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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South Asian Meltdown?

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

South Asian Meltdown?

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

South Asian Meltdown?

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

Jun 6, 2012

South Asian Meltdown?

By Harlan Ullman

Conditions in South Asia are chaotic, confused, critical and potentially catastrophic. Afghanistan, India and Pakistan are confronted with existential security, economic and political dangers that could overwhelm the capacity and limited resources of each state to address.

Pakistan

Event Recap

Jun 6, 2012

USAID Partnerships in Innovation with India

The Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center held a public, off-the-record discussion on with Nisha Biswal, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) assistant administrator for Asia.

India United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Jun 1, 2012

NATO’s Many Challenges

By Joshua Foust

I had the privilege of attending the Young Atlanticist Summit, sponsored by The Atlantic Council, during the NATO Summit last week in Chicago. It was a fascinating experience, getting to hear NATO officials discuss their plans with an oftentimes skeptical crowd. NATO tried to sell the summit as a watershed moment for the alliance – […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

Mission Taliban

By Bharat Karnad

There are certain immutable laws of military history that repeated attempts at disproving them only end up confirming their veracity. One such law has to do with certain countries being simply intolerant of interventions by foreign powers. Vietnam and Afghanistan come readily to mind; they are the fabled “graveyards of empires”.

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

With an Eye Towards China, India Approves Arms Deal with the United States

By Ronak Desai

Decision makers in New Delhi have approved the purchase of 145 ultra-light weight howitzers from the United States for an estimated $560 million.

India

Event Recap

May 30, 2012

India-US Strategic Dialogue: Expanding Horizons of Bilateral Partnership

By Adrienne Chuck

On May 30, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center held a public discussion on “India-US Strategic Dialogue: Expanding Horizons of Bilateral Partnership,” with H.E. Nirupama Rao, ambassador of India to the United States.

India United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

May 22, 2012

NATO Muddles Through in Chicago

By James Joyner

The twenty-eight NATO heads of state just met for two days in Chicago and agreed that NATO was a very fine organization, indeed. They then kicked several cans down the road before posing for pictures and having a nice meal. The Chicago Summit Declaration was mostly boilerplate, declaring commitment to the transatlantic bond, the Washington Treaty, the troops […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 21, 2012

To Survive, NATO Must Globalize

By Anne-Marie Slaughter

Sixty-three years after the North Atlantic Treaty was signed, binding the United States, Canada, and ten European states to consider an attack on one an attack on all, NATO is transforming itself into a twenty-first-century global security organization. The result will be a safer world.  In 1949, the world was rapidly dividing into two principle […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 19, 2012

NATO Must Rethink Libya Model

By Andrea Baumann and Benedetta Berti

NATO’s summit in Chicago this weekend is unlikely to see much debate over the future of its controversial ‘out-of-area’ operations. Instead, prominent concerns over maintaining capabilities in an age of austerity will likely dominate the debate. This is a missed opportunity, as the last twelve months have been of unprecedented importance in shaping member countries’ […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

May 18, 2012

The Atlantic Alliance Transformed

By Brent Scowcroft

As the US inclination and ability to act unilaterally decline, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization becomes an even more vital tool for foreign and defense policy. However, NATO will only be relevant to new US strategic priorities and geopolitical realities if it changes the way it does business. Despite flaws in its execution, the ultimate […]

Afghanistan Libya
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Experts

Fellow

Grace Abuhamad

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

Former 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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