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
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Nov. 19, 2020.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Presidential Palace in Kabul on Nov. 19, 2020.

Pakistan’s Regional Diplomacy Dilemma

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Garment workers walk to work at their factories during a countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 5.
Garment workers walk to work at their factories during a countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 5.

How COVID-19 Has Shaped South Asia

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Tents at a camp for internally displaced families are pictured in Dand district, Afghanistan, on Jan. 7.
Tents at a camp for internally displaced families are pictured in Dand district, Afghanistan, on Jan. 7.

Will the End of the U.S. War Create More Afghan Refugees?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
An Indian air force officer gestures as he stands guard outside the Jammu Air Force Station entry gate in Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir, on June 27.
An Indian air force officer gestures as he stands guard outside the Jammu Air Force Station entry gate in Jammu, Indian-administered Kashmir, on June 27.

Why Did Modi Meet With Kashmiri Leaders?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Young people sit at the Wazir Akbar Khan hilltop during a national day of mourning in Kabul on May 11.
Young people sit at the Wazir Akbar Khan hilltop during a national day of mourning in Kabul on May 11.

Top Afghan Leaders Visit the White House at a Low Moment

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the NATO summit.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the NATO summit.

Turkey Looks to Expand Footprint in Afghanistan

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A street vendor walks past a mural depicting an Afghan National Army soldier in Kabul on June 10.
A street vendor walks past a mural depicting an Afghan National Army soldier in Kabul on June 10.

U.S. Withdrawal Constrains Counterterrorism Options

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Journalists mark World Press Freedom Day.
Journalists mark World Press Freedom Day.

Pakistan’s Press Enters a Dark Era

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A health worker inoculates a woman with a COVID-19 vaccine in New Delhi on May 26.
A health worker inoculates a woman with a COVID-19 vaccine in New Delhi on May 26.

The U.S.-India Relationship Has a New Top Priority

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Protesters carry Palestinian flags in Pakistan.
Protesters carry Palestinian flags in Pakistan.

What Does the Gaza Crisis Mean for South Asia?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Onlookers stand near the site of multiple blasts outside a school.
Onlookers stand near the site of multiple blasts outside a school.

Terror Attacks Surge in Afghanistan as U.S. Withdraws

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A tanker gets refilled with medical oxygen for hospitals and medical facilities treating coronavirus patients in Bengaluru on May 5.
A tanker gets refilled with medical oxygen for hospitals and medical facilities treating coronavirus patients in Bengaluru on May 5.

India’s Coronavirus Crisis Plays Out on Twitter

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A woman walks along a near-deserted street during a lockdown in Mumbai on April 29.
A woman walks along a near-deserted street during a lockdown in Mumbai on April 29.

Will Washington’s Slow Crisis Response Damage U.S.-India Ties?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Cemetery workers and relatives of patients who died of the COVID-19 wear personal protective equipment before they perform last rites at a pyre at a crematorium in New Delhi on April 20.
Cemetery workers and relatives of patients who died of the COVID-19 wear personal protective equipment before they perform last rites at a pyre at a crematorium in New Delhi on April 20.

How India Became Pandemic Ground Zero

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House in Washington on April 14.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks from the Treaty Room in the White House in Washington on April 14.

How Will Biden Pivot on South Asia?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
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