<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

Assessments

Canada

United States

Australia

Japan

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Australia, on March 5, 2026. 

Economics

Energy

Military & Security

Politics

Canada's push to deepen economic and security ties with India, Australia and Japan faces constraints and may inadvertently strengthen the U.S.-led regional structure Ottawa is trying to hedge against.

The Promise and Limitations of Canada's Push to Diversify Strategic Partnerships

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Feb. 3 in Washington.

India will likely delay finalizing its trade deal with the United States while seeking opportunities to expand its Russian oil imports, creating a risk of U.S. pharmaceutical tariffs against it.

The State of the Indian-U.S. Trade Deal After IEEPA Tariffs

Iran

China

Germany

The Tehran skyline on Dec. 30, 2025. On March 2, U.S. and Iranian negotiators will meet in Vienna, Austria, to begin technical talks on a nuclear deal.

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

The Weekly Rundown: The Conflict in the Middle East, Merz meets Trump 

U.S.-Iran Relations

Snapshots

A Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keeps watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Feb. 27 in in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The ongoing escalation marks a shift into overt interstate conflict, though the most likely near-term trajectory is a sustained cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation.

The ongoing escalation marks a shift into overt interstate conflict, though the most likely near-term trajectory is a sustained cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation.

Afghan-Pakistan Tensions Erupt Into Conflict

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Indonesia

Vietnam

Slovakia

Hungary

Ukraine

Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

A man walks past campaign posters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman and Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on Feb. 13, 2026.

The transition from an interim administration will likely restore political stability, though social and fiscal pressures will still pose constraints for the new center-right government.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party Wins Big in First Election Since 2024 Uprising

Media

Podcasts

What major challenges will the incoming government face?

What To Expect From Bangladesh's Upcoming Elections

Thailand

Campaign posters Feb. 6 of candidates running in the upcoming Japanese House of Representatives election, in Inagi, Tokyo prefecture.

The Weekly Rundown: Japan Holds Snap Elections, U.S. Weighs Options After Iran Talks

A freight train on Aug. 26, 2025, in Ajmer India.

A U.S.-India trade deal will bring some relief to Indian exporters, but ambiguities over its scope, implementation timeline and myriad other flashpoints will risk undermining it.

An India-U.S. Trade Deal Will Face Ongoing Hurdles

A burned-out vehicle along a road on the outskirts of the Pakistani city of Quetta on Feb. 1, 2026, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. The intensifying insurgency will exacerbate strains on Pakistan's security forces, worsening the country's security challenges and further constraining foreign investment interest.

The intensifying insurgency will exacerbate strains on Pakistan's security forces, worsening the country's security challenges and further constraining foreign investment interest.

With Coordinated Attacks, Pakistan's Baloch Insurgency Intensifies

The U.S. Department of State notified Congress the week of March 9 of its intent to close the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, claiming it would save $7.5 million a year and have limited impact on the United States' diplomatic influence in Pakistan, AP reported on March 11. 

U.S., Pakistan: U.S. To Close Consulate in Peshawar, Purportedly To Cut Costs

Three unnamed Pakistani officials said Chinese mediation in recent weeks has helped ease cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with China's special envoy to Afghanistan shuttling between the warring countries for talks and China's President Xi Jinping recording a message in late February calling for the parties to halt their skirmishes, Reuters reported on March 12.

Afghanistan, Pakistan: China's Mediation Facilitates Ease in Afghanistan-Pakistan Fighting

On March 10, India eased rules for investments from countries with which it shares a land border, allowing automatic approval for non-controlling stakes of up to 10% with compliance requirements, and establishing a 60-day approval timeline for investments in sectors such as electronic components, rare earth magnets and wafers, Bloomberg reported on March 11.

India, China: India To Partially Ease FDI Scrutiny for China

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Middle East and North Africa

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

The International Energy Agency announced on March 11 that members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development would release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency stockpiles. 

Global: IEA Announces Record-High Release From Strategic Oil Reserves

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Afghanistan and its Taliban government a "state sponsor of wrongful detention," demanding the group end its continuing use of "terrorist tactics" and kidnappings "for ransom or to seek policy concessions," Reuters reported on March 9.

U.S., Afghanistan: Washington Designates Afghanistan 'State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention'

Saudi Arabia

Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir met with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to discuss Iran's attacks on Saudi Arabia and potential joint measures under their strategic defense agreement, Geo News reported on March 7.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia: Governments Discuss Joint Measures To Counter Iranian Attacks

Nepal concluded its first polls since the September 2025 unrest that ousted the former government and plunged the country into fresh political uncertainty, with media reports indicating a peaceful election process countrywide beyond minor disputes at a handful of voting centers, The Himalayan Times reported on March 5.

Nepal: Election Peaceful as Country Holds First Polls Since September 2025 Unrest

Turkey

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that NATO air and missile defenses had shot down an Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Turkish airspace, Reuters reported on March 4.

MENA: NATO Air Defenses Intercept Iranian Ballistic Missile, U.S. Sinks Iranian Warship

South Asia

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Pakistan: U.S. To Close Consulate in Peshawar, Purportedly To Cut Costs

Afghanistan, Pakistan: China's Mediation Facilitates Ease in Afghanistan-Pakistan Fighting

India, China: India To Partially Ease FDI Scrutiny for China

Global: IEA Announces Record-High Release From Strategic Oil Reserves

U.S., Afghanistan: Washington Designates Afghanistan 'State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention'

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia: Governments Discuss Joint Measures To Counter Iranian Attacks

Nepal: Election Peaceful as Country Holds First Polls Since September 2025 Unrest

MENA: NATO Air Defenses Intercept Iranian Ballistic Missile, U.S. Sinks Iranian Warship

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