Economy

Manoj Talukdar observes the devastation in Assam. "I have lost my life's savings" due to the flooding, he told Nikkei Asia. (Photo by Sasanka Talukdar)
Natural disasters

India's Assam floods overwhelm disaster management efforts

Deadly monsoons displace over 200,000 people, but nature is not the only culprit

28 June 2022
A containership docked at the Indian city of Kochi: India opted out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade grouping but is looking for alternatives.
Trade

India, EU resume free trade talks after near-decade freeze

Two sides hope to overcome sticking points as they aim to reduce China reliance

27 June 2022
Narendra Modi in Mysuru on June 21: The Modi government is in a bind.
Opinion

Youth unemployment will devastate India if left unchecked

Military recruitment uproar exposes the pain of a jobless recovery

23 June 2022
Hina Nagarajan, managing director and chief executive officer of Diageo India, says its strategy to pursue "value over volume" is the way forward for the company. (Photo courtesy of Diageo)
Food & Beverage

Diageo bets on India's premium alcohol market amid inflation

Local subsidiary head to expand high-end lineup eyeing post-COVID demand

23 June 2022
People wade through flooding as they search for shelter in northeastern Bangladesh on June 18.
Natural disasters

Death toll in Bangladesh, India floods rises to 42

Dhaka searches for millions stranded by nation's worst monsoon disaster in years

19 June 2022
People queue at a fuel station in Colombo, Sri Lanka, hoping to buy kerosene. IMF delegates are set to visit the country this week as it battles a spiraling economic crisis.
Your Week in Asia

IMF heads to Sri Lanka, Japan upper house election campaign, G-7 summit

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

19 June 2022
Reviving Thailand's tourism industry will involve reduced dependence on the China market, more arrivals from new markets, and maintaining attention on domestic travelers.
Travel & Leisure

Thai hotels court Indian and local tourists to fill China void

Europeans top returnees but cannot match Arab and Chinese spending

15 June 2022
A worker sifts wheat before filling in sacks at the market yard on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on May 16: Wheat exports were banned with immediate effect.
Opinion

India's flawed system of export controls needs repair

Preventing manufacturers from making profitable sales overseas makes no sense

13 June 2022
Indian consumers and corporations are finding ways to keep expenses from ballooning now that inflation has gripped the nation.
Inflation

As Indians' income shrinks, so do the products they buy

With 'magic price points' locked in, producers resort to reducing 'grammage'

10 June 2022
The apparel industry dumps 92 million tons of textiles a year. The European Union hopes new rules will increase recycling, repair and second-hand retail. (Source photos by Ken Kobayashi and AFP/Jiji)
Business Spotlight

From China to India, Asia braces for EU plan to kill fast fashion

Supply chains may have to shift to recyclable, durable clothes -- with uncertain consequences

10 June 2022
The Reserve Bank of India has increased its key rate for the second time in a little over a month as inflation mounts.
Economy

India's central bank raises key rate to 4.90% in 'no brainer' move

RBI attempts to curb 'steep' inflation, pinning blame on Ukraine war

8 June 2022
From left, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the IPEF launch event in Tokyo on May 23. 
The Nikkei View

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework can add stability to region

Byproduct of US-China rivalry has potential to benefit local companies

8 June 2022
From a Maldives bond payment to India's central bank meeting and Pakistan's upcoming budget, South Asia's economic strain is in focus.
Asia Insight

Beyond Sri Lanka, economic cyclone bears down on South Asia

From Pakistan to Maldives, forex and debt risks grow as inflationary headwinds build

7 June 2022
The Indian rupee suffered its fifth monthly decline in a row in May, amid relentless selling by foreign institutional investors, slowing economic growth, and a spike in inflation.
Market Spotlight

The droopy rupee: Can India's currency be revived?

Central bank rate rise expected this week as inflation menaces economy

6 June 2022
A seller prepares freshly butchered chickens at the Kampung Baru wet market in Kuala Lumpur on May 31, the day before Malaysia stopped exports to protect its domestic supplies.
Economy

'Food nationalism' worries rise after India, Malaysia export bans

Policies stoke fears of further inflation, weaponization of supplies

3 June 2022
Tourism typically accounts for 7% of Kashmir's economy.
Travel & Leisure

Kashmir's embattled travel industry enjoys a renaissance

Indians flock to 'paradise on earth' as COVID ebbs and security improves

3 June 2022
The main campus of IT company Infosys in Bengaluru, India. Japanese e-commerce platform Mercari is opening a R&D center in the city. (Photo by Satoshi Shimoda)
Startups

India's herd of tech unicorns grows despite IPO headwinds

16 billion-dollar startups established already this year: tech lobby chief

2 June 2022
Narendra Modi, Joe Biden and Fumio Kishida attend the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework launch event in Tokyo on May 23: Modi's moves do signal a significant shift.
Opinion

Modi's trade rethink shows that geopolitical friendship has benefits

National security concerns are driving new forms of Asian economic integration

2 June 2022
A shopper buys vegetables from a vendor in Kolkata: India's April retail inflation surged to an almost eight-year high of 7.79%.
Economy

India's GDP grew 4.1% in January-March, slowest in a year

Omicron COVID wave, inflation stemming from Ukraine war dented fiscal Q4 figures

31 May 2022
People wait in a queue for food in New Delhi in January 2021: The pandemic has driven millions of people in the developing world back into poverty and food insecurity.
Opinion

Soaking the rich will not help the world's poor

Policies that foster entrepreneurship and job creation are better targeted

27 May 2022
A woman whose farming land had been transferred to build a solar power plant grazes her cow near the plant in Mikir Bamuni village, Assam state, on Feb. 18: Nowhere is the transformation of economy more dramatic than in India.
Opinion

India should rethink plans to become a semiconductor hub

Other more important goals deserve Narendra Modi's attention

23 May 2022
The Reserve Bank of India unexpectedly raised rates on Wednesday.
Economy

India unexpectedly hikes key rate in off-cycle meeting

Reserve Bank of India raises benchmark by 40 bps to 4.40% in bid to stem inflation

4 May 2022
Nepal's finance minister Janardan Sharma, left, and foreign minister Naryan Khadka speak to Nikkei Asia in Kathmandu, Nepal. (Source photos by Moyuru Baba)
Interview

China-India rivalry is good for South Asia, Nepal ministers say

Himalayan nation facing stiff economic challenges amid Ukraine war and pandemic

27 April 2022
A demolished shop in the area that saw communal violence, pictured on April 20 in New Delhi's northwest Jahangirpuri neighborhood: Hindu nationalists have intensified their attacks on India's Muslim minority.
Opinion

West not about to abandon India, despite communal tensions

Underlying story is one of remarkable political and social stability

26 April 2022
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, hosts Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba in New Delhi on April 2.
International relations

India offers carrots to 'pro-China' neighbors Sri Lanka, Nepal

Political instability in South Asia opens diplomatic doors for New Delhi

24 April 2022