Commentary

Disillusioned with the Taliban, Pakistan reverses its four-decade Afghan policy
As Kabul refuses to act against the TTP and Baloch militant groups, Pakistan is ending the support it has extended to the Taliban since 1994 and its welcome to refugees from Afghanistan since the 1980s
Salman Rafi Sheikh | Nov 27, 2023

Misguided mega-projects threaten to devastate the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The NITI Aayog, an Indian government think tank, is spearheading “development” projects that would strip indigenous people of their land and rights, and destroy precious forests and sea turtle breeding grounds
Edith Mirante | Nov 10, 2023

An internet star’s political dreams meet the brutal realities of Bangladeshi elections
A sharp turn in Hero Alom’s fledgling political career shows what analysts say are the ruling Awami League’s efforts to “manage” Bangladesh’s upcoming election
Anupam Debashis Roy | Nov 06, 2023

Bangladesh’s murky games to get Saima Wazed to the WHO
Sheikh Hasina’s push to make her daughter the regional director of the WHO South-East Asia Region bodes ill for Southasia
Disha Shetty | Oct 27, 2023

Can the Sharifs woo back battleground Punjab?
With Nawaz Sharif’s return, the Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz is looking to strengthen a shaky grip over Punjab, and testing again its tricky relationship with the military establishment
Salman Rafi Sheikh | Oct 20, 2023

Manipur’s conflict has harsh lessons for all of India’s Northeast
Rampant ethnic chauvinism of the kind that has shattered Manipur’s civil society is ingrained in communities across the Northeast
G Kanato Chophy | Sep 25, 2023

‘Jawan’ treads with caution in an India on edge
Shah Rukh Khan and the director Atlee’s tedious blockbuster has a veneer of being political even as it bends to prevailing winds – and its gender bias does not help
Anna M M Vetticad | Sep 12, 2023

‘Joyland’ crosses the barbed wire between India and Pakistan
Indian audiences are connecting with director Saim Sadiq’s acclaimed, queer-affirming Pakistani film, briefly banned in its home country
Chintan Girish Modi | Jul 14, 2023

Tamil nationalism in Sri Lanka defies state repression
Post-war memorialisation events serve as resilient expressions of Tamil nationalism despite crackdowns by the Sri Lankan state
Mario Arulthas | Jul 07, 2023

Queer literature for children is changing minds in India
Indian parents and community libraries are turning to queer literature for children to help them be sensitive to varied sexual and gender identities
Chintan Girish Modi | Jun 06, 2023
