South Asia

Xiaomi led the Indian smartphone market in 2022 in terms of shipments.
Electronics

China's Xiaomi accelerates push into India despite tensions

Smartphone maker enters new supply deal with contract manufacturer Dixon

30 September 2023
A port along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok: Lackluster exports are dragging down Thailand's economic forecast.
Economy

Malaysia and Thailand GDP outlooks cut as China slows: JCER

Economists also warn that El Nino's swelter will impact India and Indonesia

29 September 2023
Maldives electoral workers prepare to count ballots during the first round of the presidential election on Sept. 9.
Politics

Maldives' ex-President Nasheed plays kingmaker in election runoff

Pro-India Solih, China-friendly Muizzu set for final showdown on Saturday

29 September 2023
Indonesia and India are emerging as key destinations for investment, with enthusiasm for China faltering amid geopolitical tensions and concerns over growth in the world's No. 2 economy.
Markets

China jitters turn private equity investors toward India, Indonesia

But analysts warn of steep learning curve, limited exit routes for dealmakers

28 September 2023
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sept. 11: A "fourth pole" on the geopolitical landscape could be emerging.
Opinion

Working with Gulf states, India can build a new center of power

'IMEC' could point the way forward for emergence of world's 'fourth pole'

28 September 2023
A vendor waits for customers at a marketplace in Colombo on Sept. 27. "The people of Sri Lanka have shown remarkable resilience and the authorities have made significant progress on important reforms," the IMF said in a statement.
Sri Lanka crisis

Sri Lanka fails first IMF review, no timeline for further aid

Fund says crisis-hit economy needs tax reforms to boost coffers

27 September 2023
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, with counterparts at the G20 summit in New Delhi on Sep. 6: Even democratic BRICS states refused to condemn Russian aggression.
Opinion

Even democratic BRICS value solidarity more than democratic values

G20 summit outcome shows shift in group's balance of power

27 September 2023
Chinese media outlets have devoted extensive coverage to the India-Canada dispute, highlighting dilemmas for the U.S. and accusing the West of "hypocrisy." (NIKKEI montage/Source photos by AP)
International relations

China's media mouthpieces troll West over India-Canada spat

From Sri Lanka to Pakistan, Sikh separatist killing stirs mix of reactions

27 September 2023
China's first single-series 10-million-ton refinery is in Qingdao, Shandong province. The country is a major producer and importer of crude oil.
Energy

$100 oil unlikely to dent Asian demand in short term: analysts

China and India expected to keep buying in part thanks to 'sanctions discount'

27 September 2023
India and Canada are locked in a feud over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil, but a top Canadian general visiting New Delhi said it is a matter to be resolved at the "political level."
International relations

Canadian general says rift with India 'not affecting' military ties

Ottawa takes part in Delhi meeting of officials from over 30 Indo-Pacific armies

26 September 2023
Garment workers cut fabric at a textile factory in Hindupur, India. Despite a total population of around 1.4 billion, relatively few people from India work or study in Japan.
Comment

India unlikely to solve Japan's labor shortage

Language hurdles and low salaries make other countries more attractive

26 September 2023
A Hindu activist holds a poster of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he shouts slogans during a protest in New Delhi on Sept. 24.
International relations

India's Canada spat clouds ties with West as Delhi hosts army chiefs

This week's military conference could prove awkward -- or help dial down tensions

25 September 2023
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, greets Foxconn Chairman Young Liu at a semiconductor conference in Gandhinagar, India in July. 
Opinion

India is serious about becoming a global electronics hub

While policy tensions remain, subsidies and reforms prove government commitment

25 September 2023
Pakistani Navy personnel patrol in Gwadar in 2016: The Pentagon last year said the port could one day host a People's Liberation Army Navy facility for China.
International relations

U.S. envoy's Gwadar tour shows Pakistan's evolving China strategy

Islamabad balances superpowers while seeking stronger hand for Beijing negotiations

25 September 2023
Soldiers patrol a corporate farming project in Pakistan's Punjab province on July 23 (EPA)
Economy

Pakistan army trades tanks for tractors in food-security push

Sprawling military-run farms stoke backlash over armed forces' pervasive presence

24 September 2023
A Chinese-built high-speed train at Tegalluar train depot in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.
Your Week in Asia

Japan-China-South Korea meet, Vietnam GDP, Indonesia's train

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

24 September 2023
The Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, the opening ceremony venue for the Asian Games, is lit up during a light show on Sept. 21.
International relations

India spars with China over visas for Asian Games athletes

Modi's sports minister cancels visit to the host nation in protest

23 September 2023
Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal arrives to address the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 21, before his scheduled trip to China.
International relations

Nepal PM jets from U.S. to China to talk connectivity, security

Pushpa Kamal Dahal's trip follows India visit, highlights balancing act

23 September 2023
Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, center, visits a school: He has introduced scholarships for underprivileged 11th graders. (Photo by Dipendra Dhuungana)
Opinion

Fresh faces are shaking up politics in Nepal

2022 election victors have had rapid impact but endurance not yet clear

23 September 2023
A view of Hun Sen's Facebook page in 2016: The platform is allowing dictators to make public threats while getting other voices supressed.
Opinion

Imitators are adopting Chinese tactics to quash online critics

Allies like Cambodia and Bangladesh are deploying fake voices to drown out dissent

22 September 2023
Analysts say including Indian government debt in J.P. Morgan's emerging market bond index could bring in up to $26 billion in investment. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters and AP)
Bonds

J.P. Morgan includes Indian government debt in global bond index

Analysts expect move to lower cost of borrowing, help fund infrastructure

22 September 2023
Women walk past India's new Parliament building in New Delhi on Sept. 20.
Politics

India passes quota for women in Parliament, bickers over timeline

Law will reserve one-third of lower house seats -- but not soon

22 September 2023
Ola Electric Mobility began selling electric two-wheelers in India in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Ola Electric Mobility)
Automobiles

SoftBank-backed Ola races to lead in India's e-scooter market

Hero MotoCorp, Honda try to catch up as two-wheelers go electric

22 September 2023
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, walks past Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10. 
International relations

India suspends visa services for Canadians due to 'security threats'

Ottawa to 'adjust' diplomatic presence as row over separatist's killing escalates

21 September 2023
Pakistan is scheduled to hold elections in the last week of January 2024, according to its Election Commission.
Politics

Pakistan to hold national vote in late January: election panel

Process of constituency delimitation, nominations, appeals and campaigning awaits

21 September 2023