Economy

Shaktikanta Das, the Reserve Bank of India governor, projects retail inflation of 6.8% for the October-December quarter and 5.8% for January-March.
Economy

India central bank projects economy to shrink at 7.5% pace

RBI upgrades negative forecast by 2 percentage points as rural demand picks up

4 December 2020
A woman counts cash as her shop opens in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Economy

Out of RCEP, India seeks an export passage to Africa

New Delhi shuns Chinese imports as it focuses on domestic growth

3 December 2020
A handicapped man walks past in heavy dust storm during nationwide lockdown in Allahabad on May 5: we must ensure that no one is left behind.
Opinion

Empowering the disabled in a post-COVID world

Disability inclusion must be central to the region's response to build back better

2 December 2020
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. India and China see a chance to deepen their geopolitical influence in cash-strapped and increasingly vulnerable Sri Lanka and the Maldives, both strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
Asia Insight

India and China compete over Indian Ocean debt-relief diplomacy

Sri Lanka and Maldives seek bailouts as Asian giants dangle dollars to gain edge

1 December 2020
The Pakistan Army's construction and engineering unit is to be a big beneficiary of a controversial bill expected to pass in December, analysts say.
Belt and Road

Pakistan Army set to gain sweeping Belt and Road authority

Bill grants military-linked body carte blanche over $50bn CPEC projects

30 November 2020
Cyclists ride past the city skyline in Singapore on June 19: adapting existing road infrastructure to be more bicycle-friendly would be a welcome consequence of the pandemic.
Opinion

Three lessons for Asia from the world's top megacities

Sustainable urbanization is the key to rebuilding after the pandemic

28 November 2020
A woman shops inside a Mumbai store amid India's ailing economy, which analysts think has a long way to go before getting better.
Economy

India hit by recession as GDP shrinks 7.5% in July-September

Contraction eases but real picture on sustainable recovery yet to emerge

27 November 2020
A virtual meeting of leaders from 15 RCEP member countries, pictured in Hanoi on Nov. 15: the impetus came from ASEAN. (Photo by Tomoya Onishi)
Opinion

ASEAN must counter Chinese attempts to own RCEP trade agreement

Multilateral trade agreement will shore up the group's Asia centrality

27 November 2020
India's Red Fort prepares for Independence Day celebrations. The country is considering legislation to strengthen control over data collected within its borders.
Century of Data

Asian countries build data fortresses to protect new national assets

Limits on cross-border flows hurt business and risk leaving countries poorer

26 November 2020
Sheikh Hasina's government positioned Bangladesh's economy as another haven for multinational companies looking to diversify away from China.
Opinion

Bangladesh confounds the naysayers for all the right reasons

Four ways Dhaka can accelerate the transition to middle-income status

23 November 2020
The Chang'e 5 lunar probe completes vertical transport in Wenchang, Hainan, China on Nov. 17.
Your Week in Asia

China's moonshot, Xiaomi results, and India GDP

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

22 November 2020
A SpiceJet seaplane lands in the Sabarmati river. Also called hydroplanes, these aircraft can land on water, meaning they can access rugged terrain and other areas where building a landing strip may not be an option.
Travel & Leisure

$20 flights, seaplanes and a giant statue: India's tourism plan

New SpiceJet routes draw flood of interest despite coronavirus

21 November 2020
Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs the 4th RCEP Summit on Nov. 15: the agreement is poised to become a critical platform for the discussion of trade and economic issues.
Opinion

RCEP agreement will transform trade in Asia, for Asia

First time China, Japan, and South Korea connected via one trade pact

16 November 2020
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a development package for southern Balochistan Province, hoping to create 120,000 jobs.
Belt and Road

Pakistan to pacify Belt and Road opposition with more projects

Funding an obstacle for cash-strapped Islamabad amid halt in IMF aid

16 November 2020
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a more than $35 billion stimulus package on Thursday.
Economy

India offers 20% wage subsidy to counter coronavirus job losses

New $35bn stimulus also offers help for migrant workers, farmers and exporters

13 November 2020
A container ship is seen at a port in Shenzhen: RCEP will be the first trade agreement to include East Asia's three biggest economies.
Trade

RCEP nations to sign Asian trade megadeal, with clause for India

China, Japan and dozen other countries reach long-sought pact after 'blood, sweat and tears'

12 November 2020
Women work in a garment factory in Dhaka on May 3: there is something here to learn from.
Opinion

India's horrible year just got worse: it has fallen behind Bangladesh

To revive its economic fortunes, Delhi can learn a lot from its eastern neighbor

4 November 2020
A labor strike in New Delhi in January. The Indian government last month passed three key bills that aim to make it easier for companies to hire and fire workers.
Companies

India angers unions with eased rules for firing employees

Industry says reform package will stimulate investment and create more jobs

2 November 2020
Leaders and people can leverage this moment. 
Opinion

Acting together offers best risk insurance against future disaster

World needs to better understand how one threat can ripple across multiple sectors

30 October 2020
A laborer digs in preparation for the replacement of concrete sleepers along a railway track in Karachi in Jan. 2018.
Belt and Road

Pakistan Belt and Road railway hits snag as China nixes low rate

Islamabad turns to G-20 for debt relief after Beijing reluctant to negotiate

27 October 2020
Power lines near Nam Theun 2 dam in Khammouane province: Beijing has effectively taken control of Laos's electric grid.
Opinion

Why do so many Asian nations want to be in China's debt?

Beijing's debt-trap diplomacy likely to cost it dearly over the long term

26 October 2020
Workers gather around the Indian Navy's first Scorpene submarine as it leaves a shipyard Mumbai in 2015. India is beefing up its defense industry, both for its own military and for exports.
International relations

With an eye on China, India gifts submarine to Myanmar

New Delhi's naval diplomacy expected to aid its broader Indo-Pacific vision

22 October 2020
Pakistan, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, left, and India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, have opened a new front in their long rivalry: basmati rice. (Source photos by Reuters) 
International relations

Basmati rice row marks latest front in India-Pakistan rivalry

Islamabad readies objection to New Delhi's geographical indication push in EU

21 October 2020
Tourists walk along a beach on Vihamanafushi Island in the Maldives in 2012.
Interview

Western tourists shrug off COVID fears to play in the Maldives

Sunseekers stay longer, unhappy with pandemic response at home, minister says

19 October 2020
Shoppers in Kolkata, pictured on Oct. 13: Modi government's policies are putting the squeeze on India's middle class.
Opinion

Narendra Modi must stop squeezing India's middle class

Rent-seeking policies end up slashing disposable income and capping demand

19 October 2020