Luxury apartments and slums in Colombo

Growth of Underground Economy and Rising Income Disparity is a Social Concern in Sri Lanka

In 2025, Sri Lanka was ranked as the second most expensive housing market in the world based on rentals compared to average income. It is possible that market distortions caused by black economy and corruption have contributed to this. 

From Infrastructure to Investment: Building West Bengal’s Next Growth Cycle

The larger opportunity before West Bengal is therefore not another round of infrastructure creation in isolation. It is the creation of an ecosystem in which infrastructure, private capital, local enterprise and skilled labour reinforce one another. 

Did BRICS Help Thaw India-China Ties? Need to Convert Broken Ice into a Workable Business Relationship

Why not begin by reopening serious discussions with Chinese conglomerate BYD about an Indian factory? BYD is now one of the world’s dominant EV manufacturers. Its Indian ambitions were caught in the post-Galwan investment freeze. Invite it back to the table—but on Indian terms

The Real Test for BRICS: More Choices for South Asia, or Just New Dependencies?

But the choice test applies to India as much as to the countries it hopes will follow its lead. If BRICS genuinely widens India's menu of markets, technology partners and financing sources without deepening its dependence on any one of them, it becomes a credible model for the rest of the Global South.

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

Chinese envoy expresses satisfaction over Dasu blast probe

With Pakistan including Chinese officials in a joint investigation into the Dasu bus blast that killed 15 people, including nine workers from China, Beijing has expressed satisfaction over the ongoing probe, according to a senior Pakistani minister

Bangladesh says India is welcome to join China-led grouping of South Asian countries

India is welcome to join the newly launched grouping of South Asian countries on Covid-19 and poverty alleviation led by China, said Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momin, adding that the initiative isn’t meant to exclude India

Chinese-owned app TikTok blocked in Pakistan again

For the fourth time in less than a year, Pakistani authorities have blocked access to TikTok, a popular Chinese-owned video-sharing platform, for its failure to take down "inappropriate content"

Pakistan includes Chinese officials in Dasu bus tragedy probe

In a decision that shows the extent of Chinese influence over Pakistan, the country's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on Saturday that 15 Chinese officials have been included in the ongoing investigation on the Dasu bus tragedy in which 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed

China, Bangladesh underscore need for resuming tripartite talks on Rohingya repatriation; joint vaccine production

China and Bangladesh have agreed to work towards the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to the Rakhine state in Myanmar and underscored the need for resuming tripartite talks on the issue, a Bangladesh government statement said

Maldives President Solih speaks to China’s Xi Xingping days after call with Indian PM Modi

Amid the deepening crisis in the ruling party in the Maldives, President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih on Friday spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping--for the first time in recent years-- and discussed the Covid-19 and “other issues of mutual interest” in a phone call that came two days after his call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

China ready to seek 'mutually acceptable solution' with India

With India expressing singular unhappiness over the fragile standoff on their border where tens of thousands of soldiers from both sides are massed on either side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC),  China said Thursday that it is ready to seek a "mutually acceptable solution" to the issues that require "urgent treatment" through negotiatio

Chinese foreign minister asks Pakistan to investigate bus incident which killed nine Chinese

China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday asked Pakistan to investigate an explosion on a bus in which nine Chinese workers died in its mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Unilateral change of status quo not acceptable, India tells China once again

Asserting that a "unilateral change of status quo" was not acceptable to India, India has reiterated to China that their decades-old border dispute needs to be resolved at the earliest as it "visibly impacting the relationship in a negative manner."

Nine Chinese workers among 13 killed in bus accident in Pakistan

At least 13 people, including nine Chinese workers, were killed when a bus carrying Chinese and Pakistani construction workers fell into a ravine in the northwestern region of Pakistan, media reports say

Beijing to give priority to Bangladeshi students returning to educational institutes in China

In another outreach to Dhaka, Bangladeshi students will get priority in returning to their respective educational institutions in China when the pandemic situation will come under control

China, Pakistan may sign an Industrial Cooperation agreement at JCC

China and Pakistan are expected to sign a framework agreement for Industrial Cooperation (IC) during the 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scheduled to be held via video-link this month

China excludes Maldives, Bhutan from South Asia poverty alleviation program

China last week launched a new poverty alleviation program directed at South Asian countries which didn’t include the Maldives, Bhutan, and India

China top lender to Sri Lanka in 2021

China was the top lender to Sri Lanka for the first four months of 2021, disbursing USD 514.9 million including a USD 500 million budget support loan, slightly down from a year earlier, official data shows

Pakistan-US ties will not impact CPEC, claims Pakistan PM aide

The Pakistan-US relationship will not impact the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Abdul Razak Dawood, adviser to the Pakistan prime minister on commerce,  has said