Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh died

Manmohan Singh had an innate vision of India’s greatness

It was an extraordinary speech delivered in the midst of a crisis that had brought India to the precipice of insolvency. Laying out an exhaustive prescription for how he would go about fixing a sick economy, Dr. Singh was sensitive enough to give it a highly optimistic and sanguine touch.

Women beyond their Dalit identity: A feminist moment beyond caste in India

The practices of wearing vermillion on her forehead, a ‘mangalsutra’ (auspicious thread worn by married women in their husband’s name) around her neck, a ‘laal bindi’ (red dot sign that a woman is married) and changing her name to include the name and/or the surname of her patriarch. The claims of patriarchal superiority thus come to embodied in her body, identity, entity, and space. 

Pakistan Supreme Court ruling on May 9 riots has implications for civil-military relations

The Supreme Court’s decision reaffirms the pivotal role of the military in Pakistan’s national security framework. While civilian authorities are crucial, the military is often seen as the protector of the nation, especially during times of instability. The Court’s ruling underscores the importance of the military’s involvement in ensuring swift justice for those involved in anti-state activities, particularly when national security is at stake.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A prime minister who saw moderation in politics as a foundational principle

Vajpayee was known to speak slowly, sometimes with long pauses, because he chose his words with utmost care. But in those pithy but strong words lay Vajpayee's innate convictions about his 'idea of India'

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India's outreach to Central Asia: Afghanistan factor gives it added importance

India, as also Eurasia – Russia and the Central Asian Republics (CARs) - have a common adversary in terrorism and need to make it a common goal to work on, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

Growing income disparities in India can upset social equilibrium

How does India compare with the South Asian neighbourhood? The World Inequality Lab database indicates that regional disparities are less than India’s, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor 

Why winning the ‘water game’ in India requires team effort

With some 600 million Indians facing high to extreme water stress, ‘games’ offer vital insights for expanding self-governance to help people manage water more sustainably, write Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Pratiti Priyadarshini for South Asia Monitor

India-Bangladesh ties headed for a 'golden phase', with enhanced connectivity creating new opportunities

The two countries’ leaders have brought Delhi and Dhaka closer and can together bring economic prosperity to South Asia, writes Pathik Hasan for South Asia Monitor

Celebrating a unique 50-year relationship: India and Bangladesh are development partners with worrying challenges

The foremost geostrategic challenge for India vis-à-vis Bangladesh is to counter the machinations of the China-Pakistan axis, writes Amb Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty (retd) for South Asia Monitor 

US has paid a heavy price for condoning the Bangladesh genocide in 1971

As a result of the Nixon-Kissinger folly that made it an accomplice of the Pakistani crimes in Bangladesh, Washington is now facing a formidable rival in China, writes Arul Louis for South Asia Monitor

Gwadar's 'Haq Do' movement has altered the region's political paradigm

The movement in Gwadar under the leadership of Maulana Hidayat Ur Rehman Baloch has attracted a massive number of people across Balochistan, especially from the Mekran region, writes Nizam Hassan for South Asia Monitor

Peace propels development in Bangladesh's once-troubled Chittagong Hill Tracts

The development of tribal people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is much better than any remote region of Bangladesh, writes Hafizur Talukdar for South Asia Monitor 

Of marriages and separations across the Pakistan-India border: Visa issues keep brides and grooms apart

This is the story of Ganpat Singh from Pakistan’s Sodha Rajput community. Like him, each member of this half a million strong community has matrimonial linkages across the border in Rajasthan, India, writes Beena Sarwar for South Asia Monitor 

Iran should not support the formation of Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan

The Taliban will soon face internal strife; the Haqqani network and extremist and fanatical factions will revolt against the moderates, splitting the Afghan nationalist struggle, writes Dr Ruhollah Eslami for South Asia Monitor

Western Australia should renew protagonist role in Australia-India bilateral

A stronger relationship with India is undeniably in Australia’s – and Western Australia’s – interest, writes Andrew Hunter for South Asia Monitor

Bhutan must be rewarded for battling climate change

Bhutan contributes little or zero to the climate crisis. Yet, it has not been justly rewarded for its noble and invaluable sacrifices, writes Rinchen Kinzang for South Asia Monitor

India-Bangladesh ties: A role model for neighbouring countries

India and Bangladesh can show the world how neighbouring countries can become all-weather friends, writes Jubeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor

Indian farm bill repeal: Setback to reforms, betrayal of poor farmers

The repeal of the farm bill stretches the plight of poor farmers and hurts the potential growth of food processing in the country, writes S. Majumder for South Asia Monitor 

Pakistan needs to apologize for the 1971 genocide

The 1971 massacre of innocents in to be Bangladesh by Pakistan was one of the most heinous and barbaric genocides in world history, writes Farabi Bin Zahir for South Asia Monitor