South Asia

After l’affaire Lakshadweep, can Chinese embrace help Muizzu wade through domestic waters?

Many Maldivians have families, homes, businesses and jobs in neighbouring Sri Lanka, and they were closely watching the economic melt-down in that country, circa 2022. They are now unsure what all these new agreements with China mean for them, their economy and their nation

Bangladesh polls: Foreign policy as an election issue in South Asia

True or not, in every other South Asian country, including India, prevailing perceptions indicate that foreign policy is increasingly being driven by domestic politics and popular expectations, especially during poll time

Vantage | What's behind Nawaz Sharif's 'don't blame India'?

India's red lines are clear: Terror and talks do not go hand-in-hand. If progress is made on that front, maybe a reset is on the cards

Pawn in a bigger game: Why Washington is interested in Bangladesh

Washington has twice left Bangladesh out of the Summit for Democracy while it has invited Pakistan(!) to the same conference; it has imposed visa restrictions on different Bangladeshi officials. As the January 7th election approaches, the list of US expressions gets more and more impressive

Vantage | How climate change burnt a trillion-dollar hole in our pocket

As we stand on the brink of COP28, the world must move beyond dialogue and take the necessary steps to secure a sustainable economic future

India, Bhutan and Nepal collaborate to curb wildlife trafficking in South Asia

The project aims at strengthening and building the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Bhutan, India and Nepal by focusing on strengthening the participants' knowledge and skills in curbing wildlife trafficking in the region.

Maldives under Muizzu: While New Delhi expects increased role of Beijing in Male, Islamabad may be the surprise

There is a possibility of Pakistan exploiting Maldives, with the backing of China, as a terrorist and drug launch pad against southern India

Vantage | Why US shouldn't be lecturing Bangladesh on elections

Given Bangladesh's growing importance on the global stage, US must tread carefully to avoid further antagonising Dhaka and to maintain stability in the region

How's the Global Hunger Index calculated? Why has India called it ‘erroneous’?

According to the Global Hunger Index 2023, India has a score of 28.7 and is ranked 111th out of 125 nations, indicating a severe level of hunger. The Indian government rejected the index, claiming that it continues to be a flawed measure of 'hunger'

Why political instability in South Asia is a concern for the Indo-Pacific

International support of democracy is crucial, but its approach to the matter should be a delicate one, taking utmost care to avoid repeating mistakes of the past