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
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrive to pay respect at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrive to pay respect at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10.

The U.S. Shouldn’t Worry About the India-Canada Rift

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a press conference after the closing session of the G-20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a press conference after the closing session of the G-20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10.

Trudeau’s Allegations Upend India-Canada Ties

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Maldives presidential candidate Mohamed Muiz, a man with gray hair and beard and a light pink button-down shirt, claps his hands as he greets a crowd of supporters wearing pink at an outdoor campaign rally.
Maldives presidential candidate Mohamed Muiz, a man with gray hair and beard and a light pink button-down shirt, claps his hands as he greets a crowd of supporters wearing pink at an outdoor campaign rally.

The Maldives’ Presidential Race Has Geopolitical Stakes

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A pedestrian walks past a G-20 summit logo along a street in New Delhi.
A pedestrian walks past a G-20 summit logo along a street in New Delhi.

Will India’s G-20 Summit Succeed?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
From left: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appear at the 2023 BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
From left: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appear at the 2023 BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

India Can Benefit From a Bigger BRICS

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
People wave Indian national flags as they celebrate the successful lunar landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in New Delhi on Aug. 23.
People wave Indian national flags as they celebrate the successful lunar landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in New Delhi on Aug. 23.

India’s Moon Landing Is a Big Geopolitical Step

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Lawyers supporting former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan denounce his arrest outside the High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, on Aug. 7.
Lawyers supporting former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan denounce his arrest outside the High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, on Aug. 7.

What’s Next for Imran Khan’s Party?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Security personnel examine the site of a bomb blast in Bajaur district, Pakistan.
Security personnel examine the site of a bomb blast in Bajaur district, Pakistan.

Attack Raises Specter of Election Violence in Pakistan

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A villager sits next to his house, which was damaged in flash floods, in Afghanistan.
A villager sits next to his house, which was damaged in flash floods, in Afghanistan.

The Taliban Aren’t Equipped for Climate Adaptation

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Uniformed Indian Army and police officers walk along a curved road in a foggy green valley. Some of the officers carry rifles, and most wear helmets.
Uniformed Indian Army and police officers walk along a curved road in a foggy green valley. Some of the officers carry rifles, and most wear helmets.

India Steps Up Diplomacy With Myanmar

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A signboard mentions a Foxconn India production unit on the outskirts of Chennai, India, on Dec. 28, 2021.
A signboard mentions a Foxconn India production unit on the outskirts of Chennai, India, on Dec. 28, 2021.

Why Did Foxconn Pull Out of Its India Deal?

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
A street vendor looks for customers in a market in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
A street vendor looks for customers in a market in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Pakistan Aims for IMF Deal at Last

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrive for their meeting during the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue leaders' summit in Tokyo on May 24, 2022.
U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrive for their meeting during the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue leaders' summit in Tokyo on May 24, 2022.

Modi’s State Visit Aims to Cement U.S.-India Partnership

South Asia Brief
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
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