The federal government has waived the guarantee fee on the Chinese loans being taken to construct two nuclear power plants in Karachi and also sought a report on the total outstanding employee-related liabilities of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM)
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.
The West Asia Conflict: Challenging Times for Indian Economy
Scarcity of cooking fuel is pushing people, particularly across South Asia, toward hunger. Livelihoods have been lost among the large unorganised labour force while thousands of self-employed street vendors, smaller restaurants and eateries are being forced to close shop, facing a scary, insecure future. For middle class households across India, everyday snacks like the samosa or dosa have become scarce because of shortage and high prices of cooking gas cylinders.
New EU Medicines Law Could Impact FTA With India
India is one of the world’s largest suppliers of generic medicines and APIs to Europe. If the EU begins favouring “Made in EU” pharmaceutical production through procurement preferences, subsidies or state aid, Indian drug manufacturers could face reduced access to EU public procurement contracts and tougher supply-chain resilience requirements.
Caught in Geopolitical Quagmire, West Asia Crisis Looms Large Over Indian Supply and Demand Metrics
India’s pharma export market has been affected as India supplies medicines to more than 200 countries. Supply chain interruption not only hurts Indian producers but also creates medicine scarcity in the US, UK, and African markets that highly depend on Indian generics. From the logistics end, re-routing of cargo away from conflict-ridden corridors such as the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz has increased freight insurance premiums, distressing Indian exporters who function on lean cost structures.
More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development
Tibetans in crosshairs of Xi's assault
Chinese President Xi Jinping is relying on the United Front Work Department (UFWD)-a Mao-era contraption-to tighten his totalitarian grip on Chinas society and economy
Now China encroaches upon Nepal territory
After India, China is now embroiled in a fresh boundary dispute with Nepal in its remote Humla district that is close to the Nepal-Tibet border
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"
