<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

View of the river in the mountains of northern Pakistan.

Environment, Science & Technology

Military & Security

Reduced coordination on river data and forecasting will increase uncertainty in water management, while the potential expansion of Indian upstream infrastructure could portend faster, more unstable crises with Pakistan.

What To Expect if India Starts Halting Indus Water Flows to Pakistan

Snapshots

United States

Australia

China

Fiji

Japan

(From left to right) Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hold a joint press conference after their Quad meeting in New Delhi on May 26, 2026.

Economics

The meeting proved the grouping is still functional, but it faces strong constraints in turning ambitious coordination frameworks into functional maritime, infrastructure, critical minerals and energy initiatives that blunt Chinese regional influence.

Takeaways From Quad Summit: New Initiatives, Enduring Constraints and Future Uncertainty

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Philippines

Armenia

Kazakhstan

Russia

A cargo ship anchored May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Major gaps in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program persist, and the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will remain fragile over the next week.

Politics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Rubio Visits India, a Fragile U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

U.S.-Iran Relations

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Afghan protesters burn a Pakistani flag during a demonstration in Helmand Province in 2016.

Gains from the Afghan Taliban's growing regional ties will be hindered by enduring disputes, logistical constraints, infrastructure security risks, and Pakistan's possible absence from future multilateral engagements.

How the Afghan-Pakistani Conflict Is Redrawing Regional Relations

Supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrate with the party flags in Kolkata, India, following state elections in West Bengal.

The ruling party's expanding control across state governments will likely gradually strengthen its position in Parliament and accelerate the implementation of citizenship and labor policies.

In India, the BJP's State Election Wins Set the Stage for National Reform

United Kingdom

An oil products tanker at Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.K. Elections, Iran War Resumption Risk

An oil tanker is seen docked in the southeastern Iranian coastal city of Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman, in February 2019.

Chabahar is poised to transition from an ambitious commercial venture to a symbolic strategic asset, as India seeks to maintain long-term access and regional influence until sanctions conditions become clearer.

Expired U.S. Sanctions Waiver Threatens India's Chabahar Port Project in Iran

South Korea

Vietnam

Europe

Employees walk at the construction site of a gas metering station, part of the pipeline link between Bulgaria and Greece near the village of Malko Kadievo, on March 18, 2022. 

Energy

The Weekly Rundown: No U.S.-Iran Breakthrough, EU Ban on Spot Market Russian LNG

Parliament House is seen in New Delhi, India.

The ruling BJP will continue pushing to enact a women's legislative quota, either as a standalone law that could intensify intra-party competition before the 2029 elections, or as a part of broader political reforms that could trigger a north-south regional crisis.

Modi's Push to Redraw India's Electoral Map Faces a Setback

A passenger boat sails past the Indian-flagged oil tanker Kashimasan, which is docked near an offloading terminal at Butcher Island (also known as Jawahar Dweep) off the coast of Mumbai, India, on April 1, 2026.

Energy and fertilizer price shocks from the Iran war will increasingly threaten energy supplies, crop yields and economic growth across the region, pressuring governments' foreign exchange reserves and heightening unrest risks.

In South Asia, Iran War Fallout Risks Worsening Economic and Political Instability

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, who is currently on a four-day trip to China, said he discussed boosting cooperation in trade, agriculture, health, tourism, and science and technology research with Chinese officials, Reuters reported June 16.

Nepal: Foreign Minister Visits China Days After Visiting India

France

Slovakia

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on June 14 and 15, respectively, The Hindu reported the same day.

India: Modi Meets With France's Macron and Slovakia's Fico Amid G7 Summit

Pakistan presented the fiscal year 2026-27 budget, which proposes spending of 18.7 trillion rupees ($67 billion), Reuters reported on June 12.

Pakistan: Foreign Minister Presents Budget

Following four days of talks in New Delhi between Bangladeshi and Indian border officials, Border Guard Bangladesh and India's Border Security Force agreed to enhance intelligence sharing and joint patrols, Reuters reported on June 12.

Bangladesh, India: Border Officials Agree To Enhance Cooperation Amid Undocumented Migrant Row

Bangladesh's government unveiled its budget for fiscal year 2026-27, outlining a 19% increase in expenditure to 9.38 trillion taka ($76 billion), financed through stronger revenue collection and external borrowing while maintaining the fiscal deficit at 3.6% of GDP, Bloomberg reported on June 11.

Bangladesh: Finance Minister Presents Budget in Parliament

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit France and then Slovakia from June 13-16 to hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Reuters reported on June 10.

India: Modi To Visit France and Slovakia Ahead of G7 Summit

Hundreds of people gathered on June 6 in New Delhi, India, after police authorized the first in-person protest of the "Cockroach Janta Party" online youth group at the Jantar Mantar demonstration site, demanding the education minister resign amid recent scandals linked to school exams, Hindustan Times reported on June 7.

India: Youth Group Draws Hundreds in First Protest, Issues Ultimatum for Education Minister's Resignation

Venezuela

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez in New Delhi as India seeks to strengthen energy cooperation amid global supply disruptions, Bloomberg reported on June 4.

India, Venezuela: Modi Meets Rodriguez, Reinforcing Venezuela's Growing Role in India's Energy Strategy

South Asia

SITUATION REPORTS

Nepal: Foreign Minister Visits China Days After Visiting India

India: Modi Meets With France's Macron and Slovakia's Fico Amid G7 Summit

Pakistan: Foreign Minister Presents Budget

Bangladesh, India: Border Officials Agree To Enhance Cooperation Amid Undocumented Migrant Row

Bangladesh: Finance Minister Presents Budget in Parliament

India: Modi To Visit France and Slovakia Ahead of G7 Summit

India: Youth Group Draws Hundreds in First Protest, Issues Ultimatum for Education Minister's Resignation

India, Venezuela: Modi Meets Rodriguez, Reinforcing Venezuela's Growing Role in India's Energy Strategy

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