Three days of dialogue, debate, and engagement in Dhaka reinforced a sobering reality: despite ongoing discussions about multipolarity, middle powers, and strategic autonomy... southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

It would be simplistic to assume that every retired general appointed as an ambassador is an instrument of Asim Munir's influence. It would be equally complacent to dismiss the wider institutional implications of placing so... southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

Kamakshi Rautela speaks with Jiya Shrivastav on Women's Rights in Afghanistan and the Taliban's Interpretation of Islamic Law | SAM Youth Dialogue Link: youtube.com/watch?v=Z6moB2lr…

Fortify Rights and Truth Hounds documented more than 100 Bangladeshis recruited into the Russian military and reported at least 34 deaths in their March 2026 investigation. southasiamonitor.org/south-a…

Arunachal Pradesh presents a particularly important dimension of the problem. China claims the northeast Indian state, refers to it as Zangnan, or South Tibet, and periodically challenges India's sovereignty... southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

Southern Europe shows that mobilisation can reshape political agendas while leaving difficult economic questions unresolved. southasiamonitor.org/governa…

India's contribution to the improved global growth outlook extends well beyond the immediate AI boom or the performance of energy-exporting economies. southasiamonitor.org/coopera…

At independence, Pakistan's economy was competitive with India's. Today India's is more than ten times larger, and Pakistan is on roughly its 25th IMF program. southasiamonitor.org/governa…

India and Japan should conduct regular stress tests involving scenarios such as disruption to an energy route, a cyberattack on logistics infrastructure, loss of an undersea cable or the unavailability of a specialized defense component.  southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

The young need not become another opposition. They could become an independent democratic force that questions every government but belongs to none; that protests when necessary but constructs continuously... southasiamonitor.org/governa…

Sri Lanka’s Constitution gives Buddhism a special position under Article 9 while also protecting freedom of religion under Article 10 and related constitutional provisions. southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

Some observers wrongly assume Europe's current crises will lead to a retreat from Asia. The opposite may occur. The EU's internal turmoil is accelerating a fundamental redefinition of its external priorities. southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

Nepal's PM proposed a "Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism, led by Nepal, India and China. Through this mechanism”, the countries could “share satellite data and expertise.” southasiamonitor.org/climate…

For all the glamour surrounding Indian cricket, the selector remains one of its least celebrated figures. He must look beyond the next headline, the next controversy, and even the next defeat. southasiamonitor.org/educati…

To what extent has the current BNP government been able to realise the vision that drove the 2024 mass uprising in Bangladesh? Will the BNP government, too, manipulate state mechanisms and law enforcement agencies to serve its own interests... southasiamonitor.org/governa…

The ambition exists across the region. Young Indian companies are building rocket engines and computer chips, products India has long bought from abroad. Pakistan sent a delegation to Silicon Valley to show what its technology industry can do southasiamonitor.org/ai-tech…

The Commission's authority rests ultimately on public confidence. Like Caesar's wife, the Election Commission must be above suspicion. It should welcome scrutiny and answer legitimate questions, especially when millions of voting rights are involved. southasiamonitor.org/governa…

Air power will remain central to national security. Whether India has enough of it, in the right form, and can afford it in scarce dollars, is still an open question. southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

Under conditions of what is increasingly described as the "Great Fragmentation," Sri Lanka's geographic proximity to India should be viewed as a strategic advantage rather than a liability. southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…

The September 27 firing is therefore best seen as the beginning of a new phase in Pakistan’s naval modernization. The larger strategic question is still open. Whether Hangor changes the regional maritime balance will depend on what comes next southasiamonitor.org/geopoli…