South Asia

Despite regional rivalries and political instability, South Asia has considerable momentum and great promise for becoming a hub of growth and prosperity. Indeed, a prosperous and secure South Asia is vital to the future of Asia as a whole. Through policy dialogues and solution-oriented recommendations papers, public events, and expert commentary, ASPI furthers understanding of the region in the rest of the world. ASPI has conducted several projects to assess the region’s challenges and to develop recommendations on policies to help South Asia’s countries pave a path toward stability and development. ASPI has also engaged in work to help improve relations between the United States and countries in the region.

Featured Initiatives

Securing Peace in Asia

An ASPI initiative to strengthen regional security institutions in Asia, led by a high-level Policy Commission whose members are from China, Japan, North- and South Korea, India, Indonesia, and the U.S.
India and APEC: Charting a Path to Membership

This ASPI initiative aims to accelerate India’s entry into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
Asia’s New Pivot: Evolving Ties Between East and West Asia

ASPI initiative exploring the strategic implications of emerging ties between major countries in the Middle East and major countries in east, south, and southeast Asia.

Reports

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Preserving the Long Peace in Asia

ASPI report on how to strengthen regional institutions in the Asia-Pacific to manage peace and security in increasingly turbulent times.

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The Trump Administration’s India Opportunity

In this ASPI paper, Marshall Bouton argues that the Trump administration should move rapidly to secure closer cooperation with India.

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India's Future in Asia: The APEC Opportunity

This ASPI report examines the benefits of and obstacles to India's membership of APEC and outlines steps that would help build support for India's inclusion in the forum.

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India and APEC: Charting a Path to Membership

An Asia Society Policy Institute issue brief makes the case for India joining the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

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The U.S. and South Asia After Afghanistan

This report offers new ideas on how to integrate competing U.S. interests in South Asia, encourage stronger interagency collaboration across the East Asia-South Asia divide, and expand expertise on South Asia in the U.S. government.

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Stabilizing Pakistan Through Police Reform

Report: Improving Pakistan's police force

Commentary

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What Was Behind Sri Lanka’s Recent Coup Crisis?

Sri Lanka recently emerged from a dangerous political crisis with its democracy and constitution miraculously intact.

A South Asian 'Game of Thrones:' Behind Sri Lanka's Political Crisis

President Sirisena's decision to overthrow the prime minister and install a political rival has thrown the country's fragile democracy in disarray.

Asia Inside Out Podcast: India's Billionaire Raj

Anubhav Gupta speaks to James Crabtree, author of a new book on India's super-rich, on how the affluent may influence India's economic trajectory.

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Growing Chinese Influence in South Asia

Visiting India, Kevin Rudd spoke on issues such as growing Chinese influence in South Asia, Doklam, and Pakistan-China and India-China relations.

Trouble with the Belt and Road in Pakistan

Anubhav Gupta writes that Pakistan has confirmed the bugs in the architecture of China’s ‘Belt and Road’.

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Tensions Overshadow High-Level U.S. Talks in India

Anubhav Gupta tells us why it's an open secret in both Washington and New Delhi that Trump’s Indo-Pacific strategy was little more than a branding exercise.

4 Questions: Pakistan's Future Under Imran Khan

The controversial cricketer-turned-politician takes office at a turbulent time in his country's history.

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Slow and Steady: India’s Tentative Steps Into the AI Race

A little late to the game, India certainly has the talent and expertise to be an AI power.

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One Year After They Almost Went to War, Can China and India Get Along?

Experts, including ASPI's Anubhav Gupta on the state of the Sino-India relationship a year after the Doklam standoff.

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How Modi Is Broadening the Range and Scope of India’s Asia Policy

Anubhav Gupta describes the goals and accomplishments of India's Act East policy.

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Why Modi and Xi Made Nice at Asia’s Other Landmark Summit

Anubhav Gupta on the implications of the Modi-Xi informal summit in China on April 27-28.

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Promise vs. Experience: How to Fix the 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific'

The Trump administration’s new Indo-Pacific vision needs a more coherent narrative and an operational strategy to back it up.

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Trump Should Champion India for Asia-Pacific Economic Pact

Given the Trump Administration's new "Indo-Pacific" policy, the U.S. should support India's membership in APEC.

Trump’s ‘New’ Afghanistan Strategy Must Deal With Old Problems in India and Pakistan

Anubhav Gupta writes that Trump's regional strategy for Afghanistan needs to grapple with the reasons the U.S. has failed to change Pakistan's behavior in the past.