Content

New Atlanticist

Jun 17, 2020

China and India just had their worst clash in forty-five years. What do we know?

By Shubha Kamala Prasad

On June 15, India and China faced off in a clash along the Line of Actual Control (LAC or the de-facto border in the Ladakh region), resulting in the death of at least twenty Indians and an unknown number of casualties on the Chinese side. This has been the first set of fatalities along the Sino-Indian border since the 1975 Tulung La ambush in present-day Arunachal Pradesh, the easternmost state of India, when four Indian soldiers died. While shots were apparently not fired in this recent exchange, the hand-to-hand combat was deadly. What triggered the worst clash in forty-five years? And how will India respond?

China Conflict

New Atlanticist

Jun 10, 2020

India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision requires open, not protectionist, policies

By Harsha Vardhana Singh

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "self-reliance" push could be interpreted as inward-looking or protectionist, the emphasis on linking India up with global value chains suggests a different approach.

Inclusive Growth India

New Atlanticist

May 29, 2020

Afghanistan needs a settlement

By Omar Samad

Sitting at a new crossroads, Afghanistan is once again tilting between an opportunity to take the path to peace and a political settlement—hard as it may seem—or to bounce back on the path of more violence and conflict with no end in sight.

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

May 28, 2020

Nepal’s #BackoffIndia hashtag was a long time coming

By Rudabeh Shahid

India and Nepal’s “special relationship,” clearly leaves Nepal at the short end of the stick. New Delhi must consult more with Kathmandu and reassure its smaller sibling that policies meant to increase ties between both neighbors—such as the building of the link road—are beneficial to citizens of both countries, rather than come at the expense of the Nepalese.

India Nationalism

New Atlanticist

May 18, 2020

Afghan power sharing deal breaks Kabul’s political impasse and raises hope for unity

By South Asia Center

With the tentative peace deal under fire, continuing havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a looming US troop withdrawal, the breakthrough in the Afghan government’s political deadlock which emerged on May 15 will undoubtedly be welcomed by many in Afghanistan and the international community.

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

May 18, 2020

India’s new COVID MSME package: Critical assistance or symbolic gesture?

By Ketki Bhagwati

The plan's centerpiece, the loan guarantee program, which transfers the full liability of loan losses of eligible borrowers to the exchequer, however, appears ill-conceived at a time when the government is scrambling to contain the fiscal deficit. Structuring the program to cover the credit and performance risks of MSME loan portfolios of financial institutions through risk participation or risk sharing would have been a wiser choice for the government.

Coronavirus India

New Atlanticist

May 14, 2020

Can India make an opportunity out of crisis?

By Ajay Chhibber

India is between a rock and a hard place. The lockdowns have not reduced the increase in coronavirus spread and its economy has cratered. Modi's new stimulus package is intended to save lives and livelihoods and reset the economy. But, if it will be enough will depend on what it contains and more importantly on how it is implemented.

Coronavirus Inclusive Growth

New Atlanticist

May 13, 2020

Amid COVID-19, Bangladesh turns its back on Rohingya

By Imrul Islam

Confronted with the need for increased coordination between aid agencies and government entities, Bangladesh has instead chosen to alienate the Rohingya community even further. Food is running out, water is running low, and essential programming to prevent gender-based violence in the camps has ground to a halt.

Bangladesh Coronavirus

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2020

Will India amend its approach to Afghanistan peace?

By Javid Ahmad

As India considers its next steps in Afghanistan, it may well conclude that it can no longer remain a mere spectator in peace efforts. This may include more aggressive calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, seeking more clarity about Pakistan’s role in the peace process, and possibly seeking an observer role in the future intra-Afghan talks

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

May 11, 2020

A pandemic of persecution in Bangladesh

By Ali Riaz

Since COVID-19 hit the country in early March, the government has begun to hound journalists and social activists, arresting and throwing them into jail for criticizing the lack of preparedness and theft of relief materials by ruling party leaders allocated for the most vulnerable segments of society. By late March dozens of people, including journalists, academics, opposition activists, a doctor, and students, were arrested by the government for posting content on social media critical of the government.

Bangladesh Civil Society