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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.
Indian Foreign Secretary Visits Bhutan as New Government Tales Charge
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
The Indian foreign secretary’s visit came as the new Bhutanese government is preparing to work out its complex border issues with China.
Breast Cancer Can Bring Financial Ruin in India
By Sanjay K. Mohanty, Tabassum Wadasadawala, Suraj Maiti, and Soumendu Sen
Lowering the screening age, increasing health awareness, and improving access to screening services can improve breast cancer outcomes for poor women in India.
Can India Leverage Taiwan’s Lai Moment?
By Jagannath Panda
Political continuity should encourage New Delhi to continue its gradual movement toward embracing Taiwan as a separate democratic entity, even without formal relations.
India’s Government Announces a Short-Term Budget Until National Elections Are Held
By Ashok Sharma
With elections due by May, there were expectations of populist giveaways. But the short-term budget is mostly free of big-spending new programs.
Thousands of Indian Workers Recruited for Jobs in Israel
By Sudha Ramachandran
India will be seen as shoring up Israel’s economy and facilitating its economic exclusion of Palestinians.
Pakistan’s Imran Khan Gets 14-year Prison Term
By Munir Ahmed
The conviction of the popular former prime minister -- the third since 2022 -- comes a week ahead of parliamentary elections.
BJP’s International and Subnational Energy Commitments: A Balancing Act
By Smiti Mathur
Election manifesto promises like 24/7 electricity and continuous power supply for agriculture either require fossil fuel reliance or long-term investments.
AI-Generated Content Poses a Looming Threat to Women in India and Pakistan
By Zohaib Altaf and Nimra Javed
Socially conservative and patriarchal values make the threat of sexually-themed deepfakes a dire concern for the countries' girls and women.
Pakistan’s Islamist Parties Could Emerge Spoilers or Kingmakers
By Abdul Basit
Although these parties may not win many seats -- they have not formed an alliance and lack the support of the military establishment -- they could still play a role post-February 8.
Indian and Seychelles Forces Separately Rescue 2 Fishing Boats Hijacked by Somali Pirates
By Bharatha Mallawarachi
Six Sri Lankan and 23 Iranian fishermen were rescued in the two operations.
Swallowed by Water, in the Sundarbans There Is Nowhere Else to Go
By Piya Srinivasan
Poor and lower-caste women shoulder the worst impacts of climate change in the Sundarbans. The area also highlights key lessons on building climate resilience.
India-France Relations and Indo-Pacific Power Play
By Prem Singh Gill
Their differing approaches toward strategic autonomy pose a major impediment, but it can be overcome by focusing on shared commitment to a rules-based order.
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