India-Pakistan Rivalry Afghanistan’s “Gordian Knot”

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

India-Pakistan Rivalry Afghanistan’s “Gordian Knot”

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

India-Pakistan Rivalry Afghanistan’s “Gordian Knot”

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.

Learn more

Content

New Atlanticist

Jul 28, 2011

India-Pakistan Rivalry Afghanistan’s “Gordian Knot”

By Barbara Slavin

U.S. hopes to withdraw forces and leave behind a stable Afghanistan may rest on whether Pakistan and India can lower bilateral tensions and refrain from using Afghan territory for a new proxy war.

India Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 22, 2011

Heart of Transition in Herat

By William B. Caldwell IV

Yesterday, it was my honor to represent NATO and ISAF at the transition ceremony in the western Afghan city of Herat. Herat is Afghanistan’s third largest city and one of its oldest; founded 2,700 years ago, Herat still serves as an important link among the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Alongside landmarks of […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 19, 2011

Drop by Drop, A River is Formed: Transition Begins in Afghanistan

By William B. Caldwell IV

Over the next week, lead security responsibility in Afghanistan will shift from NATO to the Afghan Army and Police in seven areas: the provinces of Bamiyan, Panjshir, Kabul (minus Sarobi District) and the municipalities of Mazar e-Sharif, Herat, Lashkar Gah, and Mehtar Lam. President Karzai trumpeted this important decision earlier this year and offered a […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 19, 2011

Afghanistan’s Women Face a Dangerous and Uncertain Future

By Anna Borshchevskaya

As President Obama announced his decision to withdraw 33,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by next summer, the Taliban vowed to continue fighting and dismissed as “symbolic” Obama’s withdrawal announcement. “There is no negotiation with the United States or with any other countries and we deny any report about such kind of peace talks,” said Taliban […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 14, 2011

The Death of Ahmed Wali Karzai – Filling the Void

By James Cook

When Sardar Mohammad murdered Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half-brother of President Hamid Karzai, on Tuesday, he created a security and political power void in the volatile southern region of Afghanistan. The reason why Mohammad, a close associate and police commander, killed Karzai remains unclear. While the Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, others have suggested that […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 13, 2011

Pakistan and America: Friends, foes or in free fall?

By Harlan Ullman

When it seems U.S.-Pakistan relations cannot get worse, they do. This past week, The New York Times, perhaps coaxed by the White House or CIA, held Pakistan’s army and Inter-Services Intelligence responsible for the killing of a journalist and called for the resignation of the ISI director general. Over the weekend, it followed with a […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 12, 2011

Talking with Benazir

By Julian Lindley-French

The American decision to ‘punish’ Pakistan by withdrawing some $800m of a $3 billion military aid package demonstrates Washington’s nuanced approach to dealing with Islamabad that is to be commended. Clearly, the Pakistani Government knew exactly the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden at the time of his death in May at the hands of American […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2011

Topsy-Turvy Alliance

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

The ingredients for a pluperfect national storm coupled with a pluperfect action completed at or before the time of another past action are the best way to try to understand the crazy mixed-up — but still critically important — alliance between Pakistan and the United States. Fickle friends and strong enemies at the same time […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jul 5, 2011

How to get Pakistan to break with Islamic militants

By Zalmay Khalilzad

In his Afghanistan speech last week, President Obama said we must “address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan.” He vowed to “press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future,” “work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism” and “insist that it keep its commitments.”

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jun 30, 2011

Vietnam Redux

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

U.S. President Barack Obama has just finished explaining to the world that he is ordering 10,000 soldiers home from Afghanistan this year and another 23,000 by September 2012, which will still leave some 70,000 till 2014, when his secretary walks in, notepad at the ready, and says, “The Taliban called. They said, ‘Take your time.'” […]

Afghanistan
Load More

Experts

Fellow

Beth Van Schaack

Distinguished Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Human Rights International Norms

Fellow

Zeena Nisar

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

Central Asia China

Millennium fellow

Fadji Maina

Research Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Millennium Leadership Program

Americas Education

Millennium fellow

Jonathan Ong

Senior Analyst, Informa Tech Target

Millennium Leadership Program

East Asia South Asia

Millennium fellow

Lima Halima-Khalil

Co-Founder & Program Director, ArtLords

Millennium Leadership Program

Afghanistan Middle East

Millennium fellow

Marissa Guiang

COO for Emerging Markets & Asia Fundamental Equities, BlackRock

Millennium Leadership Program

East Asia Economy & Business
Load More