South Asia

Sri Lanka and the emerging order in South Asia

After decades of damaging civil war, Sri Lanka and its new government are setting a course to prevent the reoccurrence of conflict and violence. In an unprecedented session combining political and civil society leaders, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Prasad Kariyawasam and Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies’ Jeevan Thiagarajah and Dhanya Ratnavale […]

Nuclear Expert Outlines India’s ‘Command and Control’ Policy

By Larry Luxner

Retired Brigadier Arun Sahgal, one of India’s top experts on nuclear policy, reasserted his country’s “no first use” doctrine in a June 23 presentation to the Atlantic Council. Sahgal, Director of the New Delhi-based Forum for Strategic Initiative, doesn’t represent official thinking, but he spoke from thirty-six years of experience in the Indian Army. “India’s […]

India’s nuclear command and control and its implications for strategic stability in South Asia

By Nazia Khan

On June 23, Brigadier (ret’d) Arun Sahgal spoke to the Atlantic Council about the principles shaping India’s nuclear command and control structure. Now serving as the director of the Forum for Strategic Initiative, Sahgal does not represent the official Indian position, but spoke from over 36 years of experience in the Indian Army. He focused […]

Building self-reliance and prosperity in Afghanistan

By South Asia Center

On June 11, 2015 Paul Ross, Mission Chief for Afghanistan, International Monetary Fund (IMF) spoke with South Asia Center Senior Fellow and Khalilzad Chair Ambassador James B. Cunningham about the IMF’s involvement in Afghanistan and its efforts to help revitalize the Afghan economy. He briefed the audience on the recently-concluded agreement with the Afghan Government on an IMF Staff […]

IMF: Ghani has Shown Afghanistan is ‘Open for Business’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Fund official says administration in Kabul still has to overcome some ‘bottlenecks’ Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has shown the world that his administration is “open for business,” but Afghanistan still faces “a lot of bottlenecks” that need to be addressed, the International Monetary Fund’s top official in Kabul said June 11. Paul Ross, IMF Mission […]

A conversation with Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary H.E. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry

By Refayat Haque

On June 4, His Excellency Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, gave public remarks at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center. He spoke about the government’s progress in restoring peace and stability in the country and their approach to pursue regional security. H.E. Chaudhry outlined the success of the counter-insurgency campaign […]

Pakistani Taliban’s Core ‘Dismantled’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary says military campaign against terrorists in ‘critical phase’ The Pakistani military has dismantled the Taliban’s core in a successful operation that is now in a “critical phase,” Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said June 4 at the Atlantic Council. The terrorist group’s leadership “is on the run,” Chaudhry said.