South Asia Money

How the Money Moves: The Velocity Challenge in South Asia's Growth Story

As South Asia seeks to become one of the principal engines of global growth in the twenty-first century, velocity may emerge as one of the most important indicators of economic vitality. The countries that prosper most will not necessarily be those that create the most money, but those that use it most effectively.

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.

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

India, China holding fifth round of military talks

The fifth round of talks between the Indian and Chinese military representatives to discuss disengagements are set to take place on Sunday in Moldo, even as Beijing has started troop and material build-up across the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC)

Sri Lanka defense secretary extols China’s relationship with Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Major General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said the historical relationship between China and Sri Lanka had been growing on the mutual trust built on pillars of political, economic, cultural, educational and most importantly in defense over the years

Pakistan Army chief hails military ties as 'key components' of Pak-China relations

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, on the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has said both the countries militaries were key components of Pak-China strategic relations

Sri Lanka to give tax-free salaries to top execs of billion-dollar China project

Sri Lanka will give tax-free salaries to 30 executives of billion-dollar property project from China which will be a landmark in the reclamation that is expanding the island’s capital into the Indian Ocean

‘China meddling in internal affairs of Nepal, Sri Lanka’

Lisa Curtis, senior director for South and Central Asia, US National Security Council, said China was meddling in internal affairs of Nepal and Sri Lanka

Trial of Chinese Vaccine: Dhaka's indecision puzzles experts

It remains a mystery why the Bangladesh government is still in a fix about allowing a clinical trial of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine here when health experts are saying the trial can help the country access the life-saving vaccine quickly and build national capacity for advanced research

REC arm cancels contract to Indian subsidiary of Chinese firm

Days after the opposition Congress accused the government of engaging a China-linked company in a meter installation project in Jammu & Kashmir, the REC Power Distribution Company Ltd (RECPDCL) said that sub-contractor, Dongfang Electric (India) Pvt Ltd, which was a subsidiary of a Chinese company, has been removed

Quad can be bulwark of global challenge to China: Pompeo

The Quad group of India, US, Japan and Australia can be the “bulwark” of a global challenge to China's aggressive behaviour, according to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

China's incursions into India, claims on Bhutan meant to test world: Pompeo

China is testing the world with its incursions into Indian territory but the tide is turning against Beijing, according to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Three in every four smartphones shipped in India were Chinese in Q2

Despite the supply chain issues and curtailed domestic production owing to lockdowns, almost three in four smartphones shipped in India during the June quarter were Chinese, a new report said on Thursday

Leasing Hambantota Port to China helped ease debt burden: Former Sri Lanka PM

By leasing the “white elephant” Hambantota Port to China, the Yahapalana Government was able to free the people of Sri Lanka from the burden of debt owed to China, a burden too heavy for them to bear, Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said

Google has absolutely no links to China's military, asserts CEO Pichai

Google's Indian American CEO Sundar Pichai has denied the company has links to China's military and said it had  only a “handful of people” in China working on open-source artificial intelligence project

China donates 50,000 face masks for Sri Lankan three-wheeler drivers

“To protect the three-wheeler drivers is to protect ourselves,” Hu Wei, Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, said today donating 50,000 face masks for Sri Lankan three-wheeler drivers

India, China troop disengagement remains uphill task; India enhances deployment

Prospects of disengagement of troops at the disputed border between India and China appear to be dim and uphill

China imports all-time high PVC polymers from India amid border tension (Ld)

China imported record high PVC from India in June at a time when the two countries are locked in a tussle at the border amid calls for reducing trade flows