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

US offers to mediate between China, India on border row

The US on Wednesday revealed that it has offered to mediate in the ongoing standoff between India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh

China can't remain oblivious to India's illegal constructions in Ladakh. says Pakistani foreign minister

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that the recent conflict between China and India was triggered by the latter's "illegal constructions" in Ladakh, Radio Pakistan reported

'Chinese Banks providing support for Sri Lanka’s post COVID-19 economic recovery'

Hu Wei, Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has said that at a time Sri Lanka is faced with two “arduous tasks” of combating the COVID-19 epidemic and reviving the economy, Chinese banks and other enterprises are providing strong support for the country’s economic recovery via financial, investment and other channels

China instigated Nepal against India, planning more skirmishes to corner New Delhi

China feels that India is also acting against it; hence, it is creating troubles for India. Before the protest from Nepal, it instigated Pakistan, writes Jai Kumar Verma for South Asia Monitor

India-China border tense, PM Modi chairs high-level security meeting

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the country's top defence and foreign affairs officials and the National Security Advisor (NSA) over the prevailing tense situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. NSA Ajit Doval and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, were part of the meeting. During the meeting, Modi wanted to know how to end the standoff and resolve the issue

India's 'forgotten war' with China

The only India-China conflict that remains etched in our collective memory is the 1962 war, which India tragically lost. But five years later, in 1967, India and China faced off once again in the heights of Cho La and Nathu La at the Sikkim border. This time, overcoming the odds, India triumphed

Indian Chinese militaries talk to resolve border standoff, no breakthrough yet

Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army held several meetings to resolve the face-off in eastern Ladakh at Line of Actual Control, however no breakthrough has taken place till Monday, sources said

Pampering of China, injustice to Taiwan must end

No invitation to Taiwan for the WHA meeting was a foregone conclusion with DG WHO loyal to Beijing. The probe into the origin of COVID-19 may peter out with China having destroyed the evidence in Wuhan, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

China asks India to refrain from supporting Taiwan

Outraged by the subtle support that the ruling BJP extended to the democratically elected government of Taiwan, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime has asked India to "refrain from such acts."

LAC troops deployment up as India, China take diplomatic route

Increased tension between China and India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has forced both the countries' militaries to increase deployment of men in thousands and assets at forward locations within their respective territories

When then Ceylon PM Sir John Kotelawala questioned China's doctrine way back in the fifties

The melodramatic act performed by Ceylon’s (now Sri Lanka) third prime minister Sir John Lionel Kotelawala had simply upset the apple cart of the Bandung conference and India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s motive of introducing Chou En-Lai to the decolonized states, write  Punsara Amarasinghe & Eshan Jayawardane

CPEC contributes to Pakistan's national development: Foreign Ministry

Pakistan's foreign ministry has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a transformational project contributing positively and transparently to the country's national development

India denies China's claims of activity in violation of LAC

The Indian government has denied China's claims that India is carrying out any activity in violation of the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and Sikkim

Chinese Embassy says US official’s speech to defame Sino-Pak ties

The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad termed the speech of US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells totally baseless and attempt to defame Sino-Pak relations and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Maldivian MP calls for loans from China for economic resurgence

MP for Maradhoo Ibrahim Shareef has called on the government to obtain loans from China to repair the damage caused to the economy of the country and the financials of the state due to COVID-19