NSA Ajit Doval with Vietnam's National Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang

Strong Defence Ties, Yet Limited Trade: The India–Vietnam Economic Puzzle

One highlight is VinFast, Vietnam's electric vehicle producer, announcing an investment commitment of US$500 million for a manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu in south India. The company has also engaged its Indian supply chain with more than 300 local suppliers, aligning with the host country’s domestic industrialization agenda.

Sri Lanka’s Indirect Taxes are Among the Highest in the World: Negatively Impacting Middle Class

Sri Lanka is already seeing signs of higher inflation together with expected slowdown in overall GDP growth during next two years. But the worst impact is going to be gradual shrinking of the middle class and increase in poverty.

Building ASEAN–India Integration Through Digitalization: A Bridge to Strengthen Economic Relations with Southeast Asia

ASEAN–India integration through digitalization is therefore not merely a technical choice. It is a strategy to strengthen competitiveness, expand economic self-reliance, and build a stronger position within the Indo-Pacific economic order.

India's Poverty Reduction: But Is It Translating into Shared Economic Prosperity?

India has demonstrated that economic growth, social transfers and improved access to essential services can substantially reduce extreme deprivation. But the next stage will be considerably more demanding. It requires a different pattern of growth: one that creates productive jobs, raises real wages, increases women's economic independence and distributes the gains from growth more widely

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

India seeks military disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh with China for ties' improvement

India called on China to withdraw troops from all friction points in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and asserted that the disengagement alone will ease tension in the border areas

Sri Lanka to receive Chinese Sinopharm vaccine on 31 March

Sri Lanka is likely to get 600,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines from China on 31 March, reported Daily Mirror

Quad ‘democracies’ will hold Chinese ‘autocracy’ accountable for its actions: Biden

The Quad summit “got the Chinese attention” on their seriousness in holding Beijing accountable for its actions in the Indo-Pacific region, according to US President Joe Biden

Myanmar turmoil no hurdle for India in completing strategic Kaladan project

India has expedited work on its ambitious road infrastructure project -- Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project -- that opens a gateway to Southeast Asian countries in an attempt to counter the growing influence of China in the region

India's China policy needs change; build alliances, leverage democracy, suggests think tank

India's stance on China has to irreversibly change in the light of the recent developments, both bilateral and global

Sri Lanka signs $1.5 billion currency swap deal with China

In what seems a temporary respite for Sri Lanka’s dwindling forex reserve, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has signed a $1.5 billion currency swap agreement with China, reported Colombopage

Chinese nationals in Sri Lanka to get priority vaccination

Authorities in Sri Lanka will administer the Chinese-made Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines first to Chinese nationals living in the country

US, India to expand defence and security cooperation - with China in mind

As part of expanding global security cooperation between the world's oldest and largest democracies, India will intensify military cooperation with the US Central Command in Florida and with the US Commands in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Delhi to discuss ‘pressing’ Indo-Pacific 'challenges'

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived here on Friday for discussions on cooperating to face “most pressing challenges” in the Indo-Pacific, an euphemism for China’a maritime muscle-flexing in the region

UK PM Johnson to visit India, discuss China threat

Calling the Indo-Pacific "increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world",  United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit India in April to ostensibly create a democratic counterweight to China

China says Quad reflects 'ideological bias'

China has accused the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), a four-nation grouping comprising Australia, India, United States and Japan, of "ideological bias and cold war mentality" and described it as a clique based on an ideology that is "detrimental to the border"

China steps up cyber-attacks after Ladakh disengagement

Indian government organisations such as Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) and National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) have reported that Chinese hackers have attempted to infiltrate the country's cyberspace after troops from the two neighbours disengaged from Pangong Lake in eastern Ladak

Sri Lankan flag on doormat: Colombo raises objection with Beijing

A controversy erupted in Sri Lanka on Friday when people in Sri Lanka noticed that Amazon, an online platform, was selling doormats with imprinted Sri Lankan flag on them, reported Colombopage

IMF closely monitoring Lanka’s $1.5 billion currency swap with China

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that they are “closely monitoring” the Sri Lanka’s recent currency swap deal of $1.5 billion with China, reported Colombopage

Islamist groups ask Bangladesh government to sever ties with China over 'Uighur Muslims brutality' issue

Islamic political parties have called upon the Bangladesh government to sever all diplomatic ties with China, owing to alleged persecution of Uighur Muslims in the country

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