The Palk Strait Link

The Palk Strait Link: Sri Lanka’s Unresolved Question With India

Neutrality and balance — Colombo’s habitual vocabulary — have yielded little economic benefit. Ultimately, Sri Lanka slid into bankruptcy. Given this background, the land link is not merely a strategic starting point but a necessity. India’s strategic position on Sri Lanka is perennial; whether the bridge is built or not, India’s concerns remain fundamental. As an immediate neighbour and rising global power, India will not allow rivals to use Sri Lanka as a base.  

Disruptive Diplomacy: Why India and China Must Lead Humanity Beyond Fossil-Fuel Chokepoints

If India and China choose collaboration by setting aside strategic suspicion in the climate domain, they could fundamentally reshape the trajectory of the 21st century, as they have already demonstrated individually through their pursuit of clean energy over the past decade. More importantly, such a coalition could revive the COP28 fossil-fuel phase-down pledge, which stalled at COP29 in Baku and appears to be drifting further at COP30 in Belém.

Bridging Oceans, Building Regions: India–New Zealand FTA and Potential of South Asian Integration

Increased industrial activity in India could generate demand for raw materials, intermediate goods, and services from countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh’s textile industry could strengthen its links with Indian manufacturing networks, while Sri Lanka may gain from expanded opportunities in tourism, logistics, and services.

A New Era in India–ADB Relations: Will Play a Defining Role in Shaping Asia's Economic Future

ADB’s role has evolved beyond financing into shaping India’s structural transformation into a high-growth, technology-driven, and climate-conscious economy. Compared to other multilateral institutions, it offers a more agile, implementation-focused, and regionally attuned approach. As India moves toward becoming one of the world’s largest economies, this partnership will play a defining role in shaping not only India’s growth trajectory but also the broader economic future of Asia.

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

Indian Army stocks up for a harsh winter in eastern Ladakh

As the border remains tense in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army has stocked up on special clothing, diet and shelter for the long haul to battle the harsh winter at heights exceeding 12,000 feet and temperature as extreme as minus 50 degrees Celsius

China in illegal occupation of 38,000 sq km of Indian land: Rajnath

China is in illegal occupation of 38,000 square km of Indian land and it considers another 90,000 square km as its own, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on Tuesday, adding that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is not clearly delineated

'China, Pakistan jointly testing deadly pathogens'

Under the garb of Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China's Wuhan Institute of Virology and Pakistan Army's Defense Science & Technology Organization are conducting experiments on deadly pathogens to expand potential bio-warfare capabilities

SEZ project under CPEC to change region's destiny: PM Imran Khan

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the Rashakai special economic zone (SEZ) to be developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will change the destiny of the region by bringing in employment opportunities

FDI inflow from China declines as relations get tense

The tense relations between India and China has affected the investment of Chinese companies as the foreign direct investment (FDI) of Chinese companies in India has declined significantly in the last three years, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur said in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha

China trains Nepal policymakers on BeiDou navigation system

Nepal's policymakers are undergoing 13 days' offline and online training for the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) in Beijing after China "specially invited" them to attend it, sources said

Pakistan, China to ink Rashakai SEZ deal

Pakistan and China are expected to ink an agreement today (Monday) on the development of the Rashakai Special Economic Zone under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Exiting China will ensure subsidies to Japanese firms entering India

Japan has announced a $221 million China exit subsidy for Japanese companies to shift their base to India and other regions

Sri Lanka’s Port City says investments not affected by US sanctions on China firms

Colombo Port City, where investors will get land from the government of Sri Lanka are not part of United States sanctions targeted at the ultimate parent company of the project firm, and its foreign investments are not affected, an official said

Pakistan supports Beijing on South China Sea talks

Pakistan on Saturday voiced support for China on the resumption of Code of Conduct (CoC) negotiations in the South China Sea

India, China armies' talks remain inconclusive, top commanders to meet

To prevent the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh from further escalating, the armies of India and China held an interaction on Saturday where they discussed withdrawing forces from the points where there are in eyeball-to-eyeball situations

China hands over five Arunachal youths

Five youths from Arunachal Pradesh, in remote northeastern India, who went missing on September 2 and were later found to be in Chinese territory, were handed over to India by the People's Liberation Army on Saturday amid the ongoing stand-off between the two sides at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh area

China's SCG donates supplies for Maldives' COVID-19 response

Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) of China on Thursday donated essential personal protective equipment and other medical supplies, to support the COVID-19 response of Maldives amid the global pandemic

China sets up military base at Finger 5 of Pangong Lake, cutting off Indian Army

China has set up a military base near Finger 5, in the north bank of Pangong Lake, completely cutting off the Indian Army

'China-India ministers meet mark substantial step in cooling border issue'

The joint statement and five-point consensus reached by both Chinese and Indian foreign ministers in Moscow marked a substantial step in cooling down the current border situation, exceeding the expectations of most international observers, Chinese mouthpiece Global Times reported