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SouthAsiaSource blog
Mon, Apr 12, 2021
Event recap: “‘A Forgotten Ambassador in Cairo’ with N.S. Vinodh and Shuja Nawaz”
On April 8, 2021, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center hosted a conversation with author N.S. Vinodh on his book, A Forgotten Ambassador in Cairo: The Life and Times of Syud Hossain.
Event Recap by
Wed, Apr 7, 2021
The storm shaking US tech in digital India
In India, contentious debates over US technology platforms and their influence have gained strength and considerable political attention. And globally, governments are determined to exert sovereign control over digital domains and online users. The real test is whether US tech companies can carefully adapt their platforms and values to local markets without stretching them beyond all recognition.
New Atlanticist by Anand Raghuraman
Mon, Apr 5, 2021
Event recap: “Whose voices count on Afghanistan? The politics of knowledge production”
On April 1, 2021, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center hosted an event on the politics of knowledge production in Afghanistan and how we can make the policy space more representative and reflective of the peoples, histories, and realities on the ground.
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Thu, Mar 25, 2021
The Biden-Harris administration should engage Pakistan if it hopes to negotiate productively with Iran
Returning the United States to a nuclear agreement with Iran represents one of the Biden-Harris administration’s most standout foreign policies. However, to succeed in the short-, medium-, and long-term, this goal will require a revamped approach to engaging Tehran that pointedly includes Pakistan.
SouthAsiaSource by
Mon, Mar 22, 2021
Intelligence reform for peacetime – A call to reform and modernize the Afghan intelligence services
The United States, as it pushes for a political settlement and withdraws its troops from Afghanistan, needs to leave a credible and professional Afghan intelligence partner behind with whom it must partner for counter-terrorism (CT) missions post-withdrawal.
SouthAsiaSource by
Wed, Mar 17, 2021
For WTO reform, most roads lead to China. But do the solutions lead away?
As US President Joe Biden moves quickly in his first one hundred days to address key priorities, one issue is crying out for urgent action: the precarious state of the World Trade Organization, which is confronting a variety of immediate and long-term crises.
New Atlanticist by Mark Linscott
Flagship reports and issue briefs
Thu, Jan 14, 2021
The hard work ahead in improving US-India agricultural trade
Between the United States and India, challenges on trade, specifically agricultural trade, persist. This analysis concludes that both countries should pursue a multi-pronged approach to expanding bilateral agricultural trade.
In-Depth Research & Reports by
Wed, Sep 16, 2020
Aligning India’s data governance frameworks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to usher in another half a billion Indians online is a fitting goal for an ambitious, young digital nation. Yet closing India’s digital divides and developing a robust digital economy will require a moonshot effort that leaves little room for error.
Issue Brief by
Wed, Sep 9, 2020
Transforming Indian agriculture: A policy framework to guide US-India partnership
Agriculture has formed the backbone of India’s economy for many decades and remains crucial to providing food security for the country’s growing population. It constitutes a major pillar of India’s economic growth and a significant contributor to its growing exports sector.
Issue Brief by
Countries in focus
Afghanistan
Politically, Afghanistan is at a critical juncture. As the United States deliberates how it will continue to engage with the nation, the pressure is mounting on its regional partners to step up and help stabilize the country for the sake of their own interests as well as those of the Afghan people.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh has undergone significant economic and social change since gaining independence in 1971, and is today one of the fastest growing countries worldwide. Despite its impressive achievements, Bangladesh continues to confront challenges including providing livelihoods for its youthful and growing population.
India
India has the strongest economy in the South Asian region, with rapid industrialization and growth in its services sector turning it into a global investment hub, although it continues to rely heavily on its agricultural sector. India must also navigate difficult relations with its neighbors, including Pakistan and China.
Pakistan
It has been hard for Pakistan to achieve strong economic growth over the years, but it still provides opportunities for private sector investors. Security remains a primary concern for Pakistan, as the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan and tensions with its eastern neighbor India persist.
Strategic dialogues
Developing a long-term transatlantic framework for peace and security in Afghanistan
Between fall 2020 and summer 2021, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center will host a set off private, high-level strategic dialogues to develop and advocate for a longer-term strategic outlook for ensuring stability in Afghanistan as well as maintaining US and European counter-terrorism interests. This effort will look beyond the US elections, recognizing that a political consensus is emerging to support a drawdown in US security commitments, but no such consensus exists on the long-term relationship with Afghanistan.
US-India trade initiative
This working group will take a political-economic approach in its examination of US-India trade relations. It will begin by developing a shared understanding of existing formal and informal governmental relationships that drive current trade positions and negotiation, and will critically examine the political and economic incentives. It will then identify and consider potential agreements with mutual benefit and limited areas of disagreement that may be pursued to facilitate trust, as well as policy tools available to the United States and India.
Youth engagement in the region
Leadership
Staff:
Kaveri Sarkar (Project Assistant)
Megan Goyette (Project Assistant)
Capucine Querenet (Research Assistant)
Oyindamola Aluko-Apata (Intern)
Emily Carll (Intern)
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The South Asia Center serves as the Atlantic Council’s focal point for work on greater South Asia as well as its relations between these countries, the neighboring regions, Europe, and the United States.
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