A shopkeeper in Mirpur selling Indian saris waits for customers. (Photo by Faisal Mahmud)
Economy

Bangladeshi 'India out' campaign hits Ramadan sales

Retailers report demand drop; PM Hasina points to dependence on Indian staples

12 April 2024
A Cosco Shipping container ship at the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai. (cnsphoto via Reuters)
Economy

China to cap 'healthy' developing Asia's growth in 2024, says ADB

Second-largest economy's downturn could bring 'spillovers to trading partners'

11 April 2024
From left: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the ASEAN summit in Jakarta in 2023. (Pool via Reuters)
Opinion

India-U.S.-South Korea tech cooperation has strategic logic

By capitalizing on competitive advantages, trio can strengthen supply chains

10 April 2024
Sagala Ratnayaka, adviser to the Sri Lankan president on national security, talks with Nikkei in a recent interview. (Photo by Satoshi Iwaki) 
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lanka's debt repayments to be suspended until 2028

Security adviser says the country is in final talks with creditor nations

6 April 2024
An Afghan repairs a carpet in Kabul. Carpets are one of Afghanistan's primary items of exports to Pakistan.
International relations

Pakistan and Taliban to expand trade despite lingering tensions

Two countries agree on 'separation of business from politics'

5 April 2024
Reserve Bank of India Gov. Shaktikanta Das in Mumbai in 2022: India now has around $600 billion in foreign reserves banked to cushion against any shocks.
Opinion

Reserve Bank of India deserves share of credit for economic stability

Country has come long way since it was a 'fragile five' emerging market

4 April 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has rolled out billions of dollars in incentives and tax cuts to attract manufacturers from diverse sectors including battery-powered vehicles and pharmaceuticals.
Economy

India manufacturing PMI surges to 16-year high ahead of elections

Demand and production grow, helping Modi as he seeks third term

2 April 2024
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in New York in 2023: New Delhi is too focused on big-name companies. (Narendra Modi YouTube channel via AP)
Opinion

Small business can create more jobs in India than Tesla will

Policies favoring big companies aren't making impact on youth unemployment

28 March 2024
Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, is India's richest man. He is seen here walking the red carpet at the opening of Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, named after his wife, in Mumbai in April 2023. 
Economy

Mumbai becomes Asia's billionaire capital, topped by Mukesh Ambani

China still dominates rich list but has fewer ultra-wealthy than before

25 March 2024
A newborn in the Indian state of Bihar in March 2023. While India's falling fertility rate could bring some benefits to the world's most populous nation, and the full impact is decades away, experts say policymakers need to begin preparing for some serious challenges. 
Society

India fertility fall puts policymakers on clock to avoid Japan-like strain

Lancet report shows New Delhi needs to 'start acting now,' experts say

25 March 2024
A woman buys vegetables at a market in Colombo in November 2023. Sri Lanka is relying on international support as it recovers from a deep economic crisis.
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lanka and IMF reach staff-level deal on second bailout review

Board approval would unlock $337m in funds for economic recovery

21 March 2024
A man counts Pakistani rupee notes at a currency exchange in Peshawar, Pakistan, in September 2023. The country is attempting to escape an economic crisis with the help of the International Monetary Fund.
Economy

Pakistan targets new IMF deal with banker atop Finance Ministry

Government accused of bending rules on cabinet selection

19 March 2024
Wigs at a market in China's Zhejiang province. India is the top exporter of human hair for such products.
Crime

India shines light on hair smuggling as China demand grows

Illicit trade blamed for job losses as wig industry leader faces more competition

17 March 2024
The Bay of Bengal is seen as a promising source of natural gas, but Bangladesh struggles with lagging exploration.
Energy

Bangladesh offers 'win-win' deals for offshore gas exploration

Dhaka opens bidding for sites in Bay of Bengal after eight-year hiatus

15 March 2024
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures toward a Republic Day crowd in New Delhi on Jan. 26. He is primed to seek a third straight term in power in the upcoming general election.
Economy

India's 'glittering' economy lights Modi's reelection path

South Asian nation to surpass Germany and Japan by 2027, but experts warn of weaknesses

13 March 2024
The Progressive Party of Maldives has campaigned for India to remove all of its troops from the country: New Delhi's influence around South Asia is diminishing.
Opinion

India Inc. should take the lead in South Asian economic integration

Cross-border supply chains could give new life to ineffective SAFTA

12 March 2024
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar speaks at the Raisina Roundtable in Tokyo on March 7. (Photo by Nanami Sato) 
International relations

India's top diplomat calls for more Japanese investment

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar says countries should deepen business ties

7 March 2024
Sri Lanka's garment industry is striving to climb the value chain with a focus on sustainability, as the government seeks a green economic renaissance. 
Asia Insight

Sri Lanka cultivates sustainable fashion for an economic revival

Government and garment makers aim to catch green wave to boost competitiveness

5 March 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin still presides over economic growth despite U.S.-led efforts to isolate his country. (Sputnik/Kremlin via Reuters)
International relations

Cracks in G20 let Russia grow trade with China and India

Western sanctions have failed to hobble Russian economy

1 March 2024
The manufacturing sector helped to boost India's economy in the third quarter.
Economy

India Q3 GDP growth surges to 8.4%, exceeding expectations

PM Modi cruises to election as government upgrades this year's forecast

29 February 2024
People walk through a crowded market in Mumbai. India will announce gross domestic product in the October-December quarter on March 1.
Your Week in Asia

Cobra Gold military exercise, South Korean birth rate, India GDP

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

25 February 2024
A Hindu devotee prays near the Lord Ram temple after its inauguration in Ayodhya on Jan. 22.
Politics

India's Ram Temple spotlights rise of religious boomtowns

Property prices soar as Modi's Hindu nationalism drives infrastructure buildups

24 February 2024
Google will prepare a production line for its high-end Pixel 8 Pro smartphone in southern India as it looks to tap the country's massive market.
Supply Chain

Google plans to begin Pixel phone production in India in Q2

Search engine giant joins Apple, Samsung in tapping big South Asian market

22 February 2024
People line up outside a government hospital for a PCR test in Kathmandu in 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic provided the first substantial stress test for Nepal's federal system.
Opinion

COVID proved Nepal's new federal system works

Despite PM's dithering, empowered local governments delivered effective help

21 February 2024
A crude oil tanker in Russia. Russia accounted for around 30% of India's oil imports in 2023.
Trade

Indian imports of Russian oil drop to lowest in a year

Oil minister cites prices, says New Delhi has 'already diversified'

20 February 2024