Measuring South Asian Democracy: An Assessment of 2018
Several key trends in 2018 point toward the gradual entrenchment of democracy in South Asia. While most South Asian democracies are neither theoretically flawless nor […]
Politics & Economics
Saudi Arabia’s Investment in Pakistan: No Strings Attached?
The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman (MBS), began his Asia tour on February 17th with a two-day visit to Pakistan. He was […]
The Electoral Politics of the BJP’s Statue Nationalism
India has built the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, on a river island of the Narmada River in Gujarat. The statue is a […]
Can China Spur Economic Development in South Asia?
After the initiation of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, South Asia has often been described as the linchpin of connectivity amongst BRI-participating […]
Unfurling Black Flags: ISIS and the Divide over Islam in Kashmir
As the “deadliest year in a decade” was coming to an end for Kashmir, on December 28th a group of youngsters with their faces covered […]
Looking Ahead to 2019: A Precarious Year for Afghanistan
The United Nations Strategic Review of 2017 reclassified Afghanistan from a post-conflict state to an active conflict state. As we enter 2019, the conflict not […]
Looking Ahead to 2019: Sri Lanka’s Uncertain Future
The collapse of the coalition government, leading to a constitutional crisis, highlighted a year marred by uncertainty for Sri Lankan politics and economics. While some […]
Most recent
Looking Ahead to 2019: The Great Indian Balancing Act
Whether one lauds or condemns the specifics of India’s foreign policy orientation under the premiership of Narendra Modi, one can hardly ignore his efforts to […]
Looking Ahead to 2019: Nepal’s Development Aspirations Under Pressure
In 2018, Nepal witnessed defining political moments that have set the tone for a future course in the country’s domestic and foreign policy. With a […]
Looking Ahead to 2019: A Tumultuous Road to Naya Pakistan
With the election of the country’s 22nd prime minster, Imran Khan, 2018 proved to be a consequential year for Pakistan. It was the first national […]
Looking Ahead to 2019: Bangladesh’s Crucial Inflection Point
Every year brings Bangladesh more trials and tribulations than the last. Alongside the massive Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh also faces the challenge of hosting a free […]
Contesting Authority: Female Participation in Pakistan’s Islamist Parties
Despite a new law stipulating that all political parties must give five percent of their tickets to women, Pakistan did not see meaningful female participation […]
The Politics of Opportunism in Kashmir
Kashmir’s political scene has been active since the alliance between People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke down and Governor’s Rule was instituted […]
Imran Khan’s First 100 Days: Obstacles and Missed Opportunities
Before coming to power, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership made grandiose promises of introducing major reforms during its first hundred days, including the provision of […]
A State in Crisis: Sri Lanka’s Road from Post-War Resurgence to Political Dissension
On October 26, President Maithripala Sirisena removed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from office overnight, appointing his former foe, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as prime minister instead. Wickremesinghe […]
Ambassador William Milam on Imran Khan, US-Pakistan Relations, and Bangladeshi Elections
This SAV Q&A is part of an ongoing series in which SAV talks to scholars and practitioners to understand the trends and potential inflection points […]
Pakistan and the Politics of CPEC: A Rethink on the Anvil?
A new debate on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is brewing in Pakistan’s political circles–is it time to reassess the project and the benefits it […]