The Arctic Shortcut: China’s Northern Sea Route and the Rewiring of Global Maritime Trade

The Arctic Shortcut: China’s Northern Sea Route and the Rewiring of Global Maritime Trade

As Arctic ice retreats, geography itself is being rewritten. The Northern Sea Route illustrates how environmental change, technological innovation, commercial strategy, and geopolitics are converging to reshape international trade.

South Asia's Balance of Payments Challenge: The Changing Dynamics of External Balances in South Asia

South Asia remains one of the least integrated regions in the world despite geographical proximity and complementary economic structures. Greater regional trade, improved transport connectivity, cross-border electricity markets, digital payment systems and investment partnerships could substantially reduce external vulnerabilities. 

India's Employment Debate: A Future With Plenty of Work, But Fewer Jobs

Between 2004 and 2023, India produced roughly five million graduates every year, but graduate employment increased by only around 2.8 million annually. Even fewer obtained salaried employment. Millions are either unemployed or working below their qualifications or in the waiting room for the elusive government job. 

How Sri Lanka Missed the Opportunity to Become a 200-billion dollar economy

Policy instability during the 2015-2024 likely pushed back Sri Lanka’s path towards becoming South Asia’s first High-Income Country. The 2022 financial crisis would never have happened as stable growth during the first half of 2015–2024 would have built enough buffer to weather impact of the Covid pandemic 

More on Economy, Trade and Development

Protesters rally at Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu against encroachment

A spontaneous protest erupted in front of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal's capital Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon over encroachment of the Himalayan nation's territory by China in northwestern part of Humla district

A missing border pillar in Humla now creates border row between Nepal and China

Nepal and China are engaged in a boundary row in Humla after the Chinese side allegedly built 11 buildings in a remote part of the district that Nepal claims as its own territory

Phase III trials of Chinese vaccine launched in Pakistan

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday announced that phase III clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccine will be launched in Pakistan

India, China agree to implement political leaders' consensus over border dispute

India and China agreed to implement the consensus reached by their leaders over the border issue during the 14-hour-long diplomatic-military talks in Moldo to resolve border disputes, the Indian Army stated on Tuesday

Pakistanis looking forward to Chinese president's visit: PM Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the people in his country were keenly looking forward to welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping, the media reported

China aims to build 1,400 houses in Afghanistan

China wants to build thousands of houses in Afghanistan, with an initial plan for an immediate construction of 1,400 residential units in Kabul

India, China discuss border disputes for 14 hours at marathon talks

India and China held 14-hour long diplomatic-military talks in Moldo to resolve border disputes in Eastern Ladakh

Top Indian, Chinese military leaders meet

Top Indian and Chinese military commanders will meet on Monday at Moldo to discuss the border dispute, especially in the Pangong Lake area, in eastern Ladakh, sources said. This would be the sixth meeting between two military commanders in the last four months

China donates $7m in food aid to Afghan flood victims

China has donated foodstuff including wheat and rice to the flood-affected people in Afghanistan, Afghan officials said

Afghanistan inks $2.2b deal with China

Afghanistan has signed a contract worth a whopping $2.2 billion with China to maintain original status of pine nuts and develops its markets globally

Indian, Chinese troops in rifle range at four places in Ladakh

Despite the Indian and Chinese foreign ministers agreeing to reduce tensions along the disputed border, both the countries troops are in rifle range at four locations at Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh, a senior official in the security establishment said

Chinese ambassador dismisses Maldives debt trap as 'fiction'

Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Zhang Lizhong dismissed the allegations that Maldives was facing a Chinese debt trap as "a fiction"

Pakistan, China discuss transport cooperation under CPEC

Pakistan Ambassador to China Moin-ul-Haque held a meeting with China’s Minister for Transport, Li Xiaopeng here on Thursday

China mulls including Afghanistan in $62b CPEC

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is expected to be a game-changer in South Asia. As part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), CPEC is a $62 billion infrastructure development project, in which Afghanistan would likely be part of it. This project is aimed to connect China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gawadar Port

Chinese construction activities observed near Uttarakhand border

Amid border tension at eastern Ladakh, Chinese construction activities were observed near the border at Uttarakhand. "Hut-like structures on the Chinese side, very close to Tinkar-Lipu pass of Nepal, were observed," sources said on Wednesday