Latest Articles about South Asia

Turkmenistan Becoming Regional Railway Hub

Buoyed by its rising hydrocarbon revenues, Turkmenistan is using some of that income to reduce its geographical isolation by upgrading and expanding its railway network while linking it to those of its neighbors. The most recent development is an Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railroad, scheduled to be inaugurated... MORE

The Islamic State Eyes Expansion and Recruitment in India

Despite its growing reputation as one of the world’s best organized militant groups, the actions of the self-described “Islamic State” have been largely concentrated in Iraq and Syria. However, agents and affiliates of the Islamic State have begun to widen their rhetorical outreach and social... MORE

The Terrorist Next Door: Pakistan’s Hammad Adil

Early on August 30, 2013, a large contingent of the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Islamabad’s Capital Territory Police along with officials from intelligence agencies, the Special Branch and Criminal Investigations Departments, raided the house of Muhammad Adil, a property dealer, in a suburb of Islamabad. The... MORE

Xi Woos Modi With ‘Peace Through Development’ Approach

On July 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping became the second national leader to meet newly elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (who has paid a state visit to Bhutan), beating Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in an 80-minute face-to-face meeting at the BRICS Summit in... MORE

Arms Sales to Pakistan Kindle Indian Wrath

Russia’s announcement, earlier this month, that it was negotiating the sale of helicopters to Pakistan (see EDM, June 24) may have backfired on Moscow, as it clearly underestimated the anger that this news has triggered in India and what it could portend for Russo-Indian relations. Whatever... MORE

Legendary Kashmiri Militant Mast Gul Reemerges After Long Hibernation

Pakistani militant commander Haroon Khan, better known as Mast Gul in the Indian subcontinent, has reemerged after a hibernation, perpetrating a string of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province this February. He is known for his long association with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and... MORE

Russia Lifts Arms Embargo to Sell Helicopters to Pakistan

On June 2, the head of the Russian state technology corporation Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, commented that Russia has lifted its embargo on supplies of weapons and military hardware to Pakistan, telling reporters, “The decision was taken, and we are negotiating the delivery of helicopters” (ITAR-TASS,... MORE

Chinese Analysts Interpret Modi’s New India

The landslide victory by Narendra Modi in India’s national elections has raised questions throughout Asia about India’s role in the region. Chinese experts have watched the transition with great interest, many seeking historical analogies to explain the new leader. One of the most optimistic is... MORE