South Asia

South Asia is home to over 1.8 billion people and the largest youth population in the world. It includes India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. As one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, it serves as a strong economic link between the East and the West. South Asia’s strong global connections make it a zone of opportunity for businesses and governments engaging in infrastructure development, trade, and economic development.

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Biberman in Political Violence at a Glance: Peace by Assassination?

Issue Brief Apr 1, 2025

Rescuing Pakistan’s economy

By Aasim M. Husain

For decades, Pakistan has struggled with a declining standard of living, skyrocketing public debt, and economic policies that have failed to address the root causes of its stagnation.
Economy & Business Middle East
Biberman in Political Violence at a Glance: Peace by Assassination?

New Atlanticist Mar 25, 2025

Starlink’s India launch is a crash course on New Delhi’s approach to tech sovereignty

By Trisha Ray

A recently announced partnership to deploy the Elon Musk-led company’s satellite internet in India offers a window into New Delhi’s “hybrid” approach.
Economy & Business India
Biberman in Political Violence at a Glance: Peace by Assassination?

New Atlanticist Feb 19, 2025

Why India and Armenia are now taking their relationship to new heights

By Tatevik Khachatryan, Srujan Palkar

The growing military and diplomatic cooperation between New Delhi and Yerevan benefits both beyond immediate defense concerns.
Economy & Business India

Programs

The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. ​At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

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Content

In the News

May 25, 2016

Biberman in Political Violence at a Glance: Peace by Assassination?

By Atlantic Council

Extremism Non-Traditional Threats

In the News

May 25, 2016

Biberman in Political Violence At A Glance: Peace by Assassination?

By Yelena Biberman

Read the full article here.

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

May 23, 2016

Taliban Leader’s Death Puts Pakistan on Notice

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Drone strike should send a signal that the United States will not tolerate terrorist safe havens, said Atlantic Council’s James B. Cunningham The US drone strike that killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in Pakistan over the weekend should send a clear signal that the United States will no longer tolerate terrorist sanctuaries in […]

Afghanistan Pakistan

In the News

May 18, 2016

Kampani in International Security: Battling over Pakistan’s Battlefield Nuclear Weapons

By Guarav Kampani

Read the full article here.

Pakistan

Event Recap

May 17, 2016

This brave new world: India, China, and the United States

By Michelle Foley

On May 17th, the Brent Scowcroft Center for International Security and the South Asia Center co-hosted Anja Manuel, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the RiceHadleyGates LLC, for a discussion on her new book, “This Brave New World: India, China, and the United States.” In the book, Manuel discusses the implications for the world order given […]

China Climate Change & Climate Action

In the News

May 8, 2016

Ambassador Khalilzad Interviewed by The Hindu US Policy in the Middle East and US Presidential Elections

By Atlantic Council

Read the full article here.

Afghanistan Middle East

IranSource

Apr 29, 2016

Traffickers Find Novel Ways of Smuggling Drugs into Iran from Afghanistan

By Fatemeh Aman

It sounds like something from the Middle Ages but it’s the latest method for drug traffickers along the Iran-Afghanistan border. The commander of Sistan and Baluchestan’s border guard, Raham Bakhsh Habibi, says that drug traffickers are smuggling drugs into Iran by using a catapult made of special metal fixtures and tire tubes that can toss packages weighing 10 […]

Afghanistan Iran

In the News

Apr 27, 2016

Watts testifies before House Committee on Homeland Security on ISIS in the Pacific

By John Watts

Read the full testimony here.

South Asia Terrorism
The 18th SAARC Summit

Issue Brief

Apr 26, 2016

Cooperation in South Asia: The case for redefining alliances

By MANJARI CHATTERJEE MILLER AND BHARATH GOPALASWAMY

Political mistrust in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is high and this, in turn, has historically led to shortsighted economic policies and disjointed coordination. As India asserts itself as a global economic player, its leadership, specifically in SAARC, may lead to the political successes necessary to ensure broader connectivity and cooperation in […]

Politics & Diplomacy South Asia

Congressional Relations

Apr 26, 2016

US-India Relationship: Playing Defense

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Deeper defense cooperation seen as key to boosting a trade relationship that has ‘plateaued’ As the United States and India set out to realize their goal of elevating annual bilateral trade to $500 billion over the next decade, deeper defense cooperation will be key to energizing a trade relationship that has “plateaued,” two senior US […]

India Pakistan
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Experts

Fellow

Nisha Narayanan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business India

Fellow

Zeena Nisar

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Central Asia China

Millennium fellow

Jonathan Ong

Senior Analyst, Informa Tech Target

Millennium Leadership Program

East Asia South Asia
Srujan Palkar's image for the Atlantic Council website

Staff

Srujan Palkar

Global India Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

China Economy & Business

Fellow

Alex Plitsas

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Afghanistan Crisis Management

Fellow

Omer Rafiq

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Hindi
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