Representational Photo

What Trade Patterns Reveal About South Asia’s Economic Future

One of the most striking features of South Asian trade is how little the region trades internally. Intra-regional trade within South Asia remains among the lowest in the world relative to geographic proximity. Political tensions — especially between India and Pakistan — have prevented the emergence of a deeply integrated regional production system comparable to ASEAN or the European Union.  This is a major missed opportunity.

The West Asia Conflict: Challenging Times for Indian Economy

Scarcity of cooking fuel is pushing people, particularly across South Asia, toward hunger. Livelihoods have been lost among the large unorganised labour force while thousands of self-employed street vendors, smaller restaurants and eateries are being forced to close shop, facing a scary, insecure future. For middle class households across India, everyday snacks like the samosa or dosa have become scarce because of shortage and high prices of cooking gas cylinders.

New EU Medicines Law Could Impact FTA With India

India is one of the world’s largest suppliers of generic medicines and APIs to Europe. If the EU begins favouring “Made in EU” pharmaceutical production through procurement preferences, subsidies or state aid, Indian drug manufacturers could face reduced access to EU public procurement contracts and tougher supply-chain resilience requirements.

Caught in Geopolitical Quagmire, West Asia Crisis Looms Large Over Indian Supply and Demand Metrics

India’s pharma export market has been affected as India supplies medicines to more than 200 countries. Supply chain interruption not only hurts Indian producers but also creates medicine scarcity in the US, UK, and African markets that highly depend on Indian generics. From the logistics end, re-routing of cargo away from conflict-ridden corridors such as the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz has increased freight insurance premiums, distressing Indian exporters who function on lean cost structures.

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

You have made a 'massive blunder' on China, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi tells PM Modi

In a trenchant attack on the Modi government and its foreign and domestic policies, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday took to the floor of parliament to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making a "massive blunder" in its stance on China, saying this "posed a very serious threat to the Indian nation"

Indian teen was given electric shocks in Chinese custody, alleges father

The Indian teenager who was allegedly abducted by the Chinese PLA from Arunachal Pradesh was reunited with his family, an official said on Tuesday, but his father alleged that his son was tied and kept blindfolded for more than a week and given a "mild electric shock" by his captors

China working 'closely' with India to resolve border problem at earliest; oppose third party interference, says China to US

China has said it will work “closely” with India to properly handle the ongoing border tension as it strongly criticised the United States for saying it was concerned by Beijing’s attempts to coerce its neighbours, including India

Chinese PLA hands over missing Indian teen to Indian Army

This is one India-China story in recent times that has had a happy conclusion

PLA responded positively in tracing missing Indian youth, says Indian minister; urges restraint in statements

India's Law Minister Kiren Rijiju Wednesday said that a hotline was exchanged between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Republic Day regarding the Arunachal Pradesh teenager who was allegedly reported as kidnapped by the PLA a week ago from Indian territory

Missing Indian teenager found by Chinese PLA; will be sent back

The 17-year-old Indian youth who had gone missing near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China in northeast India's Arunachal Pradesh has been located by the Chinese Army and due procedure is being followed to bring him back to the country, NDTV said quoting news agency ANI

Indian Army seeks Chinese PLA's help to locate missing teen

The Indian Army has sought the assistance of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) to locate a missing local teenager on their side and return him as per established protocol, sources in the defence establishment told PTI news agency on Thursday

China to donate 1 million tonnes of rice to Sri Lanka, as Colombo makes most of competing benevolence

Crisis-ridden Sri Lanka has been looking for emergency assistance from both of its closest allies, India and China, and taking full advantage of their competing strategic interests in the country

Chinese PLA has kidnapped Indian teen, alleges Indian MP

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has kidnapped an Indian teenager from inside the Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district, state MP Tapir Gao said on Wednesday

Amid stalled projects, Pakistan compelled to compensate Chinese workers killed in last year's terror attack

The Pakistan government had to finally agree to provide a large amount of compensation to survivors and families of 36 Chinese nationals who were either killed or hurt in a terror attack that took place last year near a hydropower project site in northeastern Pakistan

India’s trade with China booms - despite the political rift and military standoff

Trade with China is booming, despite all the brouhaha about Chinese "aggression" and "expansionism" and the nearly two-year-old military standoff in the Ladakh Himalayans where both countries have amassed nearly 50,000 soldiers facing each other a snowy frontier

No breakthrough even after 14 rounds of India-China border talks

There was no breakthrough in the 14th round of talks between the militaries of India and China, and the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues

China building settlements near disputed border with Bhutan: Report

China has accelerated building settlements along its disputed border with Bhutan as Beijing has erected over 200 structures, including some still under construction, at six locations, according to a report by Reuters, which has examined satellite images of the disputed location

China threat has by no way reduced: Indian Army chief

India and China have been working on "mutual disengagement" and there have been positive developments, but the "threat" is very much high, Indian Army chief General MM Naravane said even as the 14th round of commander-level talks between the two neighbours were held Wednesday

Border situation 'stable', says China ahead of commander-level military talks with India

China said on Tuesday that the current situation on the border areas with India was "stable" as it confirmed that the 14th round of Corps Commander-level talks to discuss the disengagement process in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh will be held on Wednesday