BIMSTEC

Growing Salience of BIMSTEC : Reconnecting the Bay of Bengal Civilisation Through Trade and Connectivity

If the twentieth century was shaped by the Atlantic and the early twenty-first century witnessed the rise of the Pacific, the coming decades may well belong to the Bay of Bengal. The foundations of that future will not be built solely through trade agreements or infrastructure projects. They will emerge from a shared commitment to connectivity, cooperation and civilisational understanding.

West Bengal's Economic Transformation: A Blueprint for Growth

West Bengal has the resources, talent, culture, and strategic location necessary to become one of India’s most prosperous states. By combining efficient governance, investment-friendly policies, infrastructure development, education, innovation, trade expansion, tourism growth, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion, the state can achieve rapid economic transformation and substantially raise incomes, employment, and overall quality of life.

India’s Balance-of-Payments Challenge: Need for Structural Transformation in Uncertain Times

India possesses immense talent, entrepreneurial capacity, and a large domestic market, yet it still lacks sufficient depth in high-end manufacturing, research and development, semiconductor ecosystems, advanced engineering, and globally dominant product companies.

What Trade Patterns Reveal About South Asia’s Economic Future

One of the most striking features of South Asian trade is how little the region trades internally. Intra-regional trade within South Asia remains among the lowest in the world relative to geographic proximity. Political tensions — especially between India and Pakistan — have prevented the emergence of a deeply integrated regional production system comparable to ASEAN or the European Union.  This is a major missed opportunity.

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

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Bangladesh is an independent, sovereign country and we decide our own foreign policy, said Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momin, in response to what seemed like a threatening comment by the Chinese envoy over Quad

Bangladesh won’t get commercial supply of Chinese vaccine so soon, says ambassador

Bangladesh will have to wait for some time to get the first commercial supply of Covid 19 vaccines from China, according to Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Li Jiming

China warns of damage to bilateral ties if Bangladesh joins Quad

China has warned Bangladesh that their bilateral ties would be "substantially damaged" if Dhaka participated in any form in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as Quad

Circular debt hits CPEC projects

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) power projects have been affected by circular debt and the Pakistani government has not been able to clear Rs 188 billion due payments in breach of a bilateral energy framework agreement, media reports said

China to create 'line of separation' on Mount Everest over COVID-19 fear in Nepal

As the Everest base camp in Nepal reported several COVID-19 cases, China has decided to create a “line of separation” at the summit to prevent climbers from COVID-19 hit Nepal from mingling with those from the Chinese side

China 'working closely' for co-production of Covid vaccine in Sri Lanka

China has said it was working closely with Sri Lankan authorities to encourage collaboration among biotech companies of the two countries to produce a covid vaccine in the island nation

China reluctant to approve loan to Pakistan citing mounting debt

Expressing concern over Pakistan’s growing debt, China has shown reluctance to approve USD 6 billion loan for the Mainline-I (ML-I) railway track -- the single largest project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor -- according to the record of a meeting and senior Pakistani officials, Express Tribune reported

Chinese Covid vaccine processed in Pakistan to be available by May end: Minister

The first batch of a Chinese made Covid 19 vaccine being processed in Pakistan would be available for use by May end, a senior Minister said

Pakistan witnessing sharp decline in pangolin numbers due to Chinese demand

Pakistan's deep bond with China also costs its wildlife species

$354 million power extension project in Pakistan awarded to Chinese firm

Authorities in Pakistan have awarded a hydropower extension project worth $354 million to a Chinese firm, reported Dawn

US lawmaker welcomes India's decision not to allow Chinese telecom companies for 5G trials

A top US lawmaker has welcomed India's decision to not allow Chinese telecom companies to conduct 5G trials in the nation, a move seen as a strong message sent to Beijing by New Delhi

With China in mind, India, Australia, France vow to create rules-based Indo-Pacific

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne met in London for the first India-France-Australia Trilateral Ministerial Dialogue on 4 May on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting where they once again reiterated the commitment to advance shared values and working together to achieve a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific

Pakistan to seek debt restructuring from China

In a bid to preempt any possibility of raising power tariff, Pakistan will seek debt restructuring of USD 3 billion against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) energy projects, a top official said

Chinese foreign minister likely to visit Sri Lanka in June

Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, will visit Sri Lanka next month, Daily Mirror reported

India's Jaishankar interacts with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, highlights the importance of supply chains, air flights

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday interacted with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and discussed the importance of supply chains and air flights being kept open in the current scenario when India is witnessing massive rise in COVID-19 cases, officials said