Heeramandi

An Indian TV series ignites cross-border cultural discourse over a romanticised bygone era

Even so, Bhansali’s project has evoked considerable interest in Pakistan since the word went out that he was once considering casting Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, two of the top stars who have acted in Bollywood films. “Then, politics entered,” one of them rued.

Western media biases colour South Asia coverage: Need for greater journalistic empathy and objectivity

Despite the myriad challenges faced by Western journalists in covering South Asia, maintaining journalistic integrity is non-negotiable. This entails a rigorous commitment to fact-checking, corroborating information from diverse sources, and challenging ingrained biases.

Clash of Civilizations: Which will be the best-placed to lead the world?

India and China represent the future, America (West) the present, and Europe the past; Islam has a long way to go. 

Is Pakistan playing with fire by aligning clandestinely with the ISK?

The growing camaraderie between Pakistan’s military and the ISK  poses a threat to the entire South Asian region.

More on Spotlight

US-India-Sri Lanka triad will be beneficial for IOR and Indo-Pacific

Trade instruments like the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade (ISFTA) agreements are some of the gainful tools with which the US can use to access South Asia’s consumer markets, write Srimal Fernando and Vedangshi Roy Choudhuri for South Asia Monitor 

Child marriages go up in Bangladesh during COVID-19: Need to strike at root causes

It is high time that the child marriage rate - gone up during the pandemic - should be brought down drastically and for this, the Bangladesh government, NGOs, and society at large should work together to put an end to this menace, writes  Sarmin Akter for South Asia Monitor

Nepal-India cultural and social ties hit hard by border sealing

Cross border marriage, i.e., matrimony between Nepali son/daughter and India’s son/daughter, is very common in bordering districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This is the reason why Nepal's Madheshis treat Indian soil as their relatives’ home, not a foreign land, write Jivesh Jha & Roshan Kumar Jha for South Asia Monitor

It's going to be a long eyeball-to-eyeball standoff with China: But India is well prepared

The Chinese had realised that not only were they outnumbered but totally outflanked, making their position untenable. Any armed clash hereafter would have been suicidal, writes Anil Bhat for South Asia Monitor 

China’s nationalism and global aspirations: India can turn a challenge into an opportunity

India has tremendous goodwill and support from the international community which will influence Chinese future manoeuvres against India, writes Lt Gen PR Kumar (retd) for South Asia Monitor

The Congress rebellion that never was: India's political parties lack internal democracy

Though the party crisis seems to have blown over, for the time being, the future of the Congress does not appear to be bright. And it has nothing to do with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), writes Vinod Aggarwal for South Asia Monitor

Ironing out the bumps in India-Bangladesh ties

India-Bangladesh relations have grown deeper and wider in scope in the past decade. But irritants and hitches can develop between neighbours with even the best of ties, writes Shubha Singh for South Asia Monitor

Indian Americans set to wield greater influence in US politics

It can safely be concluded that 2020 is the year the Indian American community has become relevant in American politics, writes Frank Islam for South Asia Monitor 

Cancer and chronic disease patients bear a heavy burden during COVID

Oncologists across the world have expressed concern over the probability of rising cancer mortality and morbidity, not because of the coronavirus pandemic per se, but because of the inability of the healthcare system to treat cancers as it normally should, writes Dr (Col) R Ranga Rao for South Asia Monitor

Will Shringla's visit reshape the complex relations between Bangladesh, India and China?

Bangladesh takes a neutral position to whatever happens between the two Asian giants, but Chinese President Xi Jinping's growing influence and strong defence ties with Bangladesh are making India concerned, writes Sarmin Akhter for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh's controversial digital security act: A weapon to silence independent media?

Using the controversial Act as a tool the Bangladesh government has tried to keep surveillance on journalists, and also to repress and muffle the independent voices in social media and traditional mass media, writes Aashish Kiphayet for South Asia Monitor

Pranab Mukherjee: President who could have been India's PM was a 'true friend' of Bangladesh

That Mukherjee influenced former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to grant Bangladesh a billion dollars, the highest India had then extended to any single country, and that the amount was almost tripled when Hasina-led Bangladesh absorbed it all, is not very well known, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

China specter over South Asia impacting India-Bangladesh ties

India and China will do their best to edge each other out in their competition for dominance in the Bay of Bengal and will try to squeeze an economically weak Bangladesh, writes Lt Gen PR Kumar (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

China using proxies to accelerate CMEC and tame Myanmar like Pakistan

Despite all this, Myanmar should expect China to keep tightening its vice-like grip using terrorists, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

'Witches of Pakistan' takes India by storm, culture transcends politics

Dubbed “Witches of Pakistan,” Churails are about four feisty women who seek to chase and expose men engaged in infidelity, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor