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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Afghanistan: Counterinsurgency or Counterterrorism?

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

Afghanistan: Counterinsurgency or Counterterrorism?

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

Afghanistan: Counterinsurgency or Counterterrorism?

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

Mar 25, 2009

Afghanistan: Counterinsurgency or Counterterrorism?

By James Joyner

Slate’s Fred Kaplan reports that, after weeks of strategic reviews, the Obama administration will have to decide by next week’s NATO summit between “two radically different Afghanistan policies.”

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Mar 23, 2009

Has NATO Lost Afghanistan?

By James Joyner

In an interviewed aired on last night’s installment of CBS’ “60 Minutes,” President Obama continued to define victory down in Afghanistan, stating that, “Making sure Al-Qaeda cannot attack the US homeland and US interests and our allies. That’s the number one priority.”

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Mar 20, 2009

Counterinsurgency Consensus Misguided

By Steve Hynd

John McCain and Joe Lieberman have an op-ed in the Washington Post  telling President Obama to…do exactly what he’s already doing in Afghanistan. McCain and Lieberman, the former the designated point man for neocon pressure to keep the Afghan occupation long and strong, have found themselves arguing against previous Obama administration rhetoric designed to keep […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Mar 20, 2009

Escalation in Pakistan?

By Bernard Finel

David Sanger and Eric Schmitt’s report in the  New York Times that “President Obama and his national security advisers are considering expanding the American covert war in Pakistan far beyond the unruly tribal areas to strike at a different center of Taliban power in Baluchistan, where top Taliban leaders are orchestrating attacks into southern Afghanistan” […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Mar 18, 2009

Pakistan: Peril or Promise?

By Harlan Ullman

You are president of Pakistan.  Your country faces seemingly intractable and simultaneous crises. You rightly believe that an existential threat to your nation is posed by the insurgencies led by religious zealots and extremists.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Mar 16, 2009

Pakistan Capitulates to Protestors, Reinstates Judge

By James Joyner

Pakistan’s government has agree to reinstate ousted Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhamad Chaudry in an effort to defuse violent protests in Lahore that have the country in turmoil.

Pakistan

Event Recap

Mar 13, 2009

NATO Head: Pakistan FATA Key to Afghan Security

Speaking before a full house at the 2009 Warsaw Transatlantic Forum, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called for enhancing regional cooperation in Afghanistan in order to counter the Taliban insurgency. Noting the central role of Pakistan in the conflict, he urged for improving security and development in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Mar 13, 2009

Obama Repeating Bush Mistakes in South Asia?

By James Joyner

Juan Cole, a leading historian of the Islamic world and fervent critic of the Bush administration’s policies, tells Harper‘s Scott Collins that he’s not so pleased with the Obama administration’s policies, either.

South Asia United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Mar 13, 2009

Pakistan Protests Bring Fear of Military Coup

By James Joyner

Top diplomats from the United States and the United Kingdom are trying to broker a deal between the government of Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari and chief opposition leader Nawaz Sharif amid fears that a string of protests could result in yet another military takeover.

Pakistan United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Mar 10, 2009

Afghanistan: Time to Give Up?

By James Joyner

The New York Times headline “U.S. General Says Allies ‘Not Winning’ Afghan War” grabbed my attention. After all, the Atlantic Council issued a widely-cited report fourteen months ago which began, “Make no mistake, the international community is not winning in Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan
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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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