Latest Articles about South Asia
Chinese PSCs in South Asia: The Case of Pakistan
Executive Summary Being the central pillar of Beijing`s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) strategy in South Asia, economic and investment activities in Pakistan pose a series of security risks and challenges for the People’s Republic of China. For now, in pursuit of physical security of... MORE
What Will Iran’s SCO Membership Mean for Security Arrangements in Central Asia?
On July 4, Iran officially became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) during a virtual summit hosted by India for the SCO Heads of State Council (Shargh Daily, July 4). Iran initially joined as an “observer member without voting rights” at the... MORE
Belarus’s Lukashenka as a Mediator?
On July 6, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka held a three and a half hour–long press conference with domestic and international journalists hailing from Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia and Qatar (President.gov.by, July 6). Apparently, the most anticipated themes were the... MORE
Questions Surround Pakistani Taliban’s Inroads into Balochistan: Organizational Expansion or Propaganda Stunt?
On June 14, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) split its organizational structure in the restive Balochistan province into Qalat-Makran and Zhob Wilayat (units) with Shaheen Baloch and Maulvi Norullah as their respective emirs. The Qalat-Makran Wilayah is in Balochistan’s Baloch-dominated areas, while the Zhob Wilayah is... MORE
Revitalization of the Lapis Lazuli Corridor: From Afghanistan to Europe
During a regional conference held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in May 2023, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov underscored the paramount importance of the Lapis Lazuli international transit corridor. He emphasized how further development of this landmark project would revolutionize the regional transportation system, propelling it to new heights... MORE
Russian Think Tanks Enable the Kremlin’s Dangerous Delusions
When it comes to Russian propaganda, it is important to remember the so-called “analytical centers” that constitute it, including the Valdai Discussion Club, Foreign Policy Research Foundation and Russian International Affairs Council, among others. Unlike their Western counterparts, the task of Russian foreign policy experts... MORE
Moscow Announces End-Run Around Increasingly Hostile Kazakhstan
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power, Moscow has routinely sought to redirect trade through countries in the post-Soviet space to help its allies and weaken its opponents with the goal of preventing any of the former union republics from becoming regional competitors to... MORE
Burgeoning Azerbaijani-NATO Relations
“Azerbaijan has proven to be a reliable partner of NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization],” declared President Ilham Aliyev in December 2021 during his visit to NATO Headquarters in Brussels. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed this statement by referring to Azerbaijan as “a valued partner.” Stoltenberg... MORE
A Profile of Wadhawa Singh Babbar: The Pakistan-Based Leader of the Pro-Sikh Babbar Khalsa International
Wadhawa Singh Babbar is the leader of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), or “Tigers of the True Faith,” which is a proscribed terrorist and separatist organization operating in India's state of Punjab. BKI is struggling to establish a state for Sikhs known as “Khalistan,” by means... MORE
How the Martyrdom of Asadullah al-Urgenchi and Abu Muhammad al-Uzbeki Inspires Future ISKP Recruits
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) has centralized and vastly expanded its media apparatus, while widening its scope to include more content about regional and international political topics beyond Afghanistan (see Terrorism Monitor, May 6, 2022).... MORE