China has announced that it will provide half a million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal
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
When Nations Employ the Expansionary Grammar of Corporate Acquisitions
China’s Belt and Road Initiative - which funded Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port through loans resulting in a 99-year lease to Chinese State-owned enterprise in 2017 due to Colombo’s struggle to service said loans - follows the same expansionary script.
More on Economy, Trade and Development
Sri Lanka showing signs of falling deep into Chinese trap
A U-turn on the Colombo port's East Container Terminal and then an attempt to create negativity around the India-supplied COVID-19 vaccine signals that there could be more powerful forces than just mere trade unions and some local groups which are nudging Sri Lanka to adopt an aggressive stand against India right now
Nepali traders acuse China of imposing ‘undeclared blockade’
Nepali traders have accused China of conducting an 'undeclared trade blockade' as their merchandise-laden container trucks have not been allowed to cross the border into Nepal for the past 16 months
New leap of Chinese economy beneficial for China-Pakistan cooperation
At the beginning of 2021, there comes encouraging news from China. According to the preliminary calculation of the National Bureau of Statistics of China, China’s GDP in 2020 reached 101.6 trillion yuan (around 14.7 trillion USD), increased by 2.3% from 2019. For the first time, China's GDP exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan threshold?achieving a historic leap
Was the military coup in Myanmar to forestall China?
The Myanmar army may not be comfortable with the manner in which the NLD has given in to China for the China-Myanmar-Economic Corridor (CMEC), which is an invitation for the People’s Liberation Army to establish in Myanmar, like Pakistan, including Chinese marines posted at Kyaukphyu port like in Gwadar of Pakistan, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor
Chinese hand behind scuttling of ECT port deal?
A day after the Sri Lanka government decided to operate the East Container Terminal (ECT) of Colombo Port locally after tremendous pressure from trade unions, India seems to see a Chinese hand in orchestrating and funding the protests against the ECT deal by the trade unions in Sri Lanka
Pakistan government bulldozes CPEC Authority bill through National Assembly
Helped by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, the government on Monday hurriedly passed three bills, including the one seeking establishment of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, amid ruckus by the opposition members
Chinese vaccine yet to get approval in Nepal
China has decided to provide a coronavirus vaccine to Nepal but it is still unclear how long it will take for the consignment to arrive, as the product is yet to get emergency use approval in the country
Pakistan receives first batch of Chinese Covid vaccines
Pakistan on Monday received the first batch of China's Sinopharm vaccine against the novel coronavirus
China to send 300,000 doses of Covid vaccine to Nepal
China will be sending 300,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine to Nepal, ten days after India sent one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine there, marking the launch of nationwide inoculation drive in the Himalayan country
Bangladeshi peacekeepers rescue 32 Chinese workers in Central African Republic
Bangladesh peacekeepers have rescued 32 Chinese gold mine workers in the Central African Republic (CAR) from an attack by armed rebels
China has deployed me to crush Baloch movement says Pakistani general
Major General Ayman Bilal of the Pakistan Army has confessed to China's role and support in his deployment in Balochistan, Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Sun has reported
Pakistan gets second advanced warship from China
China on Friday launched a second advanced warship for Pakistan Navy, Dawn reported
Pakistan to get help from China in improving agriculture sector: PM Imran Khan
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the country is expected to get help from China in its efforts to improve the agriculture sector under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
Special Pakistani plane to bring vaccine from China: official
Pakistan's Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has said a special plane would be flown to China in the next couple of days for transportation of the first tranche of Covid-19 vaccine
