<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

South Africa

United States

Israel

France

Parc des Champions on July 4, 2024, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero in Paris.

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: The Paris Olympics, Netanyahu Addresses Congress

Media

Podcasts

How will new party dynamics affect the ruling party's strategy? 

Essential Geopolitics: India's Post-Election Government

Snapshots

United Kingdom

A swarm of drones make an Indian flag in the sky over New Delhi, India, on Jan. 29, 2022.

Economics

The U.K.'s new Labour government has pledged to ink a trade deal with India after its predecessor failed to do so, but disputes over immigration and climate policies could stall progress.

With Elections Behind Them, the U.K. and India Resume Trade Talks

Japan

Ukraine

Russia

A banner reading "public services in danger, let's vote" on July 5 in Paris.

Military & Security

The Weekly Rundown: French Legislative Runoffs, a NATO Summit in Washington

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) greets Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) before a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on Dec. 6, 2021.

Modi's upcoming talks with Putin highlight strong India-Russia ties and may lead to a final agreement on expanded defense cooperation and military exchanges.

Modi's Visit to Moscow Spotlights Strong India-Russia Ties

China

A man looks at damage from a Balochistan Liberation Army attack Jan. 30 in central Bolan district in Balochistan province, Pakistan. Economic and political constraints will limit the scale and efficacy of Pakistan's latest counterterrorism campaign, sustaining the threat of militant attacks and delays to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor despite likely efforts to bolster foreigners' security and engagement with key foreign stakeholders.

Economic and political constraints will limit the scale and efficacy of Pakistan's latest counterterrorism campaign, sustaining the threat of militant attacks and delays to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor despite likely efforts to bolster foreigners' security and engagement with key foreign stakeholders.

The Implications of Pakistan's Renewed Counterterrorism Campaign

Ethiopia

Brazil

Egypt

Iran

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Europe

A map illustrating Turkey (in red) and the BRICS countries (in blue).

Joining BRICS would underscore Turkey's balancing act between the West and the Global South, but the organization's weaknesses will limit its potential for economic growth.

For Turkey, BRICS Is Far From a Political and Economic Panacea

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi swears his oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the country's presidential palace, on June 9, 2024, in New Delhi, India. 

Modi will balance his party's priorities against coalition dynamics as the opposition continues to flounder.

The BJP's Policy Prospects Following India's General Election

Global Elections

Supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrate vote counting results for India's general election in Bengaluru on June 4, 2024. 

Results from India's general election indicate Modi's party will remain in power, but will fall short of an outright majority, forcing the BJP to rely on parties within its ruling coalition to govern.

India's BJP Clinches Another Term, but With a Weaker Majority

Mexico

A rally for Morena party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum on May 29 in Mexico City's Zocalo.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's ANC Faces a Reckoning, Mexican Voters Select a New President

Sri Lanka's Election Commission announced that the country will hold presidential elections on Sept. 21, with nominations for the election due on Aug. 15, Reuters reported July 26. 

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka to Hold Presidential Elections on Sept. 21

Following the Bangladeshi government's decision to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that allocates 93% of state jobs based on merit, protests eased, leading Dhaka to relax the curfew in the capital and elsewhere, reopen offices, and largely restore broadband internet, though social media remained suspended, Reuters reported on July 24. 

Bangladesh: Government Relaxes Curfew as Protests Subside

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented an annual budget to Parliament with a spending estimate of 48.21 trillion rupees (about $58 billion), 1.2% higher than February's interim budget of 47.66 trillion rupees, and a fiscal deficit target of 4.9% of gross domestic product, down from 5.1%, Reuters reported on July 23.

India: Finance Minister Presents Annual Budget

On July 21, Bangladesh's Supreme Court overturned the High Court's June decision to reinstate the quota system of government jobs, reducing the government's quota allocation for the children of veterans of the 1971 war of independence from 30% to 5%, Nikkei Asia reported on July 22. 

Bangladesh: Supreme Court Revises Quota System for Government Jobs

Bangladesh's government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown and banned all public rallies in the capital due to clashes between students and police over a government jobs quota, with reports indicating at least 39 deaths, torched government buildings, and hacking attacks on top government websites, Al Jazeera reported on July 19.

Bangladesh: Quota Protests Escalate Amid Communication Blackout and Rising Casualties

Police used tear gas and batons to disperse clashes between a student group supporting the ruling Awami League party and students protesting the country's quota system for government jobs at a public university near Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, resulting in numerous injuries, AP reported on July 16. 

Bangladesh: Police Deployments Combat Flaring Government Job Quota Protests

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, chief of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), was sworn in as prime minister, ushering in a new coalition government led by his party and its rival Nepali Congress party, The Kathmandu Post reported on July 15.

Nepal: Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli Appointed Prime Minister Again as New Government Forms

According to Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, the federal government will file a high treason case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and pursue legal measures to ban his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, Geo News reported on July 15.

Pakistan: Government To Ban Opposition PTI Party, Khan To Remain in Jail

South Asia

SITUATION REPORTS

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka to Hold Presidential Elections on Sept. 21

Bangladesh: Government Relaxes Curfew as Protests Subside

India: Finance Minister Presents Annual Budget

Bangladesh: Supreme Court Revises Quota System for Government Jobs

Bangladesh: Quota Protests Escalate Amid Communication Blackout and Rising Casualties

Bangladesh: Police Deployments Combat Flaring Government Job Quota Protests

Nepal: Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli Appointed Prime Minister Again as New Government Forms

Pakistan: Government To Ban Opposition PTI Party, Khan To Remain in Jail

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