
Latest Articles about South Asia

Understanding the PRC’s Selective Use of Military Hotlines
Executive Summary: The PRC’s strategic use of and reluctance to establish military hotlines reflect a calculated approach to escalation risk, which can be seen in crises ranging from the accidental bombing of its embassy in Belgrade in 1999 to the present day. There is a... MORE

Nathan Bawm: The Artist-Turned-Militant Mastermind in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts
Executive Summary: Nathan Bawm is a former artist and activist who transformed an organization named the Kuki-Chin National Development Organization into the present-day Kuki-Chin National Front and the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), an ethnic militant group that stands in opposition to a key peace accord... MORE

Abbas Betani: Mid-Level Commander Who Mediated Between Pakistani Taliban Factions Killed
Executive Summary: On May 27, Pakistani security forces conducted a raid that appears to have killed Abbas Betani, a commander in the Pakistani Taliban (TTP). While Betani was a prominent middle-level commander at the time of his death, members of his tashkeel (fighting unit) from... MORE

Turkmenistan Resumes Work on TAPI Pipeline Despite Geopolitical Hurdles
Executive Summary: Earlier this month, a critical section of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project was inaugurated on the border between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The pipeline aims to reshape the energy landscape in Central and South Asia. The primary reason behind the project delays has... MORE

India Becomes Armenia’s Largest Defense Supplier
Executive Summary: Armenia is increasingly turning to India for military support, making significant purchases of Indian-made weapon systems, including the Akash-1S air defense system, as part of a $2 billion defense partnership signed in 2020. Armenia’s pivot toward India marks a shift away from its... MORE

Iran and Pakistan Cooperate on Counter-Terrorism Amid Jaish al-Adl and Baloch Separatist Attacks
Executive Summary: In April, Pakistan and Iran agreed to station liaison officers at their mutual border to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts. Border cooperation will likely reduce local militancy and improve ties between the two states. In January, Pakistan and Iran launched surprise strikes on one another,... MORE

Arambai Tenggol: The Meitei Militia Threatening India’s Manipur State
Executive Summary: On January 24, an ethnic Meitei militia, the Arambai Tenggol, forced the government of India’s insurgency-wracked Manipur State to capitulate to a six-point list of demands. While this event was unprecedented, it was made possible by “tacit patronage” from the ruling Bharatiya Janata... MORE

India Launches Russian Stealth Frigates as New Delhi and Moscow Strengthen Defense Partnership
Executive Summary: Since February 2022, India and Russia have significantly expanded their military and defense cooperation, with New Delhi launching the first of two Russian-supplied advanced stealth frigates for the Indian Navy at the end of July. As Moscow struggles with defense exports due to... MORE

Military Supplies to Armenia Escalate Tensions in South Caucasus
Executive Summary: Armenia is making moves to distance itself from Russia and reduce economic and military dependence on Moscow through deals with other states, including France, India, and, allegedly, Iran. The expanding military supplies to Armenia are stirring up tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan and threatening... MORE

Qasim Gujjar: Lashkar-e-Taiba Militant Behind Attacks in Kashmir Designated as Terrorist by India
Executive Summary: On March 7, India's Ministry of Home Affairs designated 41-year-old Kashmiri militant Mohammad Qasim Gujjar as a terrorist. Gujjar has been involved in multiple high-profile attacks, financed and supplied arms to terrorists, and is a major recruiter for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Gujjar has... MORE