India was quick to offer grants on the condition that projects would be developed by Indian firms—an offer Colombo eventually accepted
AI: Aid to the Mind, Not a Substitute for the Mind
The frightening possibility is not that AI becomes more capable than humans. It is that humans stop exercising capabilities they already possess, or have not yet developed, because AI can perform those functions for them.
Months Ahead of the Monsoon: Can AI Give Us an Earlier Warning About El Niño?
AI may genuinely extend the horizon over which seasonal climate risk can be estimated. For communities across South Asia living under the influence of the monsoon, a longer view could mean the difference between a farmer adjusting her planting in time and a family receiving a flood warning too late to act.
AI at the Crossroads: Who Is Driving Humanity?
The central danger is, therefore, not simply that AI will be monstrous if the accelerator is pressed hard on the speed of technology. It is that the accelerator on human institutions also needs to be pressed harder to govern increasingly powerful technology.
America Has the Brain, China Has the Body: The Next US–China Tech War Will Determine Who Wins the Race for Global Dominance
The fear of Chinese robots being the Trojan horse that can affect American and Western tech dominance and undermine cyber and military advantage will always be a strategic concern, despite attempts to view these fears as overblown.
More on AI, Tech and Innovation
Amid dollar crunch, Sri Lanka mulls closing down some missions abroad
In February, the country’s foreign exchange reserves dropped to $2.31 billion, with the authorities struggling to pay for the imports of essentials like fuel, food, and medicine
Indian edtech firm BYJU'S named sponsor of the 2022 Qatar World Cup
The Bengaluru-based firm, which offers online education catering to all age groups, also sponsors the Indian cricket team and said the deal was its first major foray into soccer
After India's $1 bn credit line, China considering Colombo’s request for $2.5 bn assistance in economic crisis
In the last few days, at least three people have reportedly died while standing in these long queues due to exhaustion; another man was killed after a brawl over fuel, according to a report by Daily Mirror
Bangladesh achieves 100 percent electrification, announces Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Bangladesh achieved the enviable target of electrifying every house in the country, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced on Monday, almost 13 years after the government launched an ambitious rural electrification program
Ukraine war unlikely to impact Indian economy in a big way
Given the meager oil dependency on Russia and India’s past experience to tackle global oil price shocks, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is unlikely to cause any major impact on the economy, writes S. Majumder for South Asia Monitor
Ten million to get subsidized food in Bangladesh amid skyrocketing inflammation
Over ten million poor people in Bangladesh will receive subsidized food as the government is all set to implement an ambitious scheme aiming to provide relief to poor people being affected by skyrocketing commodities prices
Sri Lanka’s fuel crisis likely to ease as India extends $1 billion line of credit; IMF says exploring all options
Sri Lanka’s crippling energy crisis is expected to ease in the coming days as India extended a $1 billion line of credit, bringing total assistance to Colombo around $2.4 billion since January this year
India needs to expand trade with neighbours: Home Minister
India's Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the country needed to expand trade with the neighbouring countries as in the next ten years it would be among the top manufacturing countries. He, however, did not specify the countries
Sri Lanka to work with IMF, says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa; asks people to have faith in his actions amid economic hardship
Sri Lanka will seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced in a rare speech on Wednesday, where he acknowledged, for the first time, “sufferings” and “difficulties” faced by people as the island country faces one of its worst economic crises
'India's oil purchases from Russia won't violate US sanctions'; media reports talk of 'deep discount' in Russian sales
Accounting for under 3 per cent, Russia is not a major supplier of oil to India, which gets most of it from the Middle East, while the US is also emerging as an important source for energy products
Bangladesh brings 100% population under electricity coverage; joins Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bhutan in South Asia
Dhaka has also been exploring trilateral cooperation in power sectors among India-Bhutan-Bangladesh and Nepal-India-Bangladesh
Bangladesh tops in women’s leadership in listed firms in South Asia
A new study conducted by the International Financial Corporation (IFC) and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) puts Bangladesh at the top in South Asia when it comes to women’s leadership in listed firms. In 2021, women directors in listed firms were around six percent in comparison to five percent in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world.
India’s expanding energy footprint: Sri Lanka awards two mega renewable power projects to the Adani Group
Sri Lanka last week signed a deal with India’s Adani Group, awarding the latter two mega renewable power projects in the northern part of the country, as Colombo faces its worst power crisis, primarily caused by the foreign exchange crisis, in decades
Ukraine war will have long-lasting impact on emerging economies
Amidst the Ukraine war, Indian exporters are worried about exports and have seen an early trend in declining orders for engineering goods and apparels
