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South Asia's EdTech Moment: Centre of Gravity of Global Education is Shifting

South Asia's higher education ecosystem — with over 1,500 universities and 60 million enrolled learners — is uniquely positioned to absorb and scale new models: work-integrated degrees, on-demand micro-credentials, lifelong learning. The Global South — Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East — shares the same structural challenges. The solutions that work at scale in India, Bangladesh or Nepal will travel naturally to these geographies.

Sri Lanka’s 'Survival Balancing' is a Test of its Foreign Policy in This Gulf War

For three decades, Sri Lanka successfully navigated the India-China rivalry, turning great-power competition into economic opportunity. Today, the country faces a far narrower and more dangerous corridor. Balancing between India and China was a game of leverage. But, balancing between the United States-Israel axis and Iran is a test of survival.

India Reopens Door to Chinese FDI—with Limits: A Missed Opportunity? Lessons from Vietnam

India’s calibrated reopening to Chinese FDI is a step forward, but its restrictive framework may limit the inflow of capital, technology, and expertise needed to boost high-tech manufacturing. If the objective is to transform India into a global manufacturing hub and reduce the trade deficit with China, a more nuanced approach may be required—one that balances security concerns with economic imperatives.

South Asia’s Cities Are Growing - But May Not Remain Livable

What is unfolding across South Asia’s cities is not just an urban crisis, it is a reflection of deeper tensions within development itself. Growth is happening, but it is not translating into stability. Opportunities exist, but they are unevenly distributed. Systems are expanding, but not fast enough to keep up with demand. Cities, which have long been seen as places where people come to improve their lives, are increasingly becoming spaces where people struggle to sustain them. 

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International community needs to extend humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh to end lingering Rohingya crisis

Bangladesh cannot solve the Rohingya crisis alone; the international community should come forward in implementing the promised humanitarian actions and work in coordination with Bangladesh to find a durable solution to the festering problem, writes Shaikh Abdur Rahman for South Asia Monitor

Covid-19, climate and China: The connection of the three Cs

This pandemic has awakened us up to the reality that no nation is safe, whether powerful or weak, when nature unleashes its fury. However, it also presents an opportunity where no citizen of any nation is weak if they are determined to live in a better and cleaner environment, writes Dr. Prachi Aggarwal for South Asia Monitor

Bengalis in Pakistan: A neglected community crying for recognition

Pakistanis call Karachi 'Mini Bangladesh'. There are about 132 Bengali colonies in and around Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, writes Rakib Al Hasan for South Asia Monitor

For a political settlement in Afghanistan, Taliban's perception of military takeover needs to be broken

Although the Taliban has captured at least 33 district centers in the last two months, they have no capacity, manpower, and resources to run big cities. They had tried in the past and failed miserably, writes Shraddha Nand Bhatnagar for South Asia Monitor 

GCC countries projecting soft power through cricket: South Asian cricketers have vital role to play

If GCC countries other than UAE -- like Saudi Arabia and Oman  -- can emerge as important cricketing venues, their soft power appeal is likely to further get strengthened, especially vis-à-vis South Asia, writes Tridivesh Singh Maini for South Asia Monitor

Covid vaccination in India: Authorities need to reach out to vulnerable population in remote areas

The government needs to decentralize health administration by empowering local health infrastructure for a fair distribution of vaccine doses so that they penetrate hard-to-reach groups, write  Abhinav Mehrotra and Dr. Biswanath Gupta for South Asia Monitor

Can Hamid Karzai emerge as consensus choice for Afghan president?

Whether the Taliban will accept Karzai, a man with considerable charisma, distinctive and much written about capes and lambskin hat,  is still not clear. But he has struck a highly conciliatory note, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor

The Covid 19 impact: Mixed economic impact on South Asian countries

While South Asia has to grapple with deep-seated inequalities and vulnerabilities, the pandemic also provides an opportunity to find a path towards a more equitable and robust recovery, writes Partha Pratim Mitra for South Asia Monitor

Lessons from tragic barge sinking off Bombay High: Glaring omissions and inadequacies

The P 305 tragedy ought to be the catalyst for radical reforms in India's offshore support sector, writes Commander Anand B Kulkarni (retd) for South Asia Monitor

Climate change: South Asia in danger of extreme events

The implications are straightforward: With rising levels of carbon dioxide in the future, there will be stronger rains with potentially destructive outcomes in the South Asian region, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor 

A year after Galwan clash: India's stress on military modernization, strategic partnerships to counter China

India needs to deter China through a combination of its military prowess, discerning diplomatic action, and devising ways to become economically self-reliant with investment partnerships and collaborations with like-minded nations, writes Indu Saxena for South Asia Monitor

Multiple state actors' clashing interests may throw Afghanistan's future into uncertainty

China is also keen to extend the coverage of CPEC and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to Afghanistan. This expansion of China’s footprint would be a matter of huge concern for both the US and India, writes Amb Ashok Sajjanhar (retd) for South Asia Monitor

South Asian nations must formulate holistic strategies to deal with remittance fall

In 2021, there could thus actually be a drop in remittances - more so after the second wave of Covid 19, and the recent travel restrictions imposed by many countries including those in the Gulf on travelers from South Asia, write Tridivesh Singh Maini and  Karan Bidani for South Asia Monitor

As SAARC falters, BIMSTEC's seamless transport connectivity project a big step in regional economic integration

BIMSTEC gained importance and traction after progress in SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) got stalled following heightened frosty ties between India and Pakistan, writes  Ranjana Narayan for South Asia Monitor

Latest on India, Pakistan – a battle over Basmati

Although India controls two-thirds of the global Basmati market, competition between the nations has grown in recent years as Pakistan increases sales to Europe, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor