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.
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.
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.
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.
Humans have always pretended we can resist new inventions, from the printing press to electricity to computers, only to discover that the world shifts regardless. AI is different only in degree, not in pattern. It moves faster than our debates, scales faster than our regulations, and integrates faster than our instincts. The question is no longer whether AI will matter. It is whether we will matter in deciding how it is used.
The IMF’s refusal to revive the $6 billion bailout package over the government’s initial refusal to implement austerity measures made things worse for the government. In recent weeks, the Sharif government has reduced fuel subsidies drastically and increased electricity tariffs.
In South Asia as a whole, the report said, “The Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine has weighed on growth in the South Asia region (SAR) after a solid recovery in the second half of last year and amplified pre-existing vulnerabilities”
Significantly, the country’s IT exports are rising and has already crossed over $2 billion in the first eight months of the current financial year. In 2021, the Overseas Investor Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) said in its report that the country had the potential of $10 billion in annual IT exports.
From Thursday this week, Nepal started selling electricity, around 37 MW to Indian buyers, Nepal Electricity Corporation spokesperson Suresh Bhattarai confirmed to The Kathmandu Post. More bids are invited to sell 200 MW in India’s power exchange market on a long-term basis.
Officials of both Nepal and Sri Lanka are already in talks with Indian officials about procuring fertilizers on an immediate basis. Nepal’s Agriculture Minister Mahendra Rai Yadav this week held talks with his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Tomar to import 60000 tons of urea and 20000 tons of DAP.
The country’s foreign exchange reserves are declining and just enough to cover imports for two months. Last week, authorities announced a ban on over two dozen luxury and other items to save foreign exchange reserves.
At a time when foreign exchange reserves are draining due to rising import bills, the country is due to pay major loans in 2023 and 2024. Going forward, if the recovery of the tourism industry gets impacted by the ongoing crisis, it will further limit the Maldives' government’s ability to fulfill its external debt obligations.
With the economic crisis and the shortage of forex, the Indian credit line of USD 500 million for fuel imports has provided a lifeline to the island nation, which is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts, the public has been suffering for months.
“As the economy recovers [from the Covid-19 pandemic], our assistance will increase access to economic opportunities by promoting employment in critical sectors such as tourism and renewable energy. It will also enhance social service delivery in the islands,” Faris H Hadad-Zervos, the World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka was quoted as saying by The Times of Addu.
On Friday, when asked about the possibility of importing cheap fuel and wheat from Russia, Pakistan's Foreign Office didn’t rule out the possibility. Khan has constantly accused the Sharif government of not pursuing talks with Russia for fuel.
Sri Lanka will require fertilizers worth over $500 million this year and the government has sought fertilizers both from India and China. New Delhi had earlier assured of all possible help. While New Delhi has extended assistance worth over $3 billion this year, China has yet to extend any significant help despite Colombo’s repeated request.
Prior to the war, Russia was the top source market for its tourism. But the number of tourists has been declining as the war progressed, Solih said. The government’s expenditure, subsidies, and import bills are also rising.
Tourism accounts for 70 percent of the government’s total revenue. The government’s spending target on subsidies has already crossed the limit set by the budget 2022, making it extremely hard to reduce any taxes, which could result in potential revenue loss.
Indian authorities have explained that the wheat export ban has been undertaken to ensure domestic food availability and minimize food price-related inflation while supporting the legitimate requirements of India's neighbours and other nations in need.
