South Asia

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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Crossing Our Fingers for Afghanistan’s New President

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

Crossing Our Fingers for Afghanistan’s New President

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

Crossing Our Fingers for Afghanistan’s New President

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

New Atlanticist

Sep 30, 2014

Crossing Our Fingers for Afghanistan’s New President

By James Rupert

There is painful irony in watching the earnest, smiling Ashraf Ghani take office as Afghanistan’s president. As did his predecessor, Hamid Karzai, Ghani begins his term bearing enormous hopes of both Afghans and the world. If anything, Ghani—as a development economist, longtime World Bank officer and a practiced administrator—has more experience at many parts of […]

Afghanistan

Event Recap

Sep 30, 2014

Pakistan Importing Americas Federalism

By Atlantic Council

Asif Memon, an associate fellow at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, looks at federalism in Pakistan because of constitutional and legislative changes undertaken by the South Asian country in recent years. Specifically, in 2010 Pakistan adopted the 18th amendment, bringing substantive change in organization of the government and transformed the policy landscape. The National Finance […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Sep 29, 2014

In Afghanistan, President Ghani’s First Steps Will Be Critical

By Shuja Nawaz

President Ashraf Ghani took over from President Hamid Karzai in Kabul today in an historic transition. A long dispute over the election result was resolved with a rare compromise that brought Dr. Ghani’s opponent, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, into government in a new position, as “chief executive,” that is shaped as a kind of prime ministership. […]

Afghanistan South Asia

Article

Sep 29, 2014

A second chance with India

By Nicholas Burns

Obama’s opportunity with India and its new leader When the new Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, visits the White House this week, President Obama should seize the opportunity to revive and rebuild an important relationship with a key Asian partner that has fallen on hard times in recent years. In strategic terms, there are few […]

India

In the News

Sep 29, 2014

Nawaz on Modi’s Visit to Washington

By Shuja Nawaz

South Asia Center Director Shuja Nawaz joins Amity University’s Newshour Debate to discuss Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official visit to Washington: 

India

In the News

Sep 28, 2014

Burns: Obama’s Opportunity with India and Its New Leader

By Nicholas Burns

Atlantic Council Board Member Nicholas Burns writes for the Washington Post on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington this week:

India

In the News

Sep 27, 2014

Nawaz on Pakistan’s Intelligence Director

By Shuja Nawaz

NBC quotes South Asia Center Director Shuja Nawaz on Pakistan’s new intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar:

Pakistan

SouthAsiaSource

Sep 26, 2014

This Week in South Asia: September 20-26

By Elijah Logsdon and Refayat Haque

Commentary from the South Asia Center on the most relevant news from the region, and suggested “must-read” analyses from the week. AfghanistanAfter extensive campaigning, two rounds of voting, and an internationally-supervised recount, Afghanistan’s protracted presidential election finally ended on Saturday in an anticlimactic fifteen-minute ceremony.  Both candidates, Dr. Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, met […]

Afghanistan India

In the News

Sep 26, 2014

Gopalaswamy: Cooperation, the Final Frontier

By Bharath Gopalaswamy

South Asia Center Deputy Director Bharath Gopalaswamy writes for US News and World Report on cooperation between the United States and India regarding major space projects:

India
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Sept. 18, 2009

NATOSource

Sep 23, 2014

NATO’s outgoing chief: ‘We cut fat, built muscle’

By John-Thor Dahlburg, AP

When Anders Fogh Rasmussen took over at NATO, the alliance was struggling to contain a growing insurgency in Afghanistan, and some predicted it would soon follow its Cold War foe, the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact, into the dustbin of history.

Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force
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Experts

Fellow

Grace Abuhamad

Former Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Digital Policy Internet

Fellow

Elliot Ackerman

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Defense Policy

Fellow

Paul Amato

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Missile Defense Nuclear Deterrence

Fellow

Peter Arvo

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

China Human Rights

Staff

Rayhan Asat

Senior Legal & Policy Advisor, China Lead

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Central Asia China

Fellow

Kyle Atwell

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Colombia
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