Following the high-level visit of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to Washington in June 2025, US–Pakistan relations have re-entered the spotlight. The visit comes amidst the backdrop of the recent conflict with India and Trump's tariff war, raising questions about potential strategic realignments and the future of bilateral cooperations. In this episode, Mr Muhammad Saad Ul Haque, Research Analyst, ISAS-NUS, is in conversation with Professor Touqir Hussain, Former Senior Diplomat from Pakistan and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University, to discuss the historical foundations of the relationship, evolving military diplomacy, and the broader geopolitical implications of recent developments.

In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Devyani Chaturvedi, Research Analyst at ISAS, speaks with Dr Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead (Trade and Economics) on the key outcomes of the recent BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro — held amid rising trade tensions, United States tariff threats, and global calls for multilateral reform.

The recent Iran-Israel-US conflict affected regional dynamics, with ripple effects extending into South Asia. For India and Pakistan, both with deep but varied ties to Iran, Israel and the US respectively, the conflict posed complex diplomatic and strategic challenges. The escalation tested New Delhi's balancing act, while Pakistan hedged its relations with Iran and the US. In both cases, the conflict underscored how an external geopolitical crisis can reverberate through South Asia’s fault lines. In this episode of South Asia Chat, Ms Tanujja Dadlani, Research Analyst, ISAS, is in conversation with Dr Ivan Lidarev. He is an Asian security and international relations expert who specialises in China-India relations, and is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at ISAS, NUS.