Economy

People attend an exhibition displaying destroyed Russian military vehicles in central Kyiv.
22 August 2022
Striking Bangladeshi tea workers stage a demonstration at a plantation in the northeastern Moulvibazar District. (Photo by Mintu Deshwara)
Inflation

Bangladesh tea strike spotlights poorest workers' inflation plight

Protests resume after offer of raise to $1.50 a day -- far below $3 demand

22 August 2022
Some commodity prices have returned to their prewar levels, partly thanks to an agreement allowing grain carriers to leave Ukrainian ports, but Asian consumers are not benefiting. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Market Spotlight

Six months since Russia attacked Ukraine: Will grain prices drop?

Expert warns of possible 'second wave' as fertilizer costs remain a problem

22 August 2022
Protesters carry traditional kerosene lanterns during a demonstration against fuel price increases in Dhaka. Kerosene now costs the equivalent of about $1.20 per liter, versus 84 cents before hikes on several types of fuel. (Photo by Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Politics

Bangladesh anger over fuel prices echoes Sri Lanka, Pakistan

Political pressure mounts as nation joins neighbors in seeking IMF aid

17 August 2022
Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani Group, in Kolkata on April 20: His close ties to the Modi administration have given retail stock buyers the impression New Delhi will support the group overseas.
Opinion

Adani Group can lead India's alternative to China's Belt and Road

Tycoon's conglomerate ready to vie with Beijing's state infrastructure groups

16 August 2022
The Bangladesh Special Economic Zone will be the first in the country with world-class infrastructure, according to lead developer Sumitomo. (Photo courtesy of Sumitomo Corp.)
Companies

Bangladesh's first Japanese-backed industrial park nears launch

Sumitomo-led project gives manufacturers a foothold in underdeveloped market

16 August 2022
A doctor prepares to inspect a patient in Colombo: Medical professionals have been sounding the alarm for months over shortages of life-saving drugs and equipment.
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lanka health chief downplays drug shortage as doctors fret

'We can't go on like this,' says medical union spokesman

13 August 2022
Workers install solar panels at the Gujarat Solar Park in Patan, India. Renewables will create jobs across the value chain.
Opinion

Asian nations should work together to accelerate decarbonization

Effective climate action would boost region's economies and create jobs

12 August 2022
Weakness is only one aspect of the rupee's unattractiveness.
Opinion

The Indian rupee is not ready for the world stage

Reforms will increase use of the currency by those with limited choice

10 August 2022
Pakistani and Chinese flags fly above a construction site in Gwadar, Pakistan. Much of the construction associated with the Belt and Road Initiative in the town remains unfinished. 
The Big Story

Road to nowhere: China's Belt and Road Initiative at tipping point

Pakistan, Sri Lanka debt crises threaten Beijing's regional influence

10 August 2022
Sri Lankans wait for fuel rations at a gas station in Colombo. Some have resorted to selling on the black market to those who are willing and able to pay more. (Photo by Kanika Gupta)
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lanka's black market for fuel churns alongside mileslong lines

Authorities clamp down as some ask, 'How else will we feed our families?'

9 August 2022
People line up for fuel in Karachi on June 2. Pakistan has barely enough foreign exchange to cover more than three or four months of imports.
Opinion

South Asia's deepening plight should be India's moment to shine

New Delhi's rapid economic rebound puts it in position to help neighbors

8 August 2022
The Reserve Bank of India is striving to control inflation with a series of rate hikes.
Economy

India central bank raises key rate to 5.4% to cool inflation

After 50-basis-point hike, governor warns of risks from sustained price pressure

5 August 2022
Huge cost overruns and delays have overshadowed the construction of Mumbai's third subway line. (Photo by Dev Chatterjee)
Transportation

Mumbai metro line back on track after political bickering

Delays underscore frustration over slow pace of Indian infrastructure projects

3 August 2022
India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh has many residents working elsewhere as migrant laborers.
Politics

India two-child policy gains steam amid jobs and food worries

States ready legislation as country barrels toward world population leader next year

3 August 2022
Jaya Container Terminal in Colombo: The government should look to list shares of profitable state companies such as the Sri Lanka Ports Authority on the local stock exchange to draw foreign capital. (Photo from Sri Lanka Ports Authority's home page)  
Opinion

Asian financial crisis lessons offer recovery path for Sri Lanka

Smart policies can help rebuild energy supplies, protect banks and draw capital

2 August 2022
An oil platform at the Kravtsovskoye oilfield in the Baltic Sea, Russia, in September 2021: China and India helped prevent a major squeeze on global supplies and took some heat out of price pressures.
Opinion

China and India should reject West's Russia oil-price cap plan

Latest sanction effort likely to backfire and cause market turmoil

1 August 2022
Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, is widely regarded as the country's most powerful man.
International relations

Pakistan army chief appeals to U.S. in rush to avoid debt default

Sources say unusual move aimed at speeding up $1.2bn dispersal by IMF

29 July 2022
Stream article image
Feeding Asia

Opinion: Reform the global food system to end famine

Three clear avenues for action that will limit the spread of the crisis

29 July 2022
A man pushes an out-of-gas autorickshaw in Colombo on July 27: Sri Lanka is looking to China and others to ease the economic crisis that has resulted in dire shortages of fuel and other essentials.
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lanka hopes for $4bn in China aid 'soon' as envoy defends ties

Ambassador insists Beijing is supportive; new president extends protest clampdown

28 July 2022
A woman fans a baby by candlelight during a recent blackout in Bangladesh. (Photo by Mahmud Hossain Opu)
Economy

Blackouts bedevil Bangladesh as South Asia forex worries mount

Echoing Sri Lanka and Pakistan, woes blamed on Ukraine war and falling reserves

27 July 2022
People wait to collect their passports at Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Department in June. Issuances in 2022 have already topped the full-year figure for 2021.
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lankans chase foreign jobs to help families survive inflation

Passport issuances jump as weak rupee offers chance to maximize remittances

26 July 2022
Pakistanis are being forced to make uncomfortable choices, including leaving the country.
Asia Insight

Pakistan's punishing inflation changes life as 225m people know it

Poor skimp on food while those better off carpool, buy solar, aim to emigrate

26 July 2022
Electric cars, such as this concept vehicle from Tata Motors, lie at the heart of India's push for greener transport.
Automobiles

Indian electric car makers charge up to head off overseas rivals

Global auto giants have been speeding into nation's fledgling EV sector

25 July 2022
The Philippines new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will give his first State of the Nation address on July 25 and is expected to lay out his plans to speed the country's recovery from the pandemic. 
24 July 2022