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Members of the National Citizen Party during a rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in May 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE
Bangladesh

Bangladeshi student leaders ousted Hasina. Now their political future is unsure

The party born of protests that toppled Sheikh Hasina now finds itself overshadowed by a resurgent Jamaat-e-Islami.

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Pakistan

23 dead, over 60 missing after massive fire destroys Pakistan shopping centre

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India

Why India is losing ground over Bangladesh and Myanmar to regional rivals

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India

‘Trump’s wrath’: India’s aim to diversify trade via Iran faces tariff threat

The 25 per cent tariff against countries that trade with Iran may curtail India’s plan to develop the Chabahar port in Iran.

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Officials attend a ceremony in 2019 to mark the first export convoy to India via Iran at Chabahar port. Photo: Getty Images
Officials attend a ceremony in 2019 to mark the first export convoy to India via Iran at Chabahar port. Photo: Getty Images
Pakistan

Pakistan’s arms deals cleared for take-off as orders soar for JF-17 jets

The jets, co-produced with China, proved their worth during the India-Pakistan tensions, when they destroyed an S-400 air defence system.

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India

Trump’s 500% tariff push raises risk of India-US trade freeze

Such punitive tariffs would erode India’s export competitiveness and force the country to reorient its trade elsewhere, analysts warn.

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China-India relations

Building bridges? India proposes inviting Chinese firms back to public projects

India plans to remove curbs that effectively shut Chinese firms out of most of its government projects in a bid to ease shortages and delays.

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Employees work on a wind turbine blade at an Adani Group factory in Mundra, India. Photo: AFP
Employees work on a wind turbine blade at an Adani Group factory in Mundra, India. Photo: AFP
India

Germany’s Merz backs India-EU trade deal during first official visit to Asia

The German chancellor and India’s Modi have signed agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade and enhancing defence cooperation.

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India

Gig workers’ strike in India spurs debate on human cost of delivery race

More than 200,000 gig workers recently staged protests across major Indian cities, prompting concerns about the necessity of quick commerce.

India

Next appointment, 2027: US visa squeeze hits India’s tech talent

With H-1B renewals stalled, a new generation of Indian professionals is questioning whether to pursue their American dreams.

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Immigrants prepare to become American citizens at a naturalisation service in New Jersey in 2018. Indians dominate the H-1B scheme, accounting for more than 70 per cent of approved visas in recent years. Photo: Getty Images/AFP
India

India’s Modi to host German leader to bolster trade, defence ties

Merz’s visit is his first to an Asian country since he took office, ahead of a planned EU-India summit and as they work on a free-trade agreement.

A poster featuring German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE
A poster featuring German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Nepal

Nepal’s ex-king voices concern after protests as supporters rally

Gyanendra Shah was deposed in 2008 in a democratic uprising after he suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament in 2005.

Pop culture in Asia

Soft power, hard cash: inside Southeast Asia’s billion-dollar anime obsession

Driven by Gen Z spending and streaming, the region’s US$1.3 billion anime market represents a triumph for Japan’s cultural push.

India

India overtakes Japan in economic size – while prosperity trails far behind

Becoming the No 4 economy is a source of pride. Now, the race is on to turn statistical success into 8 million new jobs a year.

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Shoppers walk along a street illuminated with decorative lights ahead of New Year celebrations in Bengaluru, India, last month. Photo: AFP
Bangladesh

India-Bangladesh talks over Ganges waters may turn murky over politics, UN pact

Bangladesh’s election, Hasina’s presence in India and Dhaka’s signing of the UN water convention could complicate the 1996 Ganges agreement.

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A boy plays with a football on the banks of the Ganges river in Varanasi, India. Photo: AFP
A boy plays with a football on the banks of the Ganges river in Varanasi, India. Photo: AFP
India

‘Buyers are indefinitely gone’: Indian exporters lay bare pain from tariffs

The slow-moving trade talks and steep levies are hurting major sectors, forcing firms to seek new markets and offer deep discounts.

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India

India’s home-grown stealth fighter dream: can Rolls-Royce make it a reality?

The British aircraft engine maker is promising full technology transfer and local IP rights for India’s fifth-generation AMCA programme.

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India

India’s Tata Steel, JSW accused of price-fixing in collusion probe

India, the world’s No 2 crude steel producer, faces crackdown as probe finds price collusion; top firms brace for fines, financial scrutiny.

An operator at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant in south Wales in August 2023. Photo: AFP
An operator at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant in south Wales in August 2023. Photo: AFP
India

Asian economies to face volatile oil prices over Venezuela, US plans for Caracas

After the arrest of Nicolas Maduro, oil and gas prices are set to continue fluctuating this year due to geopolitical issues, analysts say.

India

Trump threatens India with tariff hikes to abandon Russian oil for trade deal

With Trump ally, Senator Lindsey Graham proposing 500 per cent tariffs, New Delhi faces ‘hard choice’ between Russian oil and vital US trade access.

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Nepal

Nepal’s ex-PM questioned over protest crackdown which led to overthrow

Nepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli had said he would not submit to questioning, accusing the investigation of lacking a ‘constitutional basis’.

Former Nepali Prime Minister and newly elected leader of the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), KP Sharma Oli (left) looks on during the party’s 11th general convention in Kathmandu on December 18 last year. Photo: AFP
India

‘It’s paying off’: India spreads its trade bets to beat Trump’s 50% tariff

With exports hitting a record US$825 billion and a spate of new trade pacts, India is finding success diversifying away from the US.

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A man stands in a currency exchange shop in Mumbai. India has been stepping up efforts to diversify trade, signing deals with countries including New Zealand. Photo: EPA
A man stands in a currency exchange shop in Mumbai. India has been stepping up efforts to diversify trade, signing deals with countries including New Zealand. Photo: EPA
India

India’s military upgrade to counter regional threats gathers pace

While US$30 billion of defence packages for weapon buys and others have been approved, the pace of roll-out is worrying, analysts say.

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India

Netflix-Warner deal sparks concern in India’s entertainment sector

Films in Indian cinemas could be screened for a shorter period before they move to Netflix’s streaming platform, an association warns.

Sri Lanka

‘Show your kinky side’: Sri Lanka probes syllabus error linking to gay site

Education chief quits as police probe ‘Bad Boys Club’ link in 400,000 English text books – since recalled. Officials suspect sabotage, AI errors.

The English syllabus directed students to a chat site that encourages users to “show your kinky side”. Photo: buddy.net
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