Figure 1 - Intervention points: emergency assistance, flexible repayments, affordable restructuring, independent debt advice.

Can South Asia Build a Microfinance System That Protects the Poor?

Samurdhi’s community-based banking system provides a foundation in Sri Lanka through savings, member participation and livelihood support. Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank offers useful lessons in lending without conventional collateral, organising small borrower groups and placing women at the centre of financial participation. 

Divided Growth in South Asia: Need for Regional Economic Architecture

The October 2026 IMF WEO projections show that South Asia's growth prospects do not follow a uniform pattern. These differences are not a reason to abandon regional cooperation, but rather a basis for strengthening more inclusive and productive integration mechanisms.

India's 'Refining Superpower': Key Role in Energy Security Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty

India may not match the United States or China in total refining capacity, but its sophisticated refining infrastructure, crude-processing flexibility, and export capability give it an important place in the global energy system. 

South Asia’s Development Finance Dilemma: Debt, FDI and the Search for Productive Capital

Remittances have become an unusually large source of external finance for South Asia. But a development model in which workers migrate because domestic employment is inadequate, and then send income home to support domestic consumption, cannot indefinitely substitute for creating productive employment at home.

More on Geoeconomics, Trade and Development

'CPEC to provide great benefit to Afghanistan, Central Asian nations'

Pakistani President Arif Alvi said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will benefit Afghanistan and Central Asian countries by enhancing the connectivity of the region

Chinese aggression is a conspiracy to change status quo: Indian Army chief

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Friday that Chinese aggression is a "conspiracy to change status quo" and stressed that the sacrifices of those killed in Galwan won't go to waste

Sri Lanka to market Pure Ceylon Tea in China

Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal for entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka Tea Board and Fujian Star China International Trade Company Limited for marketing Pure Ceylon Tea both online and offline utilizing the probabilities in the Chinese tea market

With world domination in mind, China could engineer multiple conflict points with India, US

The danger of a short-swift conflict with China exists not only in Ladakh but also elsewhere along the India-Tibet border and even through Bhutan, along with some action at sea, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor

No withdrawal of Chinese troops from Ladakh border: Army Chief

There has been no withdrawal of Chinese troops from the Ladakh frontier and the ground situation remains the same, said Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday, stating that reports of Chinese soldiers' movement from depth areas has no relation to the deployment on the Line of Actual Control

Chinese vaccine registration in Pakistan soon as trial nears end

As the novel coronavirus continues to claim dozens of lives a day in Pakistan, the only hurdle in importing the Covid-19 vaccine from Chinese state-owned company Sinopharm will be removed soon with its Phase-I trial in Karachi reaching the final stage, it emerged on Tuesday

Chinese envoy stresses need for Pakistani to improve infrastructure

China and Pakistan have started cooperation under the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in industrial and agriculture sectors, healthcare and digital technology, which will boost the South Asian nation’s economy, said Chinese Minister Counsellor (Economic and Commercial) Xie Guoxiang

Hazara killings: Mounting attacks on Chinese projects in Pakistan

Amid escalating attacks on Chinese projects in Pakistan, the brutal killing of 11 Hazara coal mine workers by the Islamic State (IS) terror group may have focused on Bostan, the site chosen for a Special Economic Zone under the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Chinese hackers luring Indian WhatsApp users?

In fresh trouble for WhatsApp, which is facing backlash over its upcoming user-data policy in India, New Delhi-based think-tank Cyberpeace Foundation said on Monday that China-based hackers are targeting WhatsApp users in the country with the promise of 'part-time' jobs

India releases Chinese soldier detained for crossing disputed border

Indian authorities on Monday released a soldier of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), who was apprehended for crossing the disputed border in Eastern Ladakh

23 Indian ship crew stranded off China sail for Japan

Twenty-three Indian crew members aboard the ship MV Jag Anand, stuck off China for over six months, were allowed to set sail for a port in Japan on Saturday evening, the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) said

Chinese PLA soldier held for straying into Indian territory

A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldier was arrested after he crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh and enteredIndian territory, the Indian Army has stated

China grudgingly concedes India's Covid vaccines are good

As demand for the India-made COVID-19 vaccines gathers momentum in foreign countries, even China appears to have grudgingly accepted its South Asian neighbours domain expertise

Sri Lanka swap with China in advanced stage: Minister

A 10 billion yuan (about 1.5 billion US dollar) swap line for Sri Lanka’s central bank with the People’s Bank of China amount to 10 billion yuan is in an advanced stage, State Minister for Money and Capital Markets Nivard Cabraal said

'Chinese Army uses nomads to transgress into Indian territory'

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is using nomads in Ladakh to transgress into Indian territory while the Indian Army has restricted its own nomads to pasture lands, severely impacting the lives of locals, the Ladakh Hill Development Council has flagged to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

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