Representational Photo (Photo: Twitter)

Manipur continues to smolder even after a year

Most importantly, does the rise, arming, and free hand given to Arambai Tenggol signal the arrival of private political armies in India?

Bad news for India from the Maldives: India needs to get neighbourhood act together

As it stands today, Maldives is going to be drawn deeper into China’s strategic sphere. Chinese presence in Maldives is set to increase.

A New Year by any other name: Diversity marks South Asian cultural identity

Designating it as a ‘Hindu’ New Year appears to be part of an ongoing attempt to homogenise our diversity and multiple, multicultural identities. 

A security crisis looms in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts: Need for coordinated regional action

It is critical to formulate a comprehensive strategy that involves both Bangladesh and India to counteract the potential threats posed by external actors in the CHT. This strategy should take into account the historical grievances and aspirations of the ethnic communities

More on Spotlight

Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Council, once hailed, leading to power tussles

Some of the decisions by the CC have resulted in a major tussle between the Council and the Executive in Sri Lanka, writes Sugeeswara Senadhira for South Asia Monitor

Future of work: Need to address widening mismatch between skill, academic training and employment

Devising a strategy to help close the digital skills gap should be a key focus for all businesses during the next decade and beyond, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

A conflict-ridden AfPak region where fighting COVID-19 is not a priority

A common thread that runs through them is of COVID-19 taking the back seat in the plans and actions of various stakeholders in the  AfPak region working at cross-purposes, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

On Ramzan eve, India seeks to allay Gulf concerns over Islamophobia

There is growing realization within the government and diplomatic community that India stands to lose a great deal in allowing Islamophobia to spread within India and among Indians abroad and some nimble diplomacy is required to change perceptions, writes Nilova Roy Chaudhury for South Asia Monitor

Can India's pharma soft power work in South Asia?

Indian pharma’s soft power has, no doubt, opened up possibilities for foreign policy in the neighbourhood, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

India, France, China should WAVE to fight future viruses

The terrific trio of Modi, Macron and XI should meet over videoconference and announce WAVE. They have the capability and potential to make history, writes Rajendra Shende for South Asia Monitor

South Asia needs to pay more attention to public health; SAARC needs to pool health resources

What really jumps up from the plethora of information floating around is the lack of preparedness and lack of governmental attention to health care, especially in the overcrowded South Asian region, writes Sreeradha Datta for South Asia Monitor

Muslims in India: A minister indulges in smoke and mirrors

Irrespective of whether they succeed in convincing the foreigners, the reactions in India to the minister’s assertion will range from amusement to derision, writes Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor

Policy priorities: rice for ethanol or hungry stomachs?

This abundant food-in-the-granary exigency will unfold even as a large number of Indians are grappling with hunger pangs and are  stuck in varying degrees of deprivation, writes C Uday Bhaskar for South Asia Monitor

A questionable agreement: Has Khalilzad betrayed Afghan people by caving into Taliban pressure?

The wider consequences of the agreement between the US and Taliban remain ambiguous, writes Iqbal Dawari for South Asia Monitor

A meaningful gesture to restore trust in frayed India-Bangladesh ties

The Indian government’s decision to pass and enact, in December 2019, the Citizenship Amendment Act, naming Bangladesh as a country where minorities are persecuted, had an extremely negative fallout in that country, writes  Nilova Roy Chaudhury for South Asia Monitor

The COVID-19 fight is the test of Modi’s leadership

India is poised for an all-out war and, like in any war, this is not the time for partisanship. It’s in this scenario that Modi will find himself at a fork in the road, writes E.D. Mathew for South Asia Monitor

Myanmar needs to recognise and accept 'Rohingya identity'; integration with Bangladesh is wishful thinking

Indeed, if anyone is serious about the plight of the Rohingyas and is looking for sustainable solutions to the crisis, then the person ought to put her gaze not on Bangladesh but on Myanmar, writes Imtiaz Ahmed for South Asia Monitor

Need for India to have a sound policy regime: Role of advisers is crucial

When the first COVID-19 case came to public notice in India in January this year, questions in concerned quarters have been raised as to why did it take almost two months to prepare for lockdown and that too with a notice of a few hours to leave many citizens unprepared and more so the migrant and the poor, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Post-COVID-19: RSS sees an ascendant India in changed world order

RSS remains quite optimistic about the way the new world order is going to pan out post-COVID-19. It feels that it is the beginning of a new golden era for India, writes Arun Anand for South Asia Monitor