South Asia

The Afghan Taliban says China has accepted its choice for ambassador to Beijing with the release of this photo of an unidentified Taliban representative.
Afghanistan turmoil

Taliban says China has accepted its envoy to Beijing

Afghanistan 'last piece' of strategic puzzle as Beijing looks to shut out West

10 December 2023
A cafe in Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam's distinctive coffee filters and "ca phe sua da" have become a cultural export. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Food & Beverage

Latest buzz: India and Vietnam to lead Asia's growth in coffee consumption

Region's move beyond tea linked to urbanization and more disposable income

10 December 2023
Afghanistan's under-construction Qosh Tepa irrigation canal aims to turn some 550,000 hectares of desert land into usable farmland.
International relations

Taliban vow to finish disputed canal at 'any cost'

Afghanistan's Central Asian neighbors cry foul over plans to tap shared river

9 December 2023
Adventure-minded travelers are increasingly exploring remote, rugged Ladakh, a Himalayan region bordering China. (All photos by Malavika Bhattacharya)
Life

Exploring India's ancient Silk Road in Ladakh

Following in the footsteps of trading caravans in the Himalayas

9 December 2023
Bangladesh's capital Dhaka is prone to flooding after heavy rains. The South Asian nation is battling myriad climate-change challenges
COP28

From Dhaka to Melbourne, Asia-Pacific eyes local climate solutions

City mayors gather at COP28 to brainstorm how to deal with rising temperatures

9 December 2023
A bull statue at the Bombay Stock Exchange. India's benchmark Sensex index ended Friday at a record high.
Markets

India, Taiwan stocks draw emerging-market investors as China slumps

Growth hopes lift Sensex to record; U.S. rate cut chatter boosts other currencies

9 December 2023
Pakistani and Afghan flags flutter at the Chaman Border Crossing as a truck carries refugees back to Afghanistan amid Pakistan's crackdown on undocumented immigrants. 
The Big Story

Pakistan makes Afghan refugees pay the price for economic crisis

Threatened with default, government tries reform whilst looking for scapegoats

8 December 2023
The investment in Sarvam aligns with the global trend of pouring money into AI companies early. (Nikkei montage/Source photo Sarvam AI website)
DealStreetAsia

Indian AI startup snags fast $41m from Lightspeed and others

Funding set to support Indian languages and voice-first interfaces

8 December 2023
The Reserve Bank of India has upgraded its outlook for the nation's economic growth.
Economy

India central bank lifts annual GDP forecast to 7% on strong demand

Reserve Bank keeps key interest rate unchanged for 5th straight meeting

8 December 2023
Accountancy employees in Ahmedabad, India: Job displacement due to AI is spreading to skilled jobs like junior positions in administration, accounting and design.
Opinion

Asia has to make itself heard in global AI governance discussions

Technology is widening inequality, potentially entrapping nations and workers

7 December 2023
Bangladeshi police clash with opposition protesters in Dhaka ahead of the country's general election. (Photo by Nazmul Islam)
Politics

Doubts dog Bangladesh democracy a month before polls: 5 things to know

After two widely questioned elections, South Asian country heads for another

7 December 2023
A stretch of northern Pakistan's Karakoram Highway. A deadly attack has renewed security concerns along the road to China.
Terrorism

Attack on Pakistan highway to China shakes key Belt and Road link

Bus shooting raises concerns over outlook for all-weather upgrade

6 December 2023
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is garlanded by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, left, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagat Prakash Nadda, behind, and Home Minister Amit Shah, right, in New Delhi on Dec. 3.
Politics

Modi's BJP deals opposition heavy blow in Hindi heartland state polls

Congress' poor showing dims INDIA alliance's 2024 general election hopes

4 December 2023
Rice planting on the outskirts of Ahmedabad: Employment is growing in India but most of the gains are in agriculture and rural construction rather than more productive sectors.
Opinion

Few are benefiting from India's rapid GDP growth

Large companies enjoy perks while burdens on small business rise

4 December 2023
The number of IPOs in Mumbai is expected to rise 45% this year, and new listings in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hong Kong to fall by around 30%. (Source photos by Ken Kobayashi and Kenji Kawase)
Market Spotlight

Mumbai leads world in number of IPOs as new China listings fall

Hong Kong's equity fundraising proceeds drop below India's in sign of waning appeal

4 December 2023
A woman who moved from India's state of Kerala, where the female to male ratio is higher, gives milk to her son as her father-in-law looks on at their home in Haryana, where the ratio skews heavily toward men, in this 2015 file photo.
Gender

India's uneven progress on gender ratio keeps men marching for brides

Despite signs of turnaround, frustrated bachelors seek divine intervention

3 December 2023
Cartier occupies a prime location, just to the right as shoppers make their way through the main entrance. Gucci, Rolex and Louis Vuitton are not many doors down. (Photo courtesy of Reliance Industries)
Retail

Reliance targets Mumbai's wealthy with new shopping mall

Next to glitzy Cartier, Gucci, Rolex and Balenciaga, Muji hopes to stand out

3 December 2023
American author Abraham Verghese said his family's background and experience in India served as inspiration for his sweeping 700-page novel. (Nikkei montage/Source photos courtesy of Christopher Michel, Grove Press)
Books

Books: Doctor brings 'day job' sensibility to saga of southern India

Abraham Verghese says 'Covenant of Water' reflects his 'examination skills'

2 December 2023
Muslims offer Friday prayers inside Srinagar's Jamia Masjid mosque in August 2021.
Middle East crisis

Kashmir's anger over Gaza simmers as India keeps lid on protests

Ruling party spokesman denies ban, but stresses need for 'law and order'

2 December 2023
Asics aims to expand its share in India's fast-growing market for athletic gear.
Consumer

Japan sportswear maker ASICS targets $100m in India sales

Shoe production and marketing ramping up to tap country's 100m-plus runners

2 December 2023
Trucks loaded with goods are seen at the Pakistani-Afghan Torkham border crossing as refugees head back to Afghanistan on Oct. 30.
Editor-in-Chief’s Picks

Letter from Nikkei Asia's editor: Pakistan on the edge

Shin Nakayama shares his weekly reflections and recommendations

1 December 2023
The U.S. has taken an openly critical view of Bangladesh's election procedures under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while India has stressed the polls are an internal matter. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Getty Images)
International relations

Bangladesh's rocky election season splits India and U.S.

New Delhi sees Hasina as reliable partner while Washington piles on pressure

1 December 2023
Laborers work at a construction site for India's Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail corridor in May, as the government ramps up infrastructure spending. 
Economy

India posts 7.6% GDP growth on brisk infrastructure spending

Figure for July-September quarter surpasses forecasts

30 November 2023
Pakistan's then Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks in Islamabad in June 2021. He was removed from office in April 2022.
Politics

Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan steps aside to keep his party's hopes alive

PTI picks 'stopgap' chairman as election winds favor nemesis Nawaz Sharif

30 November 2023
Nawaz Sharif, center, waves to supporters in Lahore on Oct. 21 after returning from self-imposed exile.
Opinion

Pakistan's election will not be about change this time

Military is showing it wants Nawaz Sharif back as prime minister for fourth term

30 November 2023