<p>Everything that informs geopolitics can be found in South Asia: challenging demographics, geographic diversity, and contentious, ill-defined borders. The Himalayan Mountains form the northern border of South Asia, whose two main rivers, the Indus and the Ganges, support the region&rsquo;s great population centers. India is the region&rsquo;s dominant country, home to the world&rsquo;s fastest growing economy. But its rivalry with neighboring Pakistan, a fellow nuclear power and growing consumer market, has made South Asia one of the world&rsquo;s most dangerous nuclear flashpoints. The region is also a testament to how militancy and militarism can undermine the regional integration needed to unleash higher economic growth.</p>

Everything that informs geopolitics can be found in South Asia: challenging demographics, geographic diversity, and contentious, ill-defined borders. 

South Asia

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Bhutan

India

Maldives

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

The Politics of Pipelines

Banking

Crossing Borders

Globalization

Social Issues

The Pulse of Political Islam

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

India's Own Worst Enemy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Snapshots

United States

Australia

China

Fiji

Japan

(From left to right) Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hold a joint press conference after their Quad meeting in New Delhi on May 26, 2026.

Economics

Military & Security

The meeting proved the grouping is still functional, but it faces strong constraints in turning ambitious coordination frameworks into functional maritime, infrastructure, critical minerals and energy initiatives that blunt Chinese regional influence.

Takeaways From Quad Summit: New Initiatives, Enduring Constraints and Future Uncertainty

Assessments

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Philippines

Armenia

Kazakhstan

Russia

A cargo ship anchored May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Major gaps in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program persist, and the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will remain fragile over the next week.

Politics

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Rubio Visits India, a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

U.S.-Iran Relations

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Afghan protesters burn a Pakistani flag during a demonstration in Helmand Province in 2016.

Gains from the Afghan Taliban's growing regional ties will be hindered by enduring disputes, logistical constraints, infrastructure security risks, and Pakistan's possible absence from future multilateral engagements.

How the Afghan-Pakistani Conflict Is Redrawing Regional Relations

Supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrate with the party flags in Kolkata, India, following state elections in West Bengal.

The ruling party's expanding control across state governments will likely gradually strengthen its position in Parliament and accelerate the implementation of citizenship and labor policies.

In India, the BJP's State Election Wins Set the Stage for National Reform

United Kingdom

An oil products tanker at Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.K. Elections, Iran War Resumption Risk

An oil tanker is seen docked in the southeastern Iranian coastal city of Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman, in February 2019.

Chabahar is poised to transition from an ambitious commercial venture to a symbolic strategic asset, as India seeks to maintain long-term access and regional influence until sanctions conditions become clearer.

Expired U.S. Sanctions Waiver Threatens India's Chabahar Port Project in Iran

South Korea

Vietnam

Europe

Employees walk at the construction site of a gas metering station, part of the pipeline link between Bulgaria and Greece near the village of Malko Kadievo, on March 18, 2022. 

Energy

The Weekly Rundown: No U.S.-Iran Breakthrough, EU Ban on Spot Market Russian LNG

Parliament House is seen in New Delhi, India.

The ruling BJP will continue pushing to enact a women's legislative quota, either as a standalone law that could intensify intra-party competition before the 2029 elections, or as a part of broader political reforms that could trigger a north-south regional crisis.

Modi's Push to Redraw India's Electoral Map Faces a Setback

A passenger boat sails past the Indian-flagged oil tanker Kashimasan, which is docked near an offloading terminal at Butcher Island (also known as Jawahar Dweep) off the coast of Mumbai, India, on April 1, 2026.

Energy and fertilizer price shocks from the Iran war will increasingly threaten energy supplies, crop yields and economic growth across the region, pressuring governments' foreign exchange reserves and heightening unrest risks.

In South Asia, Iran War Fallout Risks Worsening Economic and Political Instability

Sub-Saharan Africa

IMF officials participate in an economic outlook briefing in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2026.

The sharp increase in global oil and fertilizer costs will force import-reliant, low-income nations in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to choose between fiscal discipline and maintaining social stability.

Iran War Price Shocks Will Hit Low-Income Energy Importers Hardest

Venezuela

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez in New Delhi as India seeks to strengthen energy cooperation amid global supply disruptions, Bloomberg reported on June 4.

India, Venezuela: Modi Meets Rodriguez, Reinforcing Venezuela's Growing Role in India's Energy Strategy

India will hold talks with a U.S. delegation in New Delhi the week of June 1, while Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will separately meet with his British counterpart, Peter Kyle, Bloomberg reported on June 2.

India: New Delhi To Discuss Tariff Exemptions in Separate Trade Talks With U.S. and U.K.

The U.S.-based Indian founder of the "Cockroach Janta Party" online youth group announced on June 1 his intent to return to India on June 6 to obtain formal permission to protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of the country's education minister amid recent irregularities with Indian school exams, Hindustan Times reported on June 1.

India: Online Youth Group To Protest and Demand Education Minister's Resignation

Environment, Science & Technology

During the second India-Australia Defense Ministers' Dialogue, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles reviewed advancements in bilateral maritime defense cooperation since launching the dialogue in October 2025, The Economic Times reported on June 1.

India, Australia: Governments Agree To Finalize Defense and Maritime Agreements

An Indian delegation visited Beijing on May 27 for the 35th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, where, according to Indian official statements, both sides discussed border delimitation and trans-border river issues, Bloomberg reported on May 28. 

India, China: Governments Hold Talks on Border Cooperation

In a joint statement, Pakistan and China announced efforts to deepen bilateral ties and strengthen strategic coordination by promoting the "high-quality development" of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 2.0, Reuters reported on May 26. 

China, Pakistan: Governments Seek To Upgrade CPEC, Gwadar Port

Top diplomats from the Quad -- a security grouping of the United States, Japan, India and Australia -- met in New Delhi, India, where they agreed to help the Pacific island nation of Fiji expand and modernize one of its ports, marking the group's first joint infrastructure project, AP reported on May 26.

U.S., Japan, India, Australia: Quad Resumes Engagement With Modest Deliverables

Middle East and North Africa

For the first time since the Iran conflict began in late February, India has developed plans for oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, load up unknown volumes of energy cargoes, and subsequently return to India under escort by Indian warships currently deployed to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, Bloomberg reported May 20.

India: New Delhi Plans for Oil Tankers to Transit Hormuz and Load Up on Fuel

South Asia

SITUATION REPORTS

India, Venezuela: Modi Meets Rodriguez, Reinforcing Venezuela's Growing Role in India's Energy Strategy

India: New Delhi To Discuss Tariff Exemptions in Separate Trade Talks With U.S. and U.K.

India: Online Youth Group To Protest and Demand Education Minister's Resignation

India, Australia: Governments Agree To Finalize Defense and Maritime Agreements

India, China: Governments Hold Talks on Border Cooperation

China, Pakistan: Governments Seek To Upgrade CPEC, Gwadar Port

U.S., Japan, India, Australia: Quad Resumes Engagement With Modest Deliverables

India: New Delhi Plans for Oil Tankers to Transit Hormuz and Load Up on Fuel

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