Sri Lanka's Aragalaya protests (Photo: Twitter)

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. 

Developing a South Asian artistic consciousness and solidarity

The sense of being ‘South Asian’ has seeped into the consciousness of artists and designers trained in Lahore. They find common linkages long after they have left when they find themselves co-exhibiting in art fairs, galleries, and museums.

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.

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South Asia: Emerging economic compulsions and the need for regional cooperation

A look at the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka - shows the importance of effective and modern trade facilitation measures, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Are EU and India sleepwalking their way to another lost decade on FTA?

India and EU today need innovative new ideas to enhance their trade and economic cooperation, this being the key component for stronger partnership promoting economic growth in these troubled times, writes Sunil Prasad for South Asia Monitor

COVID-19 battle revitalized SAARC in 2020; momentum should not be lost

Coronavirus emergency brought together these South Asian nations as they reposed trust in SAARC. Thus, the pandemic delivered a promising indication of revitalization, writes Harsh Mahaseth & Saumya Pandey for South Asia Monitor

Kashmir's local polls only half a step forward towards normality

This is the BJP’s first success in the valley where it has always been regarded as untouchable. However, since local elections generally reflect the popularity of candidates belonging to the area, an outcome that ignores the wider political divisions is not unusual, writes  Amulya Ganguli for South Asia Monitor

Forging farmer-student solidarity: Joining hands to strengthen participatory democracy

The return of active engagement with agrarian issues in university spaces is central to forging student-farmer solidarity, contends Arsh Ajmera for South Asia Monitor

Is China orchestrating Afghanistan's future through its proxies?

Afghanistan wants Beijing to formally apologize for China’s spy-cum-terror module caught operating in Kabul violating international norms before the Chinese detainees are released. However, China will consider this demand an affront, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

South Asia: Structural transformation, trade openness and self-sufficiency

The region’s dependence on imports for production, as well as the contributions of its exports through value chains place some of its economies in an influential position within the global production and trading network, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Terrorists may not seize power in Pakistan, but enabling environment for extremism remains

The legacy of the Pakistani state’s sponsorship of some terror groups - mainly those used to help pursue its objectives in Afghanistan and India - means that the infrastructure of terror will prove difficult to dismantle (though Islamabad has made progress in curbing terror financing networks, amid strong international pressure), writes Michael Kugelman for South Asia Monitor

Was Nepal’s parliament dissolved at Beijing’s behest?

Dissent within Nepal’s Communist Party was brewing for a long time but dissolving parliament without a provision in the Constitution is unprecedented. China has invested too much in Nepal to let go of control of Nepalese politics, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

India's swelling farm protests: Battle of attrition amid trust deficit

If contract farming is an idea whose time has come, it is necessary to ask why did it take off from 2002-03 and then sharply decline by 2011-12 in this vanguard agrarian state, writes N Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor

Sustainable consumption in South Asia: Making use of sustainable opportunities from the pandemic

More importantly, the South Asia region needs to realise that workers and farmers have a key role to play in promoting sustainable consumption as they are both the end consumers as well as the producers at the start of the supply chain, writes George Cheriyan & Simi T.B. for South Asia Monitor

Bangladesh war of 1971: Pakistan's blinkered vision

But it is interesting to note that 49 years hence, there seems to be no change in how the nation views the civil war and a bloody separation of its eastern province, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

Pakistan should be compelled to apologise to Bangladesh for 1971 genocide

The ‘uncultured’ state of Pakistan has not apologized yet for the 1971 genocide.  It should be compelled, writes Farabi Bin Zahir for South Asia Monitor

Biden's Asia policy: Will India be able to cultivate its proximity with Washington?

New Delhi also needs to recognize that the rules of diplomacy are changing and that country, especially the US under Biden, would not hesitate to make remarks about human rights violations or on communal tensions and certainly, the changes in the status of Jammu and Kashmir. None of these would qualify, for Biden’s Administration, as being ‘internal matters,’ writes Amb Amit Dasgupta (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Afghanistan, Bangladesh or undocumented Indians in US: Plight of displaced people needs attention

On this International Migrants Day, it is worth noting that not every migrant succeeds in an adopted land. For evidence, one need not go beyond the Indian American community. While the community’s many successes and accomplishments have been well-documented, a less-publicized fact is the plight of hundreds of thousands of Indian nationals in the United States, writes Frank Islam for South Asia Monitor