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
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman speaks on the situation in Afghanistan at the State Department in Washington on Aug. 18.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman speaks on the situation in Afghanistan at the State Department in Washington on Aug. 18.

Washington’s Divergent Diplomacy in South Asia

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy prime minister of the Taliban interim government, meets with foreign diplomatic representatives in Kabul on Sept. 30.
Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy prime minister of the Taliban interim government, meets with foreign diplomatic representatives in Kabul on Sept. 30.

Pakistan Pitches the Taliban Regime to the World

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tour the Eisenhower Executive Office Building during a meeting in Washington on Sept. 23.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tour the Eisenhower Executive Office Building during a meeting in Washington on Sept. 23.

Quad Looks to Cement Its Resurgence in Washington

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
John Kerry and Bhupender Yadav meet.
John Kerry and Bhupender Yadav meet.

U.S. and India Step Up Climate Cooperation

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Pakistani and Taliban flags fly on their respective border sides.
Pakistani and Taliban flags fly on their respective border sides.

Pakistan’s Friendship With the Taliban Is Changing

Analysis
Michael Kugelman
A man looks out of a car window as commuters make their way along a road in Kabul on Sept. 5.
A man looks out of a car window as commuters make their way along a road in Kabul on Sept. 5.

Avalanche of Misinformation Follows Taliban Takeover

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Taliban fighters parade along a road to celebrate after the U.S. withdrawal form Afghanistan in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Sept. 1.
Taliban fighters parade along a road to celebrate after the U.S. withdrawal form Afghanistan in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Sept. 1.

Four Key Questions About Afghanistan’s Future

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Armed Taliban fighters stand next an Imam during Friday prayers at the Abdul Rahman Mosque in Kabul on August 20, 2021, following the Taliban's stunning takeover of Afghanistan. (Photo by Hoshang Hashimi / AFP) (Photo by HOSHANG HASHIMI/AFP via Getty Images)
Armed Taliban fighters stand next an Imam during Friday prayers at the Abdul Rahman Mosque in Kabul on August 20, 2021, following the Taliban's stunning takeover of Afghanistan. (Photo by Hoshang Hashimi / AFP) (Photo by HOSHANG HASHIMI/AFP via Getty Images)

Airport Attack Underscores How the Taliban Could Fail

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Residents ride a boat over a submerged road following heavy monsoon rains in Allahabad, India, on Aug. 11.
Residents ride a boat over a submerged road following heavy monsoon rains in Allahabad, India, on Aug. 11.

South Asia Is on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Afghan security personnel and militia fighting against the Taliban stand guard in Enjil, Herat province, Afghanistan, on July 30.
Afghan security personnel and militia fighting against the Taliban stand guard in Enjil, Herat province, Afghanistan, on July 30.

The Taliban’s Urban Warfare Is a Dangerous Escalation

South Asia Brief
Michael Kugelman
Afghan militia fighters keep a watch at an outpost against Taliban insurgents in Charkint, Balkh province, Afghanistan, on July 15.
Afghan militia fighters keep a watch at an outpost against Taliban insurgents in Charkint, Balkh province, Afghanistan, on July 15.

Can India Make a Play in Afghanistan?

South Asia Brief
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
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