The Arctic Shortcut: China’s Northern Sea Route and the Rewiring of Global Maritime Trade

The Arctic Shortcut: China’s Northern Sea Route and the Rewiring of Global Maritime Trade

As Arctic ice retreats, geography itself is being rewritten. The Northern Sea Route illustrates how environmental change, technological innovation, commercial strategy, and geopolitics are converging to reshape international trade.

South Asia's Balance of Payments Challenge: The Changing Dynamics of External Balances in South Asia

South Asia remains one of the least integrated regions in the world despite geographical proximity and complementary economic structures. Greater regional trade, improved transport connectivity, cross-border electricity markets, digital payment systems and investment partnerships could substantially reduce external vulnerabilities. 

India's Employment Debate: A Future With Plenty of Work, But Fewer Jobs

Between 2004 and 2023, India produced roughly five million graduates every year, but graduate employment increased by only around 2.8 million annually. Even fewer obtained salaried employment. Millions are either unemployed or working below their qualifications or in the waiting room for the elusive government job. 

How Sri Lanka Missed the Opportunity to Become a 200-billion dollar economy

Policy instability during the 2015-2024 likely pushed back Sri Lanka’s path towards becoming South Asia’s first High-Income Country. The 2022 financial crisis would never have happened as stable growth during the first half of 2015–2024 would have built enough buffer to weather impact of the Covid pandemic 

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Nepal seeks Chinese support for medical supplis

Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has requested China's cooperation and facilitation for the purchase of essential medicines and medical equipment on G-to-G basis

China aids Afghanistan with medical supplies

In the past five months since arrival in Afghanistan, I have met friends from all walks of life and been deeply impressed by the Afghan hospitality, diligence and courage

Twitter suspends account of Chinese Embassy in Colombo

Social media giant Twitter has suspended the account of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo, days after it had responded to allegations against China using undiplomatic language. “We have already applied to unlock the account,” a spokesman for the embassy told News1st

Xi'an municipality of China donates medical supplies to Nepal

The Xi'an municipality of Shaanxi province of China, has provided medical supplies in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic

People's Bank of China increases stake in India's HDFC

The People's Bank of China has increased its stake in India's banking and financial services company HDFC to 1.01 percent. The central bank of China currently has nearly 1.75 crore shares in HDFC during the quarter ended March, according to data submitted by the company at the BSE

India slams China for raking up Kashmir at UN

The  Indain government on Thursday slammed China at the United Nations for raking up India's internal matters and its failure to recognize Pakistan's cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir

Scope of CPEC to be enhanced in the second phase

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is making steady progress, and its scope will be further enhanced in the second phase, a top Pakistani official said

Sri Lanka’s China-run port to oil Indian Ocean shipping

Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port, run by China’s CM Ports group with Chinese oil group Sinopec, has stocked up bunker oil to supply ships passing the island with the global shipping industry hit by the fallout of Coronavirus

China Railway Group Ltd donates PPE, safety gears to Bangladesh hospital

China Railway Group Limited (CREC) has donated Personal Protective Equipment and other safety gears to the Combined Military Hospital and Kurmitola General Hospital in Dhaka to extend support to the Bangladesh government's fight against the coronavirus outbreak

China reluctant to open customs points

The Chinese government is reluctant to open trade routes with Nepal, saying the coronavirus infection has been gradually spreading in Nepal

China profits from the pandemic it sparked

In what is being called the "cruelest irony" China, that blasted the world with one million coronavirus cases, now stands to gain from the fallout, exporting equipment and supplies needed to fight the pandemic, according to a US leader

Air India commences Delhi-Shanghai cargo flight operations

Air India on Saturday commenced the first cargo flight between Shanghai and Delhi. "An Air-bridge between Shanghai & Delhi has been established," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Saturday

Indian attorneys, ICJ move UNHRC against China for Covid-19 reparation

The International Council of Jurists (ICJ) and All India Bar Association have moved the United Nations Human Rights Council seeking compensation from China for "surreptitiously developing a biological weapon capable of mass destruction."

COVID-19: China should not be allowed to lift lockdown in hotspots

It is now recognized all over the world that COVID-19 originated from the Wuhan region in China and China did not forewarn the world at the right time about what is now known as the China virus disaster

Air India may fly in medical equipment from China starting April 3

Air India is likely to transport critical medical equipment and supplies from China starting April 3