BJP campaign

Indian elections: Is BJP paying for its overconfidence?

All in all, the issues on the agenda are very different from the issues that the BJP thought would be on the agenda. The finals could go down to the wire and there will be many lessons learned once the votes are counted and the results are declared.

When the Americans failed Afghanistan: Chronicle of the dramatic collapse of a nation

India, which found itself quite behind the curve like the US in gauging the rapidly changing political dynamics, first shut down its consulates and then its embassy just as the Afghan Republic collapsed on August 15, 2021. But once it realised it would be foolhardy to expect the revival of the Republic, it tacitly started mending fences with the Taliban, sending what it called a "technical team" to Kabul, resumed humanitarian aid, and discontinued diplomatic support to the embassy in New Delhi that was in the hands of representatives of the ousted Ghani government

Iranian president’s Sri Lanka visit is a pointer to Tehran's Indian Ocean ambitions

Before visiting Sri Lanka, Raisi visited Pakistan as part of his South Asian tour, and it is a salient factor that both Pakistan and China are equally important to the BRI as the Chinese have invested millions of dollars in both countries.

Sri Lanka's Aragalaya protests demonstrated nested sovereignty

This nerve centre of protests proved to be a fertile ground for new ideas and creative approaches to digital activism and served as a beacon of hope for many Sri Lankans seeking positive change. 

More on Spotlight

India should extend wholehearted assistance to Maldives government

The Maldivian open support against Pakistan in OIC is a victory of Indian diplomacy, writes Jai Kumar Verma for South Asia Monitor

India-China border dispute has implications for Pakistan and region

Taking into consideration the zero-sum nature of Pakistan-India relations, Islamabad maybe compelled to acquire arms in a tit-for-tat response to New Delhi, writes Maham S. Gillani for South Asia Monitor

High time for Nepal to look beyond India and China

The US aid under MCC is a golden opportunity for Nepal to look beyond India and China and seek greater engagement with other powers and to derive economic benefit and relinquish meaningless geopolitical adventures, writes Vikash Kumar for South Asia Monitor

India need not compete with China in Bangladesh: Focus should be on mutually beneficial issues

Bangladesh is a very important neighbour for India. The fulcrum of India’s Act East policy and vital for development of India’s North East, it has a major role in the success of BIMSTEC, writes Maj Gen Alok Deb (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Nudged by China, Pakistan tries to woo Bangladesh

Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen met Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Ahmed Siddiqui in Dhaka on July 1. According to a media report, the meeting indicates a possible thaw in bilateral relations, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

Need to embrace telemedicine to fix critical gaps in healthcare delivery

Given the doctor-dependent, top-heavy nature of our healthcare system, creating a functional telemedicine network in rural areas by leveraging the vast spread of Community Health Centre (CHC) and PHCs will help increase access to quality medical care, writes Vikram Thaploo for South Asia Monitor

Coronavirus waste: A new form of pollution, putting marine environment at risk

The COVID-19 crisis has slowly generated a new kind of waste made up of disposable masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) items, writes Mahmuda Amir Eva for South Asia Monitor

Can India shake off the dragon's growing tentacles in South Asia?

The dragon’s shadow has lengthened over the South Asian region as it has rapidly developed port and transport infrastructure, some of it as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Pandemic is a wake-up call to build India’s mental healthcare infrastructure

India has been dubbed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the most depressed country in the world. The numbers themselves are pretty frightening,  writes Dr. Lovleen Malhotra for South Asia Monitor

A corona-clouded election in Sri Lanka sets a new welcome trend

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa set a fine example of neutrality of the public service in the forthcoming general elections by instructing that no public official serving in the security forces, government service, corporations, boards, and statutory bodies should engage in political activities, writes Sugeeswara Senadhira for South Asia Monitor

Structural shifts in Nepal’s India policy: New Delhi should continue to engage more

The use of anti-India sentiment is an old stratagem used by Nepalese politicians to assert their own relevance and divert attention away from the real problems facing Nepal, writes Shakti Sinha for South Asia Monitor

Easing of India-China standoff: Can China be trusted?

China’s fresh illegal claims on Bhutanese territory could lead to PLA intrusions to pressure India and orchestrate another standoff, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

US-India strategic consultations: Delhi treads cautiously on Chinese 'threats'

India has been careful to maintain that its closer ties with the US and its Indo-Pacific partners were not directed against anyone – diplomaticspeak that they weren't meant to be anti-China, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor

An India-China truce with a difference: Why the disengagement may work this time

The declaration of truce on July 6, the 85th birthday of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama and two days after the Dharma Chakra Day on July 4, reminds of Buddha’s message that was carried by Indians to China, writes Rajendra Shende for South Asia Monitor

South Asia: Fiscal policy as an option for economic revival

The data on the growth rates in Gross Domestic Product between 2015 to 2020 show that South Asia would show the maximum decline in 2020 after growing the fastest between 2015-2019 at an annual average rate of 6.1 percent as compared to 4.8 percent for Southeast Asia and 6.0 percent for East Asia, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor