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The IMF’s Evolving Role in Sri Lanka Amidst Increasing Chinese Investments and Great Power Competition
Introduction Sri Lanka's widely-discussed economic crisis, which resulted from a combination of policy missteps, culminated in the country's default on its foreign debt repayments in April 2022. In response, Sri Lanka embarked on its 17th Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with…

The Role of West Bengal and Assam in Indian Foreign Policy
Under the Indian constitution, India’s foreign affairs and diplomacy fall wholly within the central government’s power. From New Delhi, polices are drafted and laws are enacted to define the country’s interaction with the outside world. However, in recent years, sub-national…

SAV Q&A with Cyril Almeida – Imran Khan’s Arrest and Implications for Pakistan’s Future
On May 9, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on corruption charges outside the Islamabad High Court. As paramilitary forces took Khan into custody, political protests erupted throughout the country, which targeted military and intelligence installations among others.…

Revisiting The Washington Consensus in South Asia
For most of the three decades after the end of the Cold War, economic “experts” and governments across large parts of the non-western world preached the gospel of the “Washington Consensus,” a set of social and economic policies centering the…

Pakistan and the IMF: Ongoing Politicization and a Burgeoning Trust Deficit
Arriving in Pakistan in February 2023, the IMF mission stood ready to complete its ninth review of the program, which had been pending since December 2022. Prior to signing a staff-level agreement, negotiations revealed that the IMF had urged Pakistan…

Building a Case for Small Modular Reactors in Pakistan
In recent years, Pakistan has grappled with soaring inflation, environmental disasters, and the risk of loan default. Pakistan relies heavily on imported fuel and, with a faltering economy, has been unable to pay power producers, driving the circular debt. Energy shortages contribute to the economic crisis…