Hide
South Asia Center

Issue Brief May 8, 2023

Bangladesh draft data protection act 2023: Potential and pitfalls

By Christabel Randolph

The Bangladesh government’s updated draft data protection bill is a welcome revision of its 2022 attempt to address the country’s lack of a comprehensive data protection law, but there is still room for constructive change to heighten regulatory certainty.
Bangladesh Digital Policy
South Asia Center

Issue Brief May 4, 2023

India’s personal data protection act and the politics of digital governance

By Stephen Weymouth

The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill of 2022 aims to balance the interests of Indian consumers seeking enhanced privacy and data security against the business need for unconstrained data flows.
Digital Policy Economy & Business
South Asia Center

Issue Brief Apr 17, 2023

Pakistan’s rapidly digitizing society requires clear policymaking

By Uzair Younus

This issue brief provides recommended steps that policymakers in Pakistan ought to take to address key concerns around free expression on the internet, and to generate momentum to catalyze higher levels of growth in Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
Digital Policy Economy & Business

Countries in focus

AFGHANISTAN
bangladesh
india
pakistan

US-India trade initiative

SPOTLIGHT:

The latest on US-India Trade Initiative

The Atlantic Council’s US-India trade initiative seeks to facilitate lasting, meaningful economic engagement between both countries and complement efforts by the US Government to strengthen the broader US-India relationship and vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

VIEW THE INITIATIVE
South Asia Center

New Atlanticist Apr 27, 2022

As the EU courts India on trade, here’s what to watch

Brussels wants to bring New Delhi closer into its economic orbit—but that won’t be so easy.

Read More
South Asia Center

New Atlanticist Apr 20, 2022

How Biden can secure better trade terms

By Mark Linscott

Here’s why the US Generalized System of Preferences program could be a vital tool in addressing US export interests.
Economy & Business Macroeconomics
South Asia Center

Issue Brief Apr 19, 2022

E-commerce policy for a new digital India

By Anand Raghuraman

As India looks to revise its e-commerce frameworks, policymakers in Delhi have a unique opportunity to articulate core principles and processes that can deliver practical, inclusive, and durable policy solutions.
Digital Policy Economy & Business

SouthAsiaSource blog

South Asia Center

Interview May 23, 2023

A conversation with Hassan Abbas on his new book “The Return of the Taliban”

By Hassan Abbas & Uzair Younus

Uzair Younus talks to Hassan Abbas, distinguished professor at National Defense University, about his new book “The Return of the Taliban.”
Afghanistan Conflict
South Asia Center

SouthAsiaSource May 22, 2023

India’s geopolitical rise in context: Regional implications

By Sandeep Kumar

India’s gain in geopolitical leverage could escalate tensions in Asia as opposed to promoting stability. The international community should take note.
China India
South Asia Center

SouthAsiaSource May 22, 2023

In Pakistan, populist Imran Khan faces the biggest challenge of his political career

By Roohan Ahmed

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s populist former prime minister, is facing the biggest test of his political career as he challenges the very same security establishment that accelerated his journey to power in the 2018 elections.
Corruption Elections
VIEW MORE

Strategic dialogues

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.
view more

Leadership

Fellow

Irfan Nooruddin

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Elections Economy & Business

Staff

Uzair Younus

Director, Pakistan Initiative

South Asia Center

Economy & Business English

Staff

Harris A. Samad

Associate Director

South Asia Center

Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Security & Defense

Staff

Misha Iqbal

Program Assistant

South Asia Center

Chinese Conflict
ABOUT THE CENTER

Join the South Asia Center mailing list

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.



  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Experts

Fellow

Javid Ahmad

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Terrorism Security & Defense

Fellow

Rabia Akhtar

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Nuclear Deterrence Security & Defense

Fellow

Kamal Alam

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Afghanistan English

Fellow

Adnan Ahmad Ansari

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

Fellow

Farieha Aziz

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Civil Society Indo-Pacific

Fellow

Ridhika Batra

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy
Load More

Content

SouthAsiaSource

Apr 28, 2023

The stark choice facing the United States in Afghanistan: Leave entirely or finish the job

By Davood Moradian

The release of the White House’s review of the chaotic 2021 troop withdrawal showed once again that the realities of Afghanistan and US partisan politics take precedence over President Biden's desire to permanently disentangle Washington from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan International Organizations

Issue Brief

Apr 17, 2023

Pakistan’s rapidly digitizing society requires clear policymaking

By Uzair Younus

This issue brief provides recommended steps that policymakers in Pakistan ought to take to address key concerns around free expression on the internet, and to generate momentum to catalyze higher levels of growth in Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.

Digital Policy Economy & Business

SouthAsiaSource

Apr 12, 2023

The geopolitics of the energy trilemma in South Asia

By Robert F. Ichord, Jr.

South Asian countries are being subjected to the consequences of China and Russia’s efforts to expand their influence in the region. In this complex geopolitical context, expanded US and G7 clean energy efforts are needed.

Bangladesh Climate Change & Climate Action

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 31, 2023

The unfinished efforts against terrorism and militancy in Pakistan

By Shuja Nawaz and other experts

Terrorism is reemerging in Pakistan. To understand how it should respond to this heightened threat, Distinguished Fellow Shuja Nawaz moderated a series of conversations with experts about fighting terrorism and militancy.

Extremism National Security

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 27, 2023

The problem with India’s app bans

By Justin Sherman

The Indian government needs to build a comprehensive, transparent, and accountable means of addressing data privacy and security risks.

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Mar 27, 2023

The future of women in India: Barriers, facilitators and opportunities

By Amita N. Vyas, Misha Iqbal, Capucine Querenet, Harris Samad, Irfan Nooruddin

This issue brief describes cross-cutting themes, a proposed theory of change, and recommendations that emerged from the Atlantic Council and US Department of State expert convening, “Future of Women and Work in South Asia” on how to foster cross-sectoral collaboration and catalyze knowledge sharing to support women’s economic empowerment in South Asia.

Education India

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 22, 2023

Experts react: Elections postponed in Pakistan’s Punjab province

By South Asia Center and other experts

On March 22, 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced a decision to delay elections in Punjab, the country’s most populous province. We asked experts to react to this decision.

Elections Pakistan

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 20, 2023

Who is behind the killings of Kashmiri militants in Pakistan?

By Anonymous

Editor’s note: We have decided to retract this article because it did not go through the Atlantic Council's standard editorial process prior to publication and therefore did not meet our editorial standards. We regret the error.

Extremism India

SouthAsiaSource

Mar 9, 2023

With Pakistan’s economy in freefall, Chinese economic and military influence is likely to grow in the country

By Uzair Younus

This essay explores the potential impact of the ongoing crises on the China-Pakistan relationship and its implications for US-Pakistan bilateral relations, especially in the context of the growing strategic competition between the United States and China.

China Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Mar 8, 2023

Inside Bangladesh’s new data protection laws

By Stephen Weymouth

The 2022 Draft Data Protection Act (DPA), which establishes new restrictions related to the processing, storage, and transfer of data, appears to move Bangladesh’s digital governance in a different direction.

Bangladesh Digital Policy
Load More