18th BRICS Summit

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.

BRICS and the Mask of De-Dollarisation: Of Political Rhetoric and Financial Reality

India’s stand for a dollar-based system is not a rejection of BRICS alignment or unity, but it is a determined choice to act in favour of self-interest like any other founding member. The key difference is India’s position has been the most transparent of all founding members rather than standing behind the collective rhetoric.

Welfare Politics and State Borrowing in India: Easy Populism or Developmental Necessity?

The evidence indicates that the increase in state borrowing over the past decade is best understood as the outcome of a changing fiscal federal system rather than simply an expansion of welfare politics.

Slow Pace of Strategic Indian Projects: These Can Potentially be Gateways to Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival

For India, delays in its strategic projects are not merely bureaucratic setbacks but a matter of national security. Colombo’s motives remain opaque, but for New Delhi, a presence in Sri Lanka’s North and East is non-negotiable. 

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

ISRO's deals with Chinese companies are a security hazard

Security analysts are baffled how an agreement between ISRO and Oppo India has been signed as it greatly increases the security risk for India

PM Imran Khan launches Pak-China Business investment forum to fast-track investments

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday launched the Pakistan-China Business Investment Forum to fast-track project approvals and investment proposals from Chinese investors

Sri Lanka looks to China to revive its embattled tourism industry

Sri Lanka has been looking to Chinese tourists, considered the world’s largest spending tourists, to revive its struggling tourism industry as Sri Lankan officials and airlines hold discussions with leading Chinese group tour operators

Chinese ire over Indian MPs, minister meeting exiled Tibetan leaders

A week after a group of Indian parliamentarians, including a minister in the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended a dinner reception hosted by the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi expressed “concern” over their participation and asked them in separate letters to “refrain from providing support to the ‘Tibetan independence’ forces”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit Sri Lanka, Maldives in January

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Sri Lanka and the Maldives early January, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian confirmed, as Beijing seeks to enhance its influence in the region, considered as India's backyard

Chinese envoy's visit to Tamil-dominated northern Sri Lanka sparks curiosity, concern in India

The Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka visit to the Northern region of Sri Lanka, during which he travelled to Jaffna and Mannar and the northernmost point of the island at Point Pedro, has raised curiosity, and concern

China: Contextualizing the duality in actions

China never accepts deadlines on resolving disputes; in the decades to come it's going to be a hostile coexistence for India and China, write Pradeep S. Mehta and Sandra George for South Asia Monitor 

Maldives vice president meets Chinese ambassador in Male, reaffirms ‘One-China’ policy

Maldives Vice President Ahmed Naseem met the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Male, Wang Lixin, and reaffirmed the archipelago’s firm support for the “One-China” policy

After months-long tussle, Sri Lanka finally buys fertilizer from Chinese firm

Sri Lanka has now agreed to take delivery of organic fertilizer from China’s Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co Ltd, almost two months after Colombo had rejected its shipment, citing poor standards, forcing the firm to initiate arbitration proceedings

Sino-Indian border ‘generally stable'; dialogue on, says China

The situation at the China-India border is “generally stable” and both sides are maintaining dialogue and communication through diplomatic and military channels to ease the border situation following the standoff at eastern Ladakh, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday

ADB blacklists three Chinese firms from Nepal’s key infrastructure projects; Kathmandu airport extension to be impacted

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has blacklisted three Chinese state-owned firms from participating in its key infrastructure projects, including the Kathmandu airport development project, in Nepal

China warns companies blindly visiting Afghanistan for mineral exploration as foreigners arrested in several Afghan provinces

China has warned its companies and nationals on Friday against "blindly" visiting  Afghanistan to inspect mineral resources after multiple reports emerged of foreigners being arrested without exploration permits in several provinces

Fertilizer row: Sri Lanka to pay $6.7 million in compensation after Chinese firm launches arbitration procedure

Sri Lanka has decided to pay $6.7 million in compensation to the Chinese fertilizer firm after the latter initiated an arbitration proceeding against Colombo which had earlier rejected its fertilizer consignment of 20,000 metric tonnes, citing quality issues

Afghanistan receives a batch of Chinese Sinopharm vaccines; 'emergency assistance' in the pipeline

A batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government arrived in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan

China denies reports of canceling power projects in Sri Lanka

China has denied reports that Sino Soar Hybrid Technology Co, the Chinese firm which was awarded three power projects by the Sri Lanka government, had withdrawn from the project