Representational Photo

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

China's SCG donates supplies for Maldives' COVID-19 response

Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) of China on Thursday donated essential personal protective equipment and other medical supplies, to support the COVID-19 response of Maldives amid the global pandemic

China sets up military base at Finger 5 of Pangong Lake, cutting off Indian Army

China has set up a military base near Finger 5, in the north bank of Pangong Lake, completely cutting off the Indian Army

'China-India ministers meet mark substantial step in cooling border issue'

The joint statement and five-point consensus reached by both Chinese and Indian foreign ministers in Moscow marked a substantial step in cooling down the current border situation, exceeding the expectations of most international observers, Chinese mouthpiece Global Times reported

India, China militaries continue talks to ease heightened border tensions

Military representatives of India and China meet on Friday to ease out tensions at the border where both country's troops are metres away, ready to take on each other

China Pakistan economic corridor: Cutting the Baloch melon

Does the cast iron-friendship of brothers China and Pakistan also extend to poverty-stricken Balochistans copper and gold mines? Is this why Chinas growing footprint in Pakistan fired Baloch insurgents who now feel doubly exploited by both Pakistan and now China

Dialogue, disengagement, distance: India and Chinese foreign ministers reach late-night agreement to lower tensions

After a two-and-a-half hour-long meeting that went into the night in Moscow, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said they have agreed on a five-point course of action to de-escalate the four-month-long standoff between their troops at the Line of Actual Control in the disputed region of the Ladakh Himalayas

Joint Press Statement - Meeting of External Affairs Minister and the Foreign Minister of China (September 10, 2020)

H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India met H.E. Wang Yi, State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China on 10thSeptember in Moscow on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting

Indian troops at vantage point on north bank of Pangong Lake

Even as Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops continue to occupy positions on Finger 4 at Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh, Indian soldiers have occupied some heights overlooking PLA positions in the north bank areas, sources said

China designates Nong Rong as new ambassador to Pakistan

China has designated Nong Rong as a new ambassador to Pakistan who is currently a minister in a provincial government, The News reported on Thursday

Chinese company donates 20,000 face masks to Maldives

Chinese construction company Shanghai Construction Group has donated 20,000 masks to the Maldives among other equipment to combat COVID-19

Can India and China co-exist?

One mountain Two Tigers - India, China and the High Himalayas is edited by Shakti Sinha and is published by Pentagon Press. Pages: 201. Price: Rs. 795

Indian soldiers tell Chinese troops to stop incursion attempts, put up barbed wire

Indian soldiers have set up barbed wire obstacles at points where Chinese troops have come a few metres away from their positions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh

Mizoram bans use of Chinese bike in state to curb smuggling

The Mizoram state government has banned the use of China-made Kenbo motorcycles as they are being used in the border state to bring smuggled or illegal substances, including drugs, from neighbouring Myanmar, an official said on Wednesday

China starts fresh build-up north of Pangong Lake

As India dominates south of Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh, China has started fresh build-up at Finger 4 area north of the Lake, sources said on Wednesday

China trying to convince domestic audience it can fight war

China is now trying to convince its own people that its Army can fight a war and has the advantage over India