Michael Kugelman

Michael Kugelman is the writer of Foreign Policy’s weekly South Asia Brief. He has been an analyst of the region for nearly two decades.

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Articles by Michael Kugelman
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right) and Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hold a joint press conference in Moscow. The Russian flag and the Pakistani flag flank each man in the background.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right) and Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hold a joint press conference in Moscow. The Russian flag and the Pakistani flag flank each man in the background.

Russian Oil Shipment Arrives in Pakistan

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Railway workers help to restore service at the site of a three-train collision near Balasore, India, on June 4.
Railway workers help to restore service at the site of a three-train collision near Balasore, India, on June 4.

India’s Deadly Train Crash Raises Safety Concerns

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party take part in a rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Dec. 10, 2022.
Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party take part in a rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Dec. 10, 2022.

The U.S. Ups the Ante in Bangladesh

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers opening remarks during the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers opening remarks during the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Modi Visits Papua New Guinea as Biden Skips

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
People holding banners and Pakistani flags march down a street during a rally to show solidarity with the Pakistan Army in Peshawar, Pakistan.
People holding banners and Pakistani flags march down a street during a rally to show solidarity with the Pakistan Army in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Military Goes Full Throttle Against Imran Khan

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prior to a meeting in New Delhi on Feb. 20, 2019.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prior to a meeting in New Delhi on Feb. 20, 2019.

India and the Gulf Are Getting Cozy—to Counter China

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari delivers a speech during a conference in Geneva on Jan. 9.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari delivers a speech during a conference in Geneva on Jan. 9.

Why Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Is Visiting India

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
People attend an award ceremony in Navi Mumbai, India, on April 16.
People attend an award ceremony in Navi Mumbai, India, on April 16.

Heatstroke Is India’s Latest Climate Calamity

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha walks during the inauguration of the tulip garden in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on March 19.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha walks during the inauguration of the tulip garden in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on March 19.

India Projects Image of Normalcy From Kashmir

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan participate in a rally in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 25.
Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan participate in a rally in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 25.

With Supreme Court Ruling, Pakistan’s Political Crisis Flares Again

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet speaks at a joint press conference with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Feb. 15.
U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet speaks at a joint press conference with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Feb. 15.

Bangladesh Tilts Toward the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A member of the Taliban forces stands guard at the gate of the provincial intelligence compound in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Dec. 12, 2021.
A member of the Taliban forces stands guard at the gate of the provincial intelligence compound in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Dec. 12, 2021.

How Dangerous Is the Islamic State-Khorasan?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Iranians work on a section of a pipeline linking Iran and Pakistan after the project was launched during a ceremony in the Iranian city of Chah Bahar on March 11, 2013.
Iranians work on a section of a pipeline linking Iran and Pakistan after the project was launched during a ceremony in the Iranian city of Chah Bahar on March 11, 2013.

What the China-Brokered Saudi-Iran Deal Means for South Asia

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
People look for their belongings after a fire in the Balukhali refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on March 5.
People look for their belongings after a fire in the Balukhali refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on March 5.

Bangladesh Refugee Camp Fire Compounds Rohingya’s Hardships

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to his supporters in New Delhi on Jan. 16.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to his supporters in New Delhi on Jan. 16.

Democratic Backsliding Hasn’t Stopped India’s Rise

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
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