Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a team of coronavirus experts as COVID-19 cases and death toll from the disease continue to surge in Bangladesh
Growth of Underground Economy and Rising Income Disparity is a Social Concern in Sri Lanka
In 2025, Sri Lanka was ranked as the second most expensive housing market in the world based on rentals compared to average income. It is possible that market distortions caused by black economy and corruption have contributed to this.
From Infrastructure to Investment: Building West Bengal’s Next Growth Cycle
The larger opportunity before West Bengal is therefore not another round of infrastructure creation in isolation. It is the creation of an ecosystem in which infrastructure, private capital, local enterprise and skilled labour reinforce one another.
Did BRICS Help Thaw India-China Ties? Need to Convert Broken Ice into a Workable Business Relationship
Why not begin by reopening serious discussions with Chinese conglomerate BYD about an Indian factory? BYD is now one of the world’s dominant EV manufacturers. Its Indian ambitions were caught in the post-Galwan investment freeze. Invite it back to the table—but on Indian terms
The Real Test for BRICS: More Choices for South Asia, or Just New Dependencies?
But the choice test applies to India as much as to the countries it hopes will follow its lead. If BRICS genuinely widens India's menu of markets, technology partners and financing sources without deepening its dependence on any one of them, it becomes a credible model for the rest of the Global South.
More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development
Chinese power scams under CPEC cause loss of $630mn to Pak
In an effort to explore the causes for the steep cost of electricity in Pakistan, the Imran Khan government has unearthed a scam of over $630 million involving power projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
Pompeo hailed for asking China to release Tibetan holy monk
Tibet's self-declared government-in-exile President Lobsang Sangay on Tuesday thanked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for making a strong call to China for the release of the second-highest holy monk, the Panchen Lama
Trump threatens to pull top funder US out of WHO over China
Accusing the World Health Organisation of “alarming lack of independence from” China, US President Donald Trump has threatened to pull out of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and end its financing if it did not institute reforms within a month and end its subservience
274 students brought back from China
As many as 274 Pakistani students stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan arrived at Islamabad International Airport (IIA) on a special flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Monday
PLA muscle-flexing part of exercise to shape the environment in China’s favour
A major aim of China’s aggressive actions is to derail demands at the United Nations for independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. This has led to muscle-flexing all over, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor
'Wuhan Diary' releases in India in ebook format
The much-talked-about 'Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City' by well-known Chinese literary writer Fang Fang, has released in India in the ebook format
China rejects India’s objection to dam in Gilgit-Baltistan
China on Friday rejected India’s objection to the construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam in the Gilgit-Baltistan region - whose sovereignty is contested by India - saying that the economic cooperation between China and Pakistan was aimed at promoting development and improving the well-being of the local population
Time to strengthen Quad to counter China’s influence
There is a geopolitical dimension to the COVID-19 tsunami that continues to leave in its wake thousands of deaths across the world
China offers to restart development work in Sri Lanka
Chinese President Xi Jinping is suggesting that China and Sri Lanka gradually resume practical cooperation in various fields, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua has reported
Pakistan's WAPDA signs Rs442b deal with Power China-FWO
An agreement worth Rs442 billion with a joint venture of Power China and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) was signed on Wednesday for the construction of a diversion system, main dam, access bridge and 21-megawatt Tangir hydroelectric power project
Chinese People’s Liberation Army provides protective material to Sri Lankan army fighting COVID-19 pandemic
At the request of Sri Lanka, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has sent an Air Force aircraft carrying a consignment of required personal protective clothing and other supplies for COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control to the Sri Lanka Army
China reiterates support for Afghanistan peace, development
The Chinese ambassador to Kabul, Mr. Wang Yu, has assured his country’s support to a stable and developed Afghanistan
Chinese chopper spotted near LAC, India rushes fighters to border
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday scrambled fighter jets along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China in Ladakh, after China flew military choppers close to the LAC
Lessons to be learned from China's COVID-19 handling
The bottom line is this: China has been less than truthful, manipulated messages, behaved autocratically, turned the pandemic into a geopolitical football game of blame and shame, and not been forthcoming about how the novel coronavirus started nor accepted any responsibility for its consequences, writes Frank F Islam for South Asia Monitor
