<p>Everything that informs geopolitics can be found in South Asia: challenging demographics, geographic diversity, and contentious, ill-defined borders. The Himalayan Mountains form the northern border of South Asia, whose two main rivers, the Indus and the Ganges, support the region&rsquo;s great population centers. India is the region&rsquo;s dominant country, home to the world&rsquo;s fastest growing economy. But its rivalry with neighboring Pakistan, a fellow nuclear power and growing consumer market, has made South Asia one of the world&rsquo;s most dangerous nuclear flashpoints. The region is also a testament to how militancy and militarism can undermine the regional integration needed to unleash higher economic growth.</p>

Everything that informs geopolitics can be found in South Asia: challenging demographics, geographic diversity, and contentious, ill-defined borders. 

South Asia

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

Bhutan

India

Maldives

Nepal

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

The Politics of Pipelines

Banking

Crossing Borders

Globalization

Social Issues

The Pulse of Political Islam

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

India's Own Worst Enemy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Assessments

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Middle East and North Africa

A farmer sprinkles fertilizer over a crop of cauliflower on the outskirts of Bangalore, India, in November 2020.

Economics

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

The Strait of Hormuz blockade is straining global supplies of nitrogen- and phosphorus-based fertilizers, which could lead to lower crop yields, higher food prices and fiscal strain for agricultural producers if the disruptions persist.

Assessing the Iran War's Impact on Global Fertilizer Supplies

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Military & Security

Politics

Demographics may not be destiny, but it does play a major role in questions of national power.

The Geopolitics of Demographics: An Introduction

Iran

Saudi Arabia

A digital illustration of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s national flags.

Despite having a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will likely only provide the kingdom with low-level defensive and technical support, rather than direct military intervention against Iran, due to various constraints.

In a War With Iran, the Pakistani-Saudi Defense Pact Has Limits 

Canada

United States

Australia

Japan

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Australia, on March 5, 2026. 

Canada's push to deepen economic and security ties with India, Australia and Japan faces constraints and may inadvertently strengthen the U.S.-led regional structure Ottawa is trying to hedge against.

The Promise and Limitations of Canada's Push to Diversify Strategic Partnerships

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Feb. 3 in Washington.

India will likely delay finalizing its trade deal with the United States while seeking opportunities to expand its Russian oil imports, creating a risk of U.S. pharmaceutical tariffs against it.

The State of the Indian-U.S. Trade Deal After IEEPA Tariffs

China

Germany

The Tehran skyline on Dec. 30, 2025. On March 2, U.S. and Iranian negotiators will meet in Vienna, Austria, to begin technical talks on a nuclear deal.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Conflict in the Middle East, Merz meets Trump 

U.S.-Iran Relations

Snapshots

A Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keeps watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Feb. 27 in in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The ongoing escalation marks a shift into overt interstate conflict, though the most likely near-term trajectory is a sustained cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation.

The ongoing escalation marks a shift into overt interstate conflict, though the most likely near-term trajectory is a sustained cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation.

Afghan-Pakistan Tensions Erupt Into Conflict

Israel

Palestinian Territories

Indonesia

Vietnam

Slovakia

Hungary

Ukraine

Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds up his signature on the founding charter of the Board of Peace among other world leaders at the World Economic Forum on Jan. 22 in Davos, Switzerland.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: The Board of Peace Convenes, Russia-Ukraine-U.S. Talks in Geneva

A man walks past campaign posters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman and Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on Feb. 13, 2026.

The transition from an interim administration will likely restore political stability, though social and fiscal pressures will still pose constraints for the new center-right government.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party Wins Big in First Election Since 2024 Uprising

Media

Podcasts

What major challenges will the incoming government face?

What To Expect From Bangladesh's Upcoming Elections

Qatar

Turkey

Pakistan's information minister announced on March 18 a pause on strikes in Afghanistan beginning midnight the same day and extending through midnight on March 23, AP reported on March 18.

Pakistan, Afghanistan: Islamabad Announces Days-Long Pause on Strikes Following Foreign Pressure

Unnamed sources at Afghanistan's forensic medicine department in Kabul said overnight Pakistani airstrikes hit a drug rehabilitation center in the capital, killing more than 100 people, BBC reported on March 17.

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Pakistani Strike Hits Kabul Rehab Facility, Reportedly Killing Hundreds

India's government is negotiating with Iran to ensure the safe transit of six liquefied petroleum gas tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported on March 16. 

India: Government Negotiates With Iran To Prioritize the Transit of Six LPG Tankers

The Afghan Taliban said Pakistan targeted civilian homes and private airline Kam Air's fuel depots, killing at least six civilians and wounding more than a dozen others, AP reported on March 13.

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Pakistan's Strikes in Afghanistan Renew Challenge to Mediation Efforts

Nepal's Election Commission announced on March 12 that the three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party, or RSP, won 182 of 275 parliamentary seats in the country's March 5 election, Nepal's first since popular anti-government protests helped oust the country's previous government in September 2025, Reuters reported on March 13.

Nepal: RSP Sweeps Parliamentary Elections, Positioning Former Kathmandu Mayor as Next Prime Minister

The U.S. Department of State notified Congress the week of March 9 of its intent to close the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, claiming it would save $7.5 million a year and have limited impact on the United States' diplomatic influence in Pakistan, AP reported on March 11. 

U.S., Pakistan: U.S. To Close Consulate in Peshawar, Purportedly To Cut Costs

Three unnamed Pakistani officials said Chinese mediation in recent weeks has helped ease cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with China's special envoy to Afghanistan shuttling between the warring countries for talks and China's President Xi Jinping recording a message in late February calling for the parties to halt their skirmishes, Reuters reported on March 12.

Afghanistan, Pakistan: China's Mediation Facilitates Ease in Afghanistan-Pakistan Fighting

On March 10, India eased rules for investments from countries with which it shares a land border, allowing automatic approval for non-controlling stakes of up to 10% with compliance requirements, and establishing a 60-day approval timeline for investments in sectors such as electronic components, rare earth magnets and wafers, Bloomberg reported on March 11.

India, China: India To Partially Ease FDI Scrutiny for China

South Asia

SITUATION REPORTS

Pakistan, Afghanistan: Islamabad Announces Days-Long Pause on Strikes Following Foreign Pressure

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Pakistani Strike Hits Kabul Rehab Facility, Reportedly Killing Hundreds

India: Government Negotiates With Iran To Prioritize the Transit of Six LPG Tankers

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Pakistan's Strikes in Afghanistan Renew Challenge to Mediation Efforts

Nepal: RSP Sweeps Parliamentary Elections, Positioning Former Kathmandu Mayor as Next Prime Minister

U.S., Pakistan: U.S. To Close Consulate in Peshawar, Purportedly To Cut Costs

Afghanistan, Pakistan: China's Mediation Facilitates Ease in Afghanistan-Pakistan Fighting

India, China: India To Partially Ease FDI Scrutiny for China

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support