Asia

<strong>Economic Impact of Chinese invasion of Taiwan</strong>
23Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China

Economic Impact of Chinese invasion of Taiwan

A recent tweet on Chinese strategy with regard to Taiwan is quite revelatory. A book titled “If China Attacks” being sold in Taipei was purchased by a NG activist named Cynthia Iuun. Sometime after she had purchased the book she started receiving calls from anonymous callers, obviously Chinese asking what she thought of the book. Clearly, a Chinese intelligence psychological warfare operation ahead of the Presidential Elections in Taiwan, the narrative also indicates the larger Chinese strategy for eventually reunited Taiwan with the Chinese mainland. The very task of estimating an eventual takeover by China is challenging to say the least. In this context, it is worth citing Derek Grossman who recently tweeted that, "Chinese President Xi Jinping bluntly told President Joe Biden during th...
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Five things to remember about Pakistan’s economy, politics, and security in 2023.
23Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, World

Five things to remember about Pakistan’s economy, politics, and security in 2023.

India's neighbouring country, Pakistan continued to grab headlines throughout the year 2023. Whether it was an economic crisis, food crisis, mass protests, political arrests or upheaval over election dates — Pakistan saw it all in this one year. Here's a quick recap of all that happened in Pakistan in the year 2023: Economic crisisIn 2023, Pakistan saw new lows. The Pakistani rupee hit an all-time low, crossing the PKR 300 mark against the US dollar in August 2023. The country's foreign reserves with the State Bank of Pakistan (SPB) also dropped to an alarming level — at $3.1 billion in January 2023. The cash-strapped country struggled to unlock funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In a bid to secure one, the SBP hiked interest rate by 300 basis points (bps) to 20 p...
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<strong>PM GatiShakti: Catalysing India’s route towards a developed economy  </strong>
22Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

PM GatiShakti: Catalysing India’s route towards a developed economy  

PM GatiShakti is catalysing India’s route towards a developed economy by 2047. Progress in the infrastructure development is strengthening manufacturing and exports’ growth horizons with improved ease of doing business and reduced costs of doing business. In a historic move to redefine India's infrastructure landscape, the Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the Prime Minister GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) on October 13, 2021. This visionary initiative seeks to establish a robust multimodal connectivity infrastructure network across various economic zones, aiming for integrated planning and synchronized project implementation. Since its implementation, PM Gatishakti has given a significant strength in the advancement of state of art infrastructure in India; integrating the 36 ...
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This election year in India, the economy will probably be divided into two halves.
21Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, World

This election year in India, the economy will probably be divided into two halves.

A landmark general election in India, scheduled for the summer of 2024, will see the drivers of economic growth shift midway through the year, according to Goldman Sachs Research. Overall, despite food and oil supply shocks keeping inflation elevated, growth is forecast to remain stable and resilient. For 2023, our economists expect real GDP growth to come in at 6.7% year on year, up from our earlier estimate of 6.4%. Among the 13 large economies in Goldman Sachs Research’s global outlook for 2024, India’s projected growth rate is the highest at 6.2%, with China in second at 4.8%, as of December 18. As the 2024 election approaches, “we expect consumption growth to be driven by subsidies and transfer payments,” write Goldman Sachs Research’s India economists Santanu Sengupta and Arjun V...
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Nawaz Sharif: We are to blame for Pakistan’s economic predicament, not the US or India.
20Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, USA, World

Nawaz Sharif: We are to blame for Pakistan’s economic predicament, not the US or India.

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said neither India nor the US were behind the cash-strapped country's miseries but "we shot ourselves in our own foot", indirectly referring to the powerful military establishment for its woes. During a conversation with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket aspirants, the party supremo, who is eying to become Prime Minister for a record fourth time, pointed out that he was ousted from power three times, in 1993, 1999 and 2017. "Today, where Pakistan has reached (in terms of the state of the economy), this is not done by India, the US, or even Afghanistan. In fact, we shot ourselves in our own foot… they (a reference to the military) imposed a selected (government) on this nation by rigging the 2018 polls that led to the...
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<strong>Sustainable India: an emerging leader of the circular economy</strong>
19Dec mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia

Sustainable India: an emerging leader of the circular economy

For emerging market economies, the modern development predicament is to support growth with inclusivity while safeguarding the environment and making action-oriented policies to combat climate change. The UN, through Agenda 2030, has voiced this concern by promoting the practices of a circular economy, envisaged in its SDG Goal 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production), Goal 13 (Climate change), and Goal 8 (on economic growth), among others. Contrary to the popularly followed designs of economic growth, which are primarily linear in their execution, the circular economy model is highly multi-dimensional and inclusive. This is because the circular economy model doesn’t include any externalities like pollution and waste in its inherent design, and thus, the focus is on extending the life ...
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Election timetable for February 8 polls released by Pakistan’s electoral board after ruling by Supreme Court
16Dec mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia, World

Election timetable for February 8 polls released by Pakistan’s electoral board after ruling by Supreme Court

The schedule for Pakistan’s general elections on February 8 has been issued, hours after the Supreme Court quashed a lower court’s decision which could have delayed the much-awaited polls. The election schedule was issued on Friday night by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), within hours after the Supreme Court quashed a decision by the Lahore High Court (LHC) to suspend the appointment of officials from the bureaucracy to oversee the elections in defiance of the apex court’s orders. The LHC’s verdict was issued on a petition filed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — the same party that had called for timely polls in a plea filed in the Supreme Court. Due to the LHC’s order, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Chief Election Commissio...
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India’s Ascent: A Visionary Journey To Third-largest Global Economy By 2027
14Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

India’s Ascent: A Visionary Journey To Third-largest Global Economy By 2027

SYNOPSIS Under the resolute leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman envisions India ascending to the world's third-largest economy by 2027, surpassing Japan and Germany. Amid global challenges, India's robust 7% GDP growth and strategic initiatives in the "Blue economy" exhibit its resilience. The transformative India-Middle East-Europe Connectivity Corridor (IMEC) fosters economic unity. Leveraging its demographic advantage with a young population, India anticipates sustained growth, eclipsing advanced economies. Projections affirm its trajectory as a global economic powerhouse, marking a shift towards major manufacturing and digital market advancements. Finance Minister's vision, under Prime Minister Modi's stewardship, aligns with comprehensiv...
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<strong>India’s consistently grows on high road</strong>
8Dec mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia

India’s consistently grows on high road

Effects of economic reforms visible, H1 FY2023-24 GDP grows at 7.7% India has exhibited remarkable strength and resilience in the post-COVID era, with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) witnessing an annual growth rate exceeding 7% over the past two financial years (2021-22 and 2022-23). As per Q1 and Q2 of FY 2023-24 estimates provided by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, this positive trajectory has persisted into the current fiscal year too, with GDP growth remaining above 7% in both the first and second quarters. The Q1 2023-24 grew at 7.8% and Q2 2023-24 grew at 7.6% making an average growth rate of 7.7% in H1 or First Half of the FY 2023-24. This consistent economic performance underscores India's ability to rebound effectively from the challenges posed by...
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China’s Real Estate Crisis: A Precarious Balancing Act Threatens Economic Stability
4Dec mmBy Michael SmithNo Comments
Asia, China, Market

China’s Real Estate Crisis: A Precarious Balancing Act Threatens Economic Stability

China's real estate sector is facing a severe crisis, prompting the government to encourage financial institutions to support struggling developers burdened by massive debt. The dilemma for Beijing lies in defusing local government debt risks while propping up the real economy to sustain growth. This critical situation highlights the intricate dance between economic stability and social harmony, as the housing issue is closely tied to both. The government's recent call for support underscores the gravity of the situation, especially with major developers like China Evergrande on the verge of collapse. The future looks bleak for China’s real estate sector. Even government support may not be enough to ameliorate this crisis. 2.         China's prop...
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