic reserves- leaving India facing uncertainty regarding over nearly 40% of this key supply, needed to ensure crop yields which are central to its domestic consumption and economic activity, especially during its upcoming June Kharif planting season.
India's Persian Gulf Dependence Becomes a Liability as Hormuz Crisis Deepens
India secured 60 days of crude oil supply and slashed fuel duties on Thursday as the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent the rupee to a record low. The Indian government was forced to invoke emergency commodity laws, an unmistakable sign that a conflict thousands of miles away is landing hard on one of Asia's largest economies.
Op-ed: South Asia’s Economic Growth is Real. Its Stability is Not.
As the Middle East conflict grounds cargo flights and spikes energy costs, South Asia's booming growth numbers are beginning to show the cracks beneath.
India Expands AI Ambitions at Impact Summit
India outlined an ambitious economic growth plan focused on AI expansion at its February Impact Summit, aiming to shift its largely low-skill workforce towards higher-skill sectors, with support from tech companies, and foreign investors. However, climate experts warn that this plan for a rapid AI-centered expansion could worsen the country’s already severe environmental crisis.
India’s Strategic Balancing Act in the Indo-Pacific
Increasing tensions along the Line of Actual Control are pushing India to strengthen partnerships and broaden its strategic role as a stabilizing power in the Indo-Pacific region.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Escalation Leaves Civilians Caught in the Crossfire
Renewed cross-border strikes between Pakistan and Afghanistan since Feb. 21 have intensified tensions along the Durand Line. Civilians living near the border now face displacement, economic disruption and mounting humanitarian risks.
Gen-Z is Reshaping South Asia’s Political Landscape
After youth-led protests toppled Nepal’s government in 2025, the country’s March 2026 elections may show whether South Asia’s Gen-Z movements can change street power into lasting political change.