Fig: Dr Nalinda Somasiri

AI, Energy, Health, and Integrity: South Asia’s New Frontline Against Procurement Corruption

South Asia’s future depends on reliable infrastructure and trustworthy public services. Artificial intelligence—especially advanced technologies such as Graph Attention Networks—offers governments a powerful tool to reduce corruption in procurement, improve healthcare delivery, strengthen energy security and enhance public trust.

Technology and War: Shaping Future Wars, Battles, and Conflicts

The battlefield is no longer defined by geography alone. It extends into space, into networks, into supply chains, and into the human mind. Conflict today is as much about disruption as it is about destruction; as much about perception as it is about position. Lines are blurred, between soldier and system, between civilian and combatant, between war and peace.

From Crisis Management to Crisis Prevention: South Asian Research Collective Working on AI-Driven Solutions

Together, the team conducts collaborative research and policy development initiatives across four  South Asian countries - Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Their work aims to strengthen national preparedness, improve crisis response systems, and support governments in building resilient, technology-enabled public safety infrastructure. Together, these researchers represent a growing national capability in applying Artificial Intelligence to real-world challenges.

AI and Children: Proper Teaching of AI in Schools a Must to Fire Creativity

Recent evidence also suggests that AI chatbots are being used by teens to plan violence and other harmful activities. Like all technologies, AI is a double-edged sword. It can either be used for very creative work or destructive activities. Thus, there is a tremendous responsibility for teachers to teach the children and youngsters about the positive aspects of AI.

More on AI and Innovation

Nepal’s self-sufficiency in cement, with a little Chinese help, costs the environment and people

Nepal has become self-sufficient in cement production, with close to 55 plants having an annual production capacity of 15 million tonnes operating across the country

Air India gets privatised, goes back to Tata Group after nearly seven decades

Nearly 70 years after the Indian government took over Air India from a reluctant Tatas, the flag carrier returned to its founder, the salt-to-software conglomerate Thursday

IMF projects India's growth rate at 9% - highest among major economies

India's economy is projected to grow by 9 per cent in the next fiscal year, retaining its position as the fastest-growing major economy, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported on Tuesday citing its expectations of higher investments and consumption due to credit growth and better financial sector performance

Sri Lanka’s construction sector crippled by cement shortage amid forex crisis

The construction industry, the biggest contributor to the gross domestic product in Sri Lanka, is threatened by the shortage of cement, and now builders have urged authorities to resolve their issues

Pakistan’s plan to offer permanent residence to rich foreigners: Historic or delusional?

Pakistan recently decided to offer permanent residency to rich foreigners, mainly Sikhs living in the US and Canada, Afghans and Chinese, in exchange for their investment, a move the country’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary termed “historic.”

Sri Lanka, facing foreign exchange crisis, seeks to revive its prized tea exports

In a bid to revive its prized tea industry facing an export collapse, the Sri Lankan government has said it will provide fertilizer subsidies to tea cultivators who have been suffering since the ban on chemical fertilizer last year

PM Imran Khan’s growth delusion hides a painful reality for Pakistan

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The China factor in Nepal’s power exports to India

India will not buy Nepal’s surplus electricity produced by hydropower projects having Chinese components or built by Chinese contractors, Indian authorities have reportedly conveyed to Nepal, days after the industry players from the two nations signed a landmark agreement for power trading

India seeks to boost trade with Bangladesh as Dhaka’s exports to New Delhi set to cross $2 billion

Bangladesh's economic success - from a "basket case" to a "bull case" - and hailed around the world, is being recognised by neighbour India as Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Vikram K Doraiswami met FBCCI President Mohammad Jashmin Uddin and sought the cooperation of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) to boost bilateral trade between the countries

India lends 'a helping hand'; extends $500 million line of credit to Sri Lanka as power plants run out of fuel

India on Tuesday extended a $500 million line of credit to Sri Lanka for the import of fuel as a couple of power plants in the island country ran out of fuel amid a severe foreign exchange crisis

Amid economic crisis, Sri Lanka seeking fuel from India to run power plants

Sri Lanka has been exploring the option of procuring fuel, required for the operations of power plants, from India as regular supplies are affected amid a severe foreign exchange crisis

India to extend $1.5 billion lines of credit to Sri Lanka; Jaishankar dials Finance Minister Basit

India will extend $1.5 billion in additional lines of credit to Sri Lanka, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed on Saturday, assuring the island country of its continuous “support in all possible ways for overcoming economic and other challenges”

IMF Board approves $395 million credit assistance for Nepal to mitigate Covid-19 impact

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Board has approved a $395.9 million extended credit facility (ECF) for Nepal to help it mitigate the pandemic’s impact on health and economic activity, supporting sustained growth and poverty reduction among others

India extends $900 million ‘facilities’ to ailing Sri Lankan economy

India has extended $900 million facilities to Sri Lanka, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said,  as the island country has been going through its worst economic crisis, with record low foreign exchange reserves and food shortages

Sri Lanka may see sovereign default, says S&P, downgrades rating to 'CCC' with negative outlook

After Fitch Ratings, Standard and Poor's has now downgraded Sri Lanka’s sovereign ratings to ‘CCC’ with a negative outlook from an earlier ‘CCC+’ as its currency continued to be under pressure, indicating the island country may see a sovereign default scenario this year, a prospect the country’s central bank denied