A vintage streetcar beside a driverless car on the Embarcadero, San Francisco / Photo by Surbhi Guha.

South Asian Talent Almost Everywhere; Missing is an AI Invention from the Region the World Depends on

The ambition exists across the region. Young Indian companies are building rocket engines and computer chips, products India has long bought from abroad. Pakistan sent a delegation to Silicon Valley to show what its technology industry can do

Where Is India's Apple? A Nation's Strategic Independence is Directly Proportional to its Economic Independence

A country can only be as independent in its diplomacy as it is in its economy. A nation that imports its phones, its chips and much of its energy, will always have less room to manoeuvre than one that makes what the world needs.

China's Open-Source AI Initiative and the Limits of BRICS Consensus

The difference between Xi's New Delhi proposal and the language of the declaration illustrates the distinction between China's ambitions for AI cooperation and the level of agreement achieved among BRICS members. The declaration did not reject China's AI diplomacy; it simply did not explicitly endorse the proposed open-source community.

AI on the Battlefield: The Mirage of Unlimited Capability

The AI revolution may indeed change warfare. But the laws of physics, engineering and economics have not been repealed. AI may be extraordinarily powerful in the data centre. The real challenge is carrying that capability to the battlefield.

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Bangladesh brings 100% population under electricity coverage; joins Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bhutan in South Asia

Dhaka has also been exploring trilateral cooperation in power sectors among India-Bhutan-Bangladesh and Nepal-India-Bangladesh

Bangladesh tops in women’s leadership in listed firms in South Asia

A new study conducted by the International Financial Corporation (IFC) and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) puts Bangladesh at the top in South Asia when it comes to women’s leadership in listed firms. In 2021, women directors in listed firms were around six percent in comparison to five percent in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world.  

India’s expanding energy footprint: Sri Lanka awards two mega renewable power projects to the Adani Group

Sri Lanka last week signed a deal with India’s Adani Group, awarding the latter two mega renewable power projects in the northern part of the country, as Colombo faces its worst power crisis, primarily caused by the foreign exchange crisis, in decades

Ukraine war will have long-lasting impact on emerging economies

Amidst the Ukraine war, Indian exporters are worried about exports and have seen an early trend in declining orders for engineering goods and apparels

India will not experience oil shortage, assures minister

Despite the Russia-Ukraine war that has sent oil prices skyrocketing, there will be no shortage of crude oil in India, even though the country imports the bulk of its energy requirements, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri assured

Sri Lankan finance minister likely to visit India this month amid worsening energy crisis

Indian External Minister S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa held a telephonic conversation and the former assured that New Delhi will continue to assist the island country which has been going through perhaps its worst economic crises

India, Bangladesh to work on economic pact

In a further intent of their deepening ties and optimising bilateral connectivty, India and Bangladesh will conduct a joint study on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) at a commerce secretary-level talks on Friday, according to an official statement

Poppy cultivation on the rise in southern Afghanistan: 'There is nothing else to cultivate', say farmers

Contrary to the Taliban’s previous assurances on banning poppy cultivation, the group this year seems to be actively encouraging opium production

Sri Lanka staring at an energy disaster; no money for fuel imports

Sri Lankan energy crisis, primarily caused by the severe foreign exchange shortage, has reached a dangerous level this week as the country struggles to manage multiple interlinked crises, forcing authorities to ration both electricity and fuel

Ukraine war to significantly impact tourism, says Maldives tourism minister; pins hopes on China to offset potential loss

The ongoing war in Ukraine will significantly impact the tourism industry,  said Maldives’ Tourism Minister Abdullah Mausoom, as tourists from Russia and Ukraine, the two countries at war now, comprise almost 20 percent of the country’s total tourists

Crisis-gripped Sri Lanka to hold talks with IMF and World Bank for assistance

Sri Lankan officials are expected to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank for support as Colombo faces a severe economic crisis, including a shortage of fuel and essentials

Bangladesh to get $300 million from the World Bank to strengthen local governance

The World Bank has approved a proposal to provide $300 million to Bangladesh to help strengthen its local governance against the pandemic shock and make them resilient to future shocks

Iran to Afghanistan's rescue? Has assured help to rebuild Afghan economy, claims Taliban

Iran has assured its assistance to help rebuild the Afghan economy, the Taliban’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said

Nepal, India discuss energy and power trade cooperation

Nepal and India on Thursday discussed enhancing bilateral energy cooperation, development of energy resources, and power trade among other related issues during the meeting of the Joint Steering Committee in Kathmandu

Bill Gates praises Indian vaccine makers for supplying affordable Covid vaccines to the world

Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has praised India for its vaccine-manufacturing prowess and applauded the efforts of the country's manufacturers for supplying affordable vaccines across the world