South Asiaâs megacities are a brutal paradoxâgleaming towers overshadowing crumbling infrastructure. As cities like Delhi, Dhaka, Karachi, and Lahore buckle under pollution, inequality, and dysfunction, the urban crisis can no longer be ignored.
In a major shift, Donald Trump has backed Pakistanâs account of the 2025 crisis, dismissing Indiaâs narrative and crediting Islamabadâs credible deterrence for preventing war. His statement reaffirms that diplomacy only worked because Pakistan held the line with calm strength.
India accuses Pakistan of lobbying in Washington, but the real story lies in New Delhiâs sprawling influence machineryâPR firms, fake NGOs, and narrative warfare.
![Deputy Commander of the Land Forces of the Azerbaijan Army and Pakistan Army delegation strengthen military ties, sign staff talks deal to boost joint exercises and expertise. [Image via Azerbaycan 24]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/17376328292022930338_1200x630-1737703323-300x300.webp)
Deputy Commander of the Land Forces of the Azerbaijan Army and Pakistan Army delegation strengthen military ties, sign staff talks deal to boost joint exercises and expertise.
![Pakistani troops clash with Baloch insurgents in Kalat of Balochistan, leaving 18 security personnel and 23 rebels dead in heavy fighting. [Image via AP]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/dims.apnews10-300x300.webp)
Pakistani troops clash with Baloch insurgents in Kalat of Balochistan, leaving 18 security personnel and 23 rebels dead in heavy fighting.
![AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi warns against the Waqf Bill, 2024, calling it a threat to social stability and religious rights. [Image via NDTV]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/emtu79i_asaduddin-owaisi-_625x300_23_January_25-300x300.webp)
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi warns against the Waqf Bill, 2024, calling it a threat to social stability and religious rights.
![U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson docks in Busan, reinforcing military ties with South Korea amid tensions with North Korea. [Image via AFP]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/42baf927-ddfa-4781-84f1-3006499568ab_w1023_r1_s-300x300.webp)
U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson docks in Busan, reinforcing military ties with South Korea amid tensions with North Korea.
Pakistan’s first manned space mission with China announced, as Shehbaz Sharif highlights economic reforms and investment plans.
![FIFA lifts suspension after Pakistan Football Federation approves reforms, allowing the team to play in 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. [Image via The Nation]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fifa-lifts-suspension-on-pakistan-football-federation-1740984112-3682-300x300.webp)
FIFA lifts suspension after Pakistan Football Federation approves reforms, allowing the team to play in 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
![BIMSTEC Summit 2025 kicks off in Bangkok with key agreements, regional cooperation talks, and Oli's bilateral meetings. [Image via The Kathmandu Post/File]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/thumb9-300x300.webp)
BIMSTEC Summit 2025 kicks off in Bangkok with key agreements, regional cooperation talks, and Oli’s bilateral meetings.
![Pakistan steps up Afghan deportations, expelling 777 via Torkham as part of ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants. [Image via SAT Creatives]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SAT-Web-Banners-121-300x300.png)
Pakistan steps up Afghan deportations, expelling 777 via Torkham as part of ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants.
![US revokes visas for South Sudanese passport holders amid deportation row; rising violence sparks civil war fears. [Image via Getty Images/File]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GettyImages-1266429167-1743925627-300x300.webp)
US revokes visas for South Sudanese passport holders amid deportation row; rising violence sparks civil war fears.
![Chess pieces with Pakistan and India symbols face off amid an explosion, symbolizing rising tensions and Pakistanâs full-spectrum diplomacy manoeuvre. [Image via The Diplomat].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thediplomat-2020-02-26-7-300x300.jpg)
In the silent theater of diplomacy, where words weigh more than warheads, Pakistan choreographed a masterstrokeâturning Indiaâs bluster into a backdrop for its quiet, calculated ascent on the regional stage.
Pakistanâs emergence as a nuclear power on May 28, 1998, was shaped by deep security anxieties following the 1971 war and Indiaâs 1974 nuclear test. Spearheaded by leaders like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and advanced under military stewardship, the program combined scientific innovationâled by Dr. A.Q. Khanâwith a covert procurement network. The 1998 Chagai tests, responding to Indiaâs Pokhran-II, marked Pakistanâs entry into the nuclear club, framed as a bid to restore regional strategic balance. Despite immediate sanctions, international responses soon softened. Nuclearization has since fostered a fragile deterrence in South Asiaâcurbing full-scale war while enabling low-intensity conflict, encapsulating the regionâs enduring âstability-instability paradox.
On the rugged frontier between Rome and Parthia, Armenia became the focal point of a quiet contest for influence. Rather than constant war, both empires relied on diplomacy, dynastic ties, and client kings to assert control. The Treaty of Rhandeia in 63 CE marked a rare strategic compromise â securing peace not through conquest, but through balance and restraint.
The recent public appearances of Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi at prominent Hindu religious sitesâmost notably the Kedarnath Temple and Ram BhadrÄchÄryaâs ashramâwhile in
The recent public statement by the U.S. Embassy in India addressing undocumented Indian nationals in the United States should not only be understood as an
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In the silent theater of diplomacy, where words weigh more than warheads, Pakistan choreographed a masterstrokeâturning Indiaâs bluster into a backdrop for its quiet, calculated ascent on the regional stage.
Pakistanâs emergence as a nuclear power on May 28, 1998, was shaped by deep security anxieties following the 1971 war and Indiaâs 1974 nuclear test. Spearheaded by leaders like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and advanced under military stewardship, the program combined scientific innovationâled by Dr. A.Q. Khanâwith a covert procurement network. The 1998 Chagai tests, responding to Indiaâs Pokhran-II, marked Pakistanâs entry into the nuclear club, framed as a bid to restore regional strategic balance. Despite immediate sanctions, international responses soon softened. Nuclearization has since fostered a fragile deterrence in South Asiaâcurbing full-scale war while enabling low-intensity conflict, encapsulating the regionâs enduring âstability-instability paradox.
On the rugged frontier between Rome and Parthia, Armenia became the focal point of a quiet contest for influence. Rather than constant war, both empires relied on diplomacy, dynastic ties, and client kings to assert control. The Treaty of Rhandeia in 63 CE marked a rare strategic compromise â securing peace not through conquest, but through balance and restraint.
Bilawal Bhuttoâs suggestion of extraditing Pakistani citizens as a confidence-building measure with India raises troubling legal and strategic concerns through Diplomacy. With no extradition treaty, a history of Indian double standards on terrorism, and ongoing regional hostilities, Pakistan must not entertain gestures that compromise its sovereignty and legal principles.
Almost a year after Bangladeshâs July Uprising toppled Sheikh Hasinaâs regime, the revolution remains without official recognition or a proclamation.
As monsoon floods return, South Asia faces a deeper crisis: climate change. Vanishing glaciers, rising seas, and food insecurity threaten the regionâs future. Without urgent cooperation, this climate time bomb could trigger widespread instability.
The Islamic tradition in India is as indigenous as any other traditions in South Asia. But colonial era writings and modern Hindu nationalism portray Islam as foreign, endangering Muslim communities.
Following a militant attack on the Gwadar Development Authority Complex, the notion of Baloch missing persons has been severely debunked. This attack, carried out by
![Rising tensions and a multipolar world challenge stability in the Asia-Pacific region. [Image: Foreign Policy Illustration]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/china-us-3d-chess-iStock-175480001b-article-300x300.webp)
US vs. China. Pakistan’s strategic balancing act. A deep dive into the Asia-Pacific’s “four-sided saga” and its impact.
![As per Iranian state media, Iran deployed air defense batteries, shooting down three drones over Isfahan amid escalating tensions post-retaliatory strike on Israel [Al Jazeera].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-04-19T115955Z_1359815626_RC2N97A3WZN2_RTRMADP_3_ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-IRAN-1713533481-300x300.webp)
Israel-Iran Conflict Widening: Airstrike on Iran raises fears of wider war. Can diplomacy avert a devastating Middle East conflict?
![18th Lok Sabha Elections in India: Voters line up to cast their ballots during phase one of Assam's state election in Koliabor [Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/000_96V298-300x300.webp)
As India heads into the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the BJP faces hurdles amidst regional complexities, socio-economic disparities, and internal dynamics. Can they retain their dominance?
![Erosion of India's democracy: Mohandas K. Gandhi, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hindu extremist Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Gandhi. [Washington Post illustration; AP]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/imrs-1-300x300.webp)
India’s democracy is at risk! Religious extremism, minority plight, and economic inequality cloud India’s democratic future.
South Asia Times (SAT) hosts expert panelists to discuss trends, outcomes, and global impact of Indian elections.
![As India reflects on a decade of Modi in the Prime Minister's Office, the journey reveals a troubling trajectory [Image via Reuters].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-08-15T072754Z_114745352_RC2PWV9C3995_RTRMADP_3_INDIA-INDEPENDENCEDAY-300x300.webp)
As India reflects on a decade of Modi in the Prime Minister’s Office, the journey reveals a troubling trajectory!
![Pakistanâs Youm-e-Takbeer, marking the 1998 nuclear tests, signifies not just a scientific feat but also embodies Pakistanâs national character [Image via Dawn Images].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/6292e48f594c9-300x300.webp)
Youm-e-Takbeer, marking Pakistan’s 1998 nuclear tests, signifies not just a scientific feat but also embodies Pakistanâs national character.
![Pakistan's SIFC celebrates one year with early FDI wins, but can it overcome challenges to unlock lasting economic growth? [Image via SAT Creatives].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SAT-Web-Banners-18-300x300.webp)
SIFC at one has shown early promise in attracting FDI, but can it overcome challenges to unlock long-term economic growth for Pakistan?
![Blasphemy was weaponised in Pakistan due to social and political divisions: How did this happen, and can the country find a way to heal? [Image via SAT Creatives]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SAT-Web-Banners-19-300x300.webp)
Blasphemy was weaponised in Pakistan due to social and political divisions: How did this happen, and can the country find a way to heal?
![Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a concert at the Hanoi Opera House in Vietnam, June 20, 2024 [lmage via Reuters]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/LJ4RXE6DH5KJXLFUCXOD6OSDFY-300x300.webp)
How Russia’s foreign policy, under Putin’s leadership, mixes great power strategy with assertive nationalism – As alliances shift and tensions rise, what’s next for Russia on the global stage?
In the silent theater of diplomacy, where words weigh more than warheads, Pakistan choreographed a masterstrokeâturning Indiaâs bluster into a backdrop for its quiet, calculated ascent on the regional stage.
Pakistanâs emergence as a nuclear power on May 28, 1998, was shaped by deep security anxieties following the 1971 war and Indiaâs 1974 nuclear test. Spearheaded by leaders like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and advanced under military stewardship, the program combined scientific innovationâled by Dr. A.Q. Khanâwith a covert procurement network. The 1998 Chagai tests, responding to Indiaâs Pokhran-II, marked Pakistanâs entry into the nuclear club, framed as a bid to restore regional strategic balance. Despite immediate sanctions, international responses soon softened. Nuclearization has since fostered a fragile deterrence in South Asiaâcurbing full-scale war while enabling low-intensity conflict, encapsulating the regionâs enduring âstability-instability paradox.
On the rugged frontier between Rome and Parthia, Armenia became the focal point of a quiet contest for influence. Rather than constant war, both empires relied on diplomacy, dynastic ties, and client kings to assert control. The Treaty of Rhandeia in 63 CE marked a rare strategic compromise â securing peace not through conquest, but through balance and restraint.
![At its core, what defines Kashmir's identity? Kashmiri women look through a window in Pulwama, South Kashmir amid crisis. [Image via PTI]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SAT-Web-Banners-21-300x300.webp)
In the heart of Kashmir’s conflict lies a profound question: what defines Kashmir’s identity? Malcolm X’s powerful analogy of “House Negroes” and “Field Negroes” vividly illustrates this struggle.
Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to top South Asian talent. Discover how this bold move fuels Vision 2030 and reshapes the Kingdom.
Pakistan’s intelligent agriculture is transforming farming for food security. The Pak-China Joint Lab at UAF is a crucial step in this direction.
Drug Addiction isn’t just a habit; it’s a chain reaction, from personal tragedy to societal decay. Breaking free starts with awareness.
Pakistani mountaineer Murad Sadpara has died from head injuries while descending Broad Peak in Gilgit-Baltistan.
![Jammu & Kashmir: The Neelam River flows between Pakistan and India administered Kashmir in Teetwal [Reuters].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2022-08-12T101952Z_138878240_RC2WSV9LQZ6K_RTRMADP_3_INDIA-PAKISTAN-INDEPENDENCEDAY-300x300.webp)
As Pakistan celebrates Independence Day, it’s time to explore the contrasting realities within Jammu and Kashmir.
![The UN Human Rights Committee's review challenges the image of Indiaâs democracy, uncovering systemic abuses and global repression. [Illustration by Nithya Subramanian via Scroll]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/128956-dedqtlwlvc-1570868544-300x300.webp)
The UN Human Rights Committee’s review challenges the image of Indiaâs democracy, uncovering systemic abuses and global repression.
WWF-Pakistan praises Balochistan for declaring Churna Island as the second Marine Protected Area (MPA) to safeguard biodiversity.
The Great DeceptionâFrom 1965 to 2024, warfare has evolved from clear borders to unseen battles.
![Behind every crisis lies a Manufactured Crisis narrative, crafted to uphold power structures and maintain the status quo. [SAT Creatives]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Manufactured-Crisis-1-300x300.webp)
Behind every crisis lies a Manufactured Crisis narrative, crafted to uphold power structures and maintain the status quo.
IMF calls for Pakistan to reform agriculture and textile sectors to boost growth, enhance competitiveness, and reduce poverty.
Pakistan hosts the 2024 SCO Summit, fostering regional cooperation and shaping its global diplomatic role.
![Is tenure extension of services chiefs and increasing Supreme Court judges a smart move for stability, or does it risk too much power in one place? [Image via National Assembly of Pakistan]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/national-assembly-300x300.webp)
Is tenure extension of services chiefs and increasing Supreme Court judges a smart move for stability, or does it risk too much power in one place?
Dixville Notch casts the first ballot in the US for the 2024 Presidential elections, with a split vote for Trump and Harris.
The Maldives recalls its diplomat in Pakistan after an unauthorized meeting with an Islamic Emirate envoy in Islamabad.
![Bangladesh summons India's envoy after consular building attack amid rising tensions over Hasina's ouster and Hindu minority protests. [Image via DW]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/70952161_1004-300x300.webp)
Bangladesh summons India’s envoy after consular building attack amid rising tensions over Hasina’s ouster and Hindu minority protests.
![AJK forms a committee to address public concerns over the controversial 'Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance 2024'. [Image via Dawn]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/03083051f934d17-300x300.webp)
AJK forms a committee to address public concerns over the controversial ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance 2024’.
![Pakistan and Iran agree to deepen bilateral cooperation in all spheres during a meeting on the ECO Council of Ministers' sidelines. [Image via APP]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Iran1-1024x634-1-300x300.webp)
Pakistan and Iran agree to deepen bilateral cooperation in all spheres during a meeting on the ECO Council of Ministers’ sidelines.
Russia Supplies Arms to India Worth USD 13bln Over Past 5 Years
An unidentified flying object sparks Security concerns as China mobilizes to take down an object near a strategic Naval base in Qingdao China to shoot
Iran boosts defense spending amid the economic crisis, legislators meet in Tehran to discuss a new budget bill…
After the most recent release, there are now 32 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, including 18 who are eligible for transfer. These detainees continue to be held without charge despite having their transfer approved, with little recourse to hasten their release.
India is the world’s largest producer of generic medications in terms of volume, thanks to its efficient production of “global standard medicine” at affordable prices. Nonetheless, incidents involving child fatalities in the Gambia and Uzbekistan cast doubt on the country’s drug laws.
Cricket has grown increasingly politicized, with those with political clout and financial resources controlling the game. This notion applies to India\’s behaviour because it has risen to dominance owing to its resources.
The concentrated Sikh minority in Punjab, particularly its WPD adherents and other Sikhs who have faced severe persecution over the years, is more vulnerable to state violence. Recent actions have sparked outrage in the community, both in India and abroad.
In 1971, Bengali insurgents committed genocide against non-Bengalis, routinely capturing and abusing hundreds of thousands of women. Their accounts have been overshadowed by false propaganda portraying Pakistan as the lone villain in the Bangladesh episode.
In addition to triggering a series of events that continue to have an impact on the region, the 2019 Pulwama attack also sparked persistent concerns about Indian state complicity, some of which have only recently come to light.
The dilemma of misrepresentation of South Asian cultures in Western media has multiplied identity crises and distorted the image of people of this region in the globalized world.
BRICS Summit 2023 turned out to be a tough test case for Indiaâs strategic balancing. Not being able to assert itself diplomatically, tough choices wait ahead as it will preside over the G20 Summit next month in Delhi.
The world is again at the cusp of big powers tussle as China has become a potential contender to the United States due to its economic rise at an unexpected pace.
Balakot airstrikes and the retaliating Operation Swift Retort by Pakistanâs Air Force provide a bigger foreground for understanding the potential of escalation in the South Asian Region and offer important insights into the deterrence paradox.
‘The hijab is not an essential religious practice’, the Karnataka High Court ruled today as it backed the ban on hijab in classrooms, challenged by
An accidental missile fired by India last week prompted Pakistan to prepare a retaliatory strike, people familiar with the matter said, showing how close the nuclear-armed neighbors
With his latest film Kashmir Files, Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who is notorious for his anti-Muslim prejudice, has sparked a polarising discussion about Kashmiri Pandits.
Shared tragedies serve as reminders that neighbouring ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan are not only limited to overlapping history and culture but also include the shared habitation of a landscape extremely vulnerable to natural calamities.
With the Chinese economic model flourishing along the Silk Roads, the United States has started to realize to develop similar âweaponsâ in order to compete with revisionist Chinaâs unique take on capitalism. If this doesnât point toward the revival of the âGreat Gameâ with Afghanistan as the fulcrum of Eurasia, what does? â The Great Game 3.0.
From secularism to systemic persecution of religious minorities, from proscribing international condemnation to unilaterally and forcefully imposing decisions over bilateral territorial disputes; India is essentially paradoxical in dodging global indicators as well as in its very fabric.
Can a No ball decision in a cricket match awaken the Pakistani Nation to the sinister relationship between power and justice?
The security dynamics of South Asia have been exacerbated by the existence of two security rivalry dyads, including China-India and India-Pakistan. Amid ongoing developments, it is not too difficult to foresee heightened nuclear risks and the undermining of regional stability.
Barely a year after the birth of Pakistan, the issue of inter-wing disparity became a popular talking point among opposition politicians in East Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujib wanted to contest the election on the issue of provincial autonomy (six points). Had significant provincial autonomy been conceded (as advocated by other East Pakistan leaders), it would have taken the central plank out of Mujibâs election campaign.
Mujib had won an outright majority (160/300) in the elections, but he was still insecure and apprehensive. He feared that the military would somehow conspire to keep him out of power.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray indicates a full lockdown in the state of Maharashtra. Citizens are not taking precautions, even though, the country has reached a
On Friday UK, amid raising coronavirus cases, has placed Pakistan on the red list which imposes a travel ban. The red list primarily enlists that
There have been multiple concerns regarding the import of cotton and sugar from India to Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan after discussions with major cabinet
Afghanistan begins repatriation of foreign IS Khorasan fighters amid peace talks. Will this impact regional stability?
Discover Colombo Port City SEZ: Sri Lanka’s world-class development boosting jobs, GDP, and global market access.
May 4th, 1799 was the date when Tipu Sultan, affectionately known as âTiger of Mysoreâ embraced martyrdom. He died while fighting against the British East India company.
What does the leaked NYTimes news signify? Was this a deliberate attempt to pressurize Pakistan? Or put it in a discombobulated place? Or was it
Taliban in recent years have honed their diplomatic arms. This is because the group did not enjoy any international legitimacy; when it took control of the country during the late 90s to 2001.
Indiaâs divergence from its whole previous stratagem of supporting Kabul is that India demanded the United Nations to place sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan.
These trying times have severely affected many emerging-market economies and the countries will need to be innovative and highly targeted with limited funding.
![Migrant workers usually leave India for Nepal in October and return home around April. This time, the ongoing pandemic hampered their return [Al Jazeera].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Migrant-workers-300x300.webp)
Migrant workers usually leave India for Nepal in October and return home around April. This time, the ongoing pandemic hampered their return.
![India has ranked 168th out of 180 in the 2020 Environmental Performance Index (EPI); the country faces serious environmental health risks [Al Jazeera]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/000_8V9346-300x300.webp)
India has ranked 168th out of 180 in the 2020 Environmental Performance Index (EPI); the country faces serious environmental health risks
After years of strained ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, recent contacts between leaders of the two countries are a rare glimpse of hope. Possibly, if
Hoping for mediation Prime Minister Imran Khan released a statement on Monday. He said that Pakistanâs U.S. requested mediation efforts between Gulf rivals Saudi Arabia
Possible Transfer of Education between India and America The United States and India seem to be on the verge of a possible transfer of education