Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid leaves a press conference in Kabul.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid leaves a press conference in Kabul.

Engaging With the Taliban Can Only Go So Far

Nearly three years since the group took over in Afghanistan, the Doha process underscores how talking comes with trade-offs.

A police officer adjusts the crime scene barricade tape at the blast site a day after a suicide attack on a van near the Confucius Institute in Karachi, Pakistan.
A police officer adjusts the crime scene barricade tape at the blast site a day after a suicide attack on a van near the Confucius Institute in Karachi, Pakistan.

Pakistan Unveils New Counterterrorism Plan

The timing of the announcement suggests that China could play a role in the strategy.

Pro-Khalistan activists stage a demonstration demanding justice for Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on Sept. 29, 2023.
Pro-Khalistan activists stage a demonstration demanding justice for Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on Sept. 29, 2023.

The West Eyes India’s Transnational Repression

As Modi begins his third term, the targeting of Sikh separatists abroad remains in the conversation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits on a stage decorated with flowers alongside a row of seated cabinet ministers. Modi's hands are raised as he claps. Greenery is visible beyond the stage.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits on a stage decorated with flowers alongside a row of seated cabinet ministers. Modi's hands are raised as he claps. Greenery is visible beyond the stage.

How Will Modi Rule in Coalition?

The Indian leader’s new administration looks much the same, but he could face challenges to his Hindu nationalist agenda.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, riding in a decorated truck, waves to supporters during his roadshow in Varanasi, India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, riding in a decorated truck, waves to supporters during his roadshow in Varanasi, India.

Modi Hits a Roadblock

After a decade of always bouncing back, the Indian leader and his Bharatiya Janata Party suffer a setback at the ballot box.

A span of dozens of folding seats of a stadium are seen beneath a mostly clear blue sky. The camera is tilted upward, showing the back wall of the stadium and the roof that hangs over the highest seats.
A span of dozens of folding seats of a stadium are seen beneath a mostly clear blue sky. The camera is tilted upward, showing the back wall of the stadium and the roof that hangs over the highest seats.

The U.S. Tries Its Hand at Cricket

As the country co-hosts its first World Cup, the South Asian diaspora is already giving the sport a boost.

Elon Musk arrives to inaugurate a Starlink satellite unit at a community health center in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
Elon Musk arrives to inaugurate a Starlink satellite unit at a community health center in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

Will Elon Musk Test the South Asian Market?

As the tech billionaire markets his Starlink internet service, the region presents an opening—as well as some challenges.

Three Pakistani farm workers stand in a wheat field, feeding piles of cut wheat into a mechanical thresher. One of the workers is resting on a bag of threshed wheat, preparing another empty bag. The sky overhead is blue and clear, and a ridge of trees is visible far in the distance.
Three Pakistani farm workers stand in a wheat field, feeding piles of cut wheat into a mechanical thresher. One of the workers is resting on a bag of threshed wheat, preparing another empty bag. The sky overhead is blue and clear, and a ridge of trees is visible far in the distance.

Pakistan Seeks More IMF Funding Amid Protests

The country has achieved a measure of economic stability, but it needs structural reforms—not just a bailout.

Voters wait to cast their ballots outside a polling station during the third phase of voting for the India's general election in Sadashivapura village in Karnataka, India.
Voters wait to cast their ballots outside a polling station during the third phase of voting for the India's general election in Sadashivapura village in Karnataka, India.

India’s Battleground State

Electoral predictions in Karnataka underscore the challenge Modi and the BJP face to reaching a national supermajority.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi walks down a flight of steps as he exits his plane upon arriving in Sri Lanka. Raisi is a man in his 60s with a white beard and glasses. He wears a black turban and a sheer black robe over an off-white shirt. The side of the plane is white, with stripes in the red and green of the Iranian flag.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi walks down a flight of steps as he exits his plane upon arriving in Sri Lanka. Raisi is a man in his 60s with a white beard and glasses. He wears a black turban and a sheer black robe over an off-white shirt. The side of the plane is white, with stripes in the red and green of the Iranian flag.

Iran Makes a Play in South Asia

President Ebrahim Raisi’s recent trip to the region was an opportunity for Iran to showcase its engagement amid instability in the Middle East.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters at an election campaign event in Guwahati, India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters at an election campaign event in Guwahati, India.

The World’s Biggest Election Is Set to Begin

In India, the question is not whether Modi and his party will win but by how much.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds up a placard of a lotus, the symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party, during a campaign road show in Chennai, India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds up a placard of a lotus, the symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party, during a campaign road show in Chennai, India.

How Pakistan Plays Into India’s Elections

Allegations that the Modi government orchestrated extrajudicial killings on Pakistani soil will give another boost to the ruling party.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe arrives for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe arrives for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

Sri Lanka Hones Its Balancing Act

Colombo has demonstrated its own brand of strategic autonomy on issues from Russia’s war in Ukraine to China’s global footprint.

Aam Aadmi Party activists shout slogans during a protest near Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi on March 26.
Aam Aadmi Party activists shout slogans during a protest near Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi on March 26.

Modi Flexes Muscle as Elections Approach

In India, recent moves that stymie the political opposition will likely fire up the ruling party’s base.

Afghan security stands guard at a fenced corridor of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.
Afghan security stands guard at a fenced corridor of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

Tensions Escalate on Pakistan-Afghanistan Border

Islamabad ordered cross-border strikes after a militant attack, dialing up pressure.

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