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

Bound by agreements, Indian soldiers did not use firearms against Chinese troops

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Top Indian CEOs of Chinese phone brands get trolled on Twitter

Amid border tensions with China and a growing chorus for boycotting Chinese goods, top Indian executives of some of the most popular phone brands like Xiaomi and Realme have found themselves in hot water every time they tweet to promote their upcoming or existing products

US stands by India in its face-off with China in Ladakh

The US on Friday made it clear that it stood by India in the stand-off with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh where Chinese aggression led to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers

Nepalese and Chinese communist parties to hold virtual interaction

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China gives 97 percent duty-free access to Bangladeshi products

China has given 97 percent duty-free access to a listed number of Bangladeshi products in the Chinese market

Indian soldiers were 'outnumbered' by the Chinese at Galwan Valley

Indian and Chinese military talks at Galwan Valley in the wake of the violent clashes along the Line of Control in Eastern Ladakh region ended with a slight positive trajectory Thursday though nothing has moved on the ground

Pakistan government sets conditions to share Gwadar deal

Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs on Thursday refused to share the Gwadar Port concession agreement with parliament, citing a confidentiality clause – a move that raised more questions in the minds of senators about transparency of the deal

COVID-19 entered Beijing through “European salmon” consignment- Chinese Envoy in Sri Lanka

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China asks India not to underestimate its will

A day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned China against aggression, Beijing asked New Delhi not to "misjudge" the situation or "underestimate" its will

Anti-China sentiments will hit Digital India plan

As the chorus to shun Chinese goods grows across the country, India, which saw exponential growth in smartphone manufacturing from just two factories a couple of years back to nearly 258 now with billions of dollars investment and lakhs of direct and indirect jobs being created, stands to lose its Digital India dream if things get out of control from here on

Uncertainty, nervousness in Leh as standoff continues at LAC

As we move out of the Leh Airport on Thursday, we notice that an eerie silence has gripped the town -- the markets are shut and not many people are on the streets due to the coronavirus pandemic

DFCCIL terminates Rs 471 cr tender with Chinese firm

Amid the India-China border standoff in Ladakh's Galwan Valley where 20 Indian soldiers were killed by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) including an officer, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL)has decided to terminate the tender worth Rs 471 crore with the Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group Company Limited (BNRRDISC) due to non-performance, sources said on Thursday

Sri Lanka approves billion-dollar tower block by China in Colombo Port City

Sri Lanka has approved a billion US dollar mixed development tower block project in Colombo Port City, where the sea has been reclaimed by a Chinese company at a cost of 1.7 billion dollars, ministers said. “The Cabinet has approved Sri Lanka’s largest mixed development project,” Cabinet spokesman said

Chinese woman envoy 'inspired' PM Oli to redraw Nepal map

Even as border clashes between India and China escalate geopolitical tensions in the subcontinent, the pro-China government in Nepal seems to be in no mood to budge from its position on redrawing the country's map

India-China military talks end in stalemate, dialogue to continue

Indian and Chinese military talks at Galwan Valley over the violent clash along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh ended in a stalemate on Wednesday