menu_open Columnists

The Diplomat

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Is the Ice Finally Breaking in Bangladesh-India Relations?

Security officials from the two countries met in Delhi days after the BNP government took charge in Dhaka.

yesterday 2

The Diplomat

Saqlain Rizve

Pakistan’s Military Campaign in Afghanistan Is Here to Stay

Pakistan's recent strikes signal that it is prepared to take the fight directly to the Taliban leadership’s inner circle if the Taliban regime’s...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Umair Jamal

North Korea Launches Massive Ballistic Missile Barrage Amid South Korea-US Drills

The unusual firing of 10 missiles comes as Pyongyang seeks to command attention while global focus remains fractured across multiple international...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Mitch Shin

Refashioning a Strategic Partnership: Canada and China in a Fragmenting World Order

The Canada-China breakthrough may have made things easier for other middle powers, like the U.K. and Germany, who have also stepped up their links...

yesterday 0

The Diplomat

Paul Evans

Gulf War 3.0: How Is India Securing Its Oil Supplies?

India’s limited reserves, thin domestic production capacity, and mounting oil import dependence leave it extremely vulnerable should the war in West...

yesterday 2

The Diplomat

Rushali Saha

China’s Difficult Choice in the Iran-Israel-US War

The development of the current conflict has placed Beijing in a complex and awkward strategic position.

yesterday 2

The Diplomat

Wang Jin

New Thai Parliament Convenes Amid Continuing Legal Scrutiny of February 8 Election

The Constitutional Court is set to rule on whether the use of barcodes and QR codes on ballot papers violated constitutional provisions on voter...

yesterday 9

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Despite Top-level Tensions, Strategic Mineral Cooperation Among Western Allies Is Quietly Deepening

The effort to reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains is now starting to have tangible results.

yesterday 4

The Diplomat

Guy c. charlton and averell charlton diesch

ASEAN Again Calls for Halt to Iran War, Citing Possible ‘Sustained’ Economic Challenges

The bloc's economic ministers warned that a protracted conflict could hinder economic progress and impacting the livelihoods of millions across the...

yesterday 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

The China–Iran Partnership and the Limits of Beijing’s Non-Interference Alliance Model

A preference for strategic flexibility has left Beijing dependent on a narrow set of "allies" whose usefulness is limited – especially in times of...

yesterday 3

The Diplomat

Ahmad Syarif

The Iran-Israel-US War Is Exposing China’s Alliance Problem

The conflict in the Middle East accentuates a structural weakness in China’s global strategy: the absence of capable allies that can act as a force...

previous day 4

The Diplomat

Mathew Jie Sheng Yeo

The Iran-Israel-US War Is Reconfiguring US Force Posture in the Indo-Pacific

The concentration of U.S. military assets in the Middle East is forcing allies like Japan and South Korea to ask themselves hard questions about U.S....

13.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Mina Pollmann

Shockwaves Across Asia: The Iran War’s Strategic Fallout

From energy disruptions to alliance tensions, a geographically distant conflict is having immediate consequences across the Indo-Pacific.

13.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

John Calabrese

Kashmir’s Endless Wait for Statehood – and Hope

Instead of working with locally elected officials in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi is drafting legislation to forcibly remove opposition figures from...

13.03.2026 7

The Diplomat

Anando Bhakto

Indonesia’s Local Content Requirements Are No Shortcut to Industrialization

Without more accountability and transparency, LCRs will remain a blunt protectionist instrument rather than a true catalyst for industrial...

13.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Achmad hanif imaduddin and fitri ika pradyasti

Major Southeast Asian Economies Targeted by New US Trade Probes

Against the backdrop of the war in Iran, the move is likely to create new points of friction in U.S. relations with the region.

13.03.2026 6

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Strategic Stakes Rise for Bangladesh as Iran Targets Gulf Neighbors

There are practical ways in which Bangladesh could contribute to the security and stability of the Gulf without becoming directly involved in military...

13.03.2026 6

The Diplomat

Ahmede Hussain

South Koreans Keep the Faith in America Even as Washington Tests It

South Koreans continue to choose the United States over any rival power by historically wide margins. But don't call it naivety.

13.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Mitch Shin

Japan’s Political Paradox: Why Young Liberals Backed a Conservative Landslide

Are young Japanese voting based on an “idol effect” – or are they redefining entirely what it means to be liberal vs conservative?

13.03.2026 10

The Diplomat

Peter Chai

Why India Is Right to Support the US and Israel in the Iran War

What good would it do India to hitch itself to the sinking ship of Iran, instead of its actual partners, such as Israel and the UAE?

13.03.2026 7

The Diplomat

Akhilesh Pillalamarri

Vietnam and the Geopolitics of Critical Minerals

While Washington builds coalitions, Vietnam is betting on self-reliance.

13.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Robyn Klingler-Vidra

Indonesia and Australia to Expand Security Cooperation to Include Japan, Papua New Guinea

The announcement follows the signing of a major security agreement between Jakarta and Canberra last month.

13.03.2026 10

The Diplomat

Sebastian Strangio

Skill at Scale: India’s Edge in Semiconductor Alliances

As Indo-Pacific powers race to reorganize semiconductor supply chains amid intensifying China-U.S. strategic competition, where does India fit in?

13.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Titli Basu

China’s High-Tech Narrative Cannot Solve Its Deflation Problem

For all the emphasis on developing advanced technologies, China’s present growth model still depends far more on low-cost manufactured exports.

12.03.2026 7

The Diplomat

Jing ge

How the New Gulf War Is Impacting Mongolia

Countries like Mongolia, despite being distant from the conflict, are already feelings its impact on their economic activities, not to mention how the...

12.03.2026 7

The Diplomat

Bolor Lkhaajav

Trump’s China Trip: 3 Possible Deliverables

The United States and China need to lower expectations about Trump’s trip and focus on delivering a few concrete outcomes.

12.03.2026 6

The Diplomat

Zhiqun Zhu, Opinion Contributor

China’s New Five-Year Plan Prioritizes Robotics. The World Should Pay Attention.

Beijing is embarking on a "whole-of-nation push" to achieve permanent dominance in physical AI technologies.

12.03.2026 3

The Diplomat

Sunny Cheung

Deterring China: The Growing Japan–Philippines Security Partnership

The growing partnership between Japan and the Philippines is not an actual alliance – but it could affect the balance of power in the South China Sea.

12.03.2026 3

The Diplomat

Jun j. nohara

Moving Up, Locked In: The Hidden Costs of ASEAN’s Semiconductor Push

As the region moves up the chip value chain – toward AI development, advanced logic, and high-bandwidth memory – U.S. regulatory pressures increase.

12.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Han-wei liu

Beijing Is Legalizing the Assimilation of Tibetans and Other Ethnic Minorities

China is amending its laws to weaken ethnic identities, including Tibetan language and culture.

12.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Jianli Yang, Opinion Contributor

Regional Crises Are Dealing a Heavy Blow to Afghanistan’s Fragile Economy

For a country whose economy remains deeply dependent on regional trade routes, migration, and external assistance, instability on multiple fronts can...

12.03.2026 3

The Diplomat

Reza farzam

The Iran War Is Now Impacting AUKUS

The HMS Anson’s abrupt departure from Australia shows the limits of Britain’s stretched fleet. That will have major implications for AUKUS.

12.03.2026 10

The Diplomat

Al Hynes

India Is Not the 4th Biggest Economy in the World. But Does That Really Matter?

The nationalist narrative that dominated public discourse over the past year had been overstating the scale of India’s economic progress. Of...

12.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Muqtedar Khan

The American Narrative About a Revisionist China Is Upside-Down

The United States has become the dangerous revisionist power it long warned us that China would be.

12.03.2026 3

The Diplomat

Ulv Hanssen

The Iran Crisis Is Fueling South Korea’s Drive for Nuclear Energy

Amid the Middle East conflict, South Korea is determined to find new pathways to strengthen localized, “autonomous” energy solutions by targeting...

12.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Kayla Orta

India’s Supreme Court Grants Bail to Veteran Kashmiri Separatist Shabir Ahmed Shah

The justices cited prolonged pre-trial detention exceeding six years, procedural irregularities in the trial process, and the slow pace of witness...

12.03.2026 3

The Diplomat

Anzer Ayoob

South Korea’s Conservative Party Tanks Amid Warring Factions’ Fight for Legitimacy

The PPP ruined its local elections prospects by purging Han Dong-hoon, its former leader.

12.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Eunwoo Lee

How China’s AI-Powered Robots Could Reshape the Global Order

China is moving from AI in the cloud to “embodied intelligence” with physical, real-world applications.

12.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Marina zhang

‘Forcible Imposition’ of India’s National Song Triggers Resistance in the Country’s Northeast

Some stanzas of "Vande Mataram" refer to Hindu goddesses. India’s religious minorities say it goes against their monotheist beliefs.

11.03.2026 10

The Diplomat

Rajeev Bhattacharyya

Japan Will Begin Deploying Homegrown Longer-Range Missiles as Counterstrike Strategy Takes Shape

March 31 will mark the first deployment of two new Japanese systems: the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) for island defense and the upgraded...

11.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Takahashi Kosuke

China’s Interests in the Israel-US War With Iran

Insights from Yoram Evron.

11.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Mercy A. Kuo

Could Zhipu Emerge as the AI Stock of 2026 Amid Wider Market Uncertainty?

Zhipu has soared on its Hong Kong debut. Now, following the launch of its GLM-5 model, the stock appears to be well-positioned to capitalize on...

11.03.2026 6

The Diplomat

Dmytro Spilka

Iran War and India’s Diplomatic Failures

A country of India’s size and energy dependence cannot afford to place all its geopolitical bets on one side of a regional divide.

11.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Asif Ullah Khan

Ahead of Constitutional Referendum Social Media Companies Restrict Journalist Accounts in Kazakhstan

Censorship has been on the rise as the election date, March 15, approaches.

11.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Paolo Sorbello

Is Khamenei’s Killing Narrowing the Shia-Sunni divide in South Asia?

Arab-Iran conflicts have traditionally roiled Shia-Sunni relations in South Asia. Things are a little different this time.

11.03.2026 9

The Diplomat

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya

Asia’s Energy Triage Amid the Iran War

The conflict is exposing a hierarchy of energy vulnerability across the Indo-Pacific.

11.03.2026 4

The Diplomat

Galuh maulana yusuf

When Wang Yi Speaks, It’s Not Just China’s Foreign Minister Talking

Wang’s unprecedented consolidation of roles has made the Two Sessions press conference the most authoritative foreign policy signal Beijing...

11.03.2026 5

The Diplomat

Yaqi Li

Can the PPP Really Move on From Yoon Suk-yeol?

Hoping to avoid a wipe-out at the local elections, the party finally issued an apology. But it’s going to be difficult to shake its pro-Yoon image...

11.03.2026 9

The Diplomat

Soyoung Kim

Fukushima and the ‘Lessons Learned’ From Nuclear Disasters

Nuclear accidents have become opportunities to strengthen and improve nuclear safety – while conveniently forgetting the lasting harm done to the...

11.03.2026 9

The Diplomat

Maxime Polleri