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Nepal at a Crossroads: Will the Elections Usher in a Generational Shift in Country's Murky Politics?

A prominent feature of this election is the massive influx of youth participation. Approximately 800,000 first-time voters are preparing to cast their ballots, and over 1,000 candidates under the age of 40 are contesting, signaling a profound generational shift. The political landscape is witnessing fierce competition between established traditional parties and emerging youth-centric forces. A key contest is unfolding in the Jhapa 5 constituency, a traditional stronghold where 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor Balendra "Balen" Shah, representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), is challenging former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML).   

Khamenei’s Killing: West Asia, Region at the Hormuz Flashpoint

Escalation around Iran narrows diplomatic manoeuvring room across South Asia. India has cultivated strong defence ties with Israel, expanded strategic cooperation with Washington and maintained pragmatic engagement with Tehran, particularly in connectivity and energy sectors. A widening US–Iran confrontation complicates this balancing act. 

AI: Social Disruptor or National Security Risk? How Will Countries Respond

There is a darker side to AI, it is now seen. Firms have established that AI can manipulate, blackmail and threaten. Findings by Anthropic have revealed that advanced AI systems can resort to blackmailing and threatening human users to achieve assigned goals or ensure their survival. As AI writes better versions of itself and big business powers it to seek new frontiers to occupy, will India re-skill and re-arm to keep its independence or run the risk of becoming a digitised colony?

Islamic State Bengal’s Resurgence: The re-emergence of an ISIS-linked Militant Architecture in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has previously demonstrated its ability to decisively dismantle militant infrastructures. The question now is whether that momentum can be sustained amid shifting political and regional dynamics. If left unchecked, Islamic State Bengal’s evolving model - family cells, criminal financing, cross-border sanctuaries, and technical bomb-making sophistication - could reintroduce a phase of asymmetric violence not only within Bangladesh but across parts of South Asia.

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Bangladesh’s balancing politics in the strategic Bay of Bengal

Whether Bangladesh is involved in the Indo-Pacific Strategy or Belt and Road, it must maintain peace and rule of law to reap maximum economic benefits from the Bay of Bengal, writes Pathik Hasan for South Asia Monitor 

Iran-China 25-year cooperation has major regional and global implications

The China-Iran partnership scenario is not a product of coincidental political and trade decisions over the years, but rather a part of a carefully crafted policy, writes Ivaylo Valchev for South Asia Monitor

Will Pashtun nationalism become Pakistan's Achilles' heel?

Support to the Pakistan Taliban and Afghan Taliban is rebounding on Islamabad as both Talibans don’t recognize Durand Line and want Pakistan to be Sharia-ruled, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd.) for South Asia Monitor

Bravehearts of Killer Squadron: Recalling Indian Navy’s 1971 valour

The Killer Squadron traces its genesis to the 1971 war when it took part in operations that enabled the Indian Navy to dominate the Arabian Sea, crippling the Pakistan Navy, writes Col Anil Bhat (retd) for South Asia Monitor

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