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A Pinaka multiple launch rocket system on display during India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, on January 26 last year. Photo: EPA-EFE

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.

3 Jan 2026 - 2:51PM

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

2 Jan 2026 - 8:58PM

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

2 Jan 2026 - 5:05PM

Air India pilot taken off duty over intoxication allegations in Canada

Canada’s transport regulator called the incident a ‘serious matter’ and demanded answers from the airline amid safety concerns.

2 Jan 2026 - 3:47PMvideocam

Air India is facing scrutiny after a pilot in Canada failed breathalyser tests. Photo: Reuters

China’s Ukraine war role, EU vs Shein and Temu: 7 global relations reads

From a ‘blindsided’ Dutch minister to Brussels’ China de-risking, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in December 2025.

1 Jan 2026 - 11:00PM

Japan may lose GDP race to India amid weak yen, tourism woes, China row

Japan’s economy is likely to fall behind India’s this year, which analysts say would diminish Tokyo’s global influence.

1 Jan 2026 - 3:18PMvideocam

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‘Clear advantage’: why return of Zia’s son may influence Bangladesh’s election

The death of ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia may have boosted voter support for her son Tarique Rahman, who is contesting in the election.

31 Dec 2025 - 6:53PM

Then acting Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman addresses his supporters after his return from London in Dhaka on December 25. Photo: Reuters

In India, New Delhi’s smog crisis exposes the high price of clean air

The winter smog has widened the affordability gap among residents, with many lower-income families lacking the means to buy an air purifier.

31 Dec 2025 - 10:30AMvideocam

India overtakes Japan as world’s fourth largest economy, eyes top 3 in 2026

Government data shows India’s GDP at US$4.18 trillion, with projections it will surpass Germany by 2026 despite global trade challenges.

30 Dec 2025 - 7:27PMvideocam

Extreme weather

Asia’s year of costly climate disasters spurs calls for ‘decisive action’

With Asia accounting for four of the world’s six costliest weather disasters in 2025, experts urge investment in climate resilience.

30 Dec 2025 - 5:09PM

A commuter wades through floodwaters from Cyclone Ditwah in Chennai on December 2. Flooding in India and Pakistan has killed over 1,860 people and caused up to US$6 billion in damages in 2025, according to a new report. Photo: AFP

Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia dies after prolonged illness

Despite her ill health, 80-year-old Zia, a dominant figure in Dhaka’s turbulent power struggles, had vowed to run in next year’s election.

30 Dec 2025 - 6:08PMvideocam

Bangladesh’s former prime minister Khaleda Zia at a Dhaka rally in 2016. Photo: AFP

Will Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh ease tensions, restore stability?

Rahman could help consolidate the BNP’s position as the dominant electoral force, while tempering a volatile political climate, analysts say.

29 Dec 2025 - 6:50PMvideocam

Ex-rapper to run for Nepal PM after youth-led protests

Two popular leaders form an alliance ahead of Nepal’s March 5 elections.

29 Dec 2025 - 1:36PM

Nepal probes illegal matchmaking as China cautions citizens over ‘bride buying’

Officials say online brokers are promoting Nepali women to Chinese men, prompting detentions and official warnings.

29 Dec 2025 - 12:25PMvideocam

Thamel, a commercial neighbourhood in Kathmandu, Nepal, is a hub for tourism in the capital. Photo: Shutterstock

Indian rice could become costlier for US amid Trump’s tariff threat

Experts warn of wider repercussions, including efforts by importers to divert shipments and renewed strain in US-India trade talks.

26 Dec 2025 - 8:06PM

A worker gathers rice grain with a broom in a grain market at Mansa in the northern state of Punjab, India, in November. Photo: Reuters

As India’s US$70 million obesity drug market bulges, so does price war

Pharmaceutical giants like Lilly and Nordisk are battling for dominance in India’s weight-loss market with price cuts and early launches.

26 Dec 2025 - 2:58PMvideocam

Aspiring Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman welcomed home after 17 years abroad

The political heavyweight is to lead the BNP through an election after ex-premier Sheikh Hasina’s exit following a student-led uprising.

25 Dec 2025 - 5:46PMvideocam

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Duopoly of Air India, IndiGo to face challenge from 2 new airlines

The approval for Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to operate in India comes amid mounting calls to challenge the dominance of Air India and IndiGo.

26 Dec 2025 - 12:40PM

Aircrafts queue up on the tarmac before taking off at Mumbai airport. Photo: AFP

Trump’s US$100,000 H-1B visa fee upheld by judge, as lottery system ends

The US awards 85,000 H-1B visas annually via lottery, with Indian nationals accounting for nearly three-quarters of recipients.

24 Dec 2025 - 8:42PM

Indian doctor suspended, charged after allegedly assaulting patient

Dr Raghav Narula is accused of speaking disrespectfully to a patient at a hospital in Shimla, but has denied wrongdoing in the confrontation.

24 Dec 2025 - 7:35PM

India’s new law to fuel energy needs, drive nuclear power growth

The new law, which will end years of near-exclusive state control, could unlock stalled investment and boost nuclear capacity, analysts say.

24 Dec 2025 - 5:35PMvideocam

Fishermen tether a boat on the shore near the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, India. Photo: AP

India’s gem exports defy US tariffs as Asia, Middle East demand grows

Shipments rose 19.64 per cent year on year to US$2.51 billion in November, reflecting a successful diversification push, analysts say.

24 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

A salesman checks the quality of a diamond necklace through a magnifier at a jewellery store in Chennai. India is the world’s largest exporter of diamonds due to its dominance in gem cutting and polishing. Photo: AFP

Nepal’s plan to tackle uphill task on Mount Everest: clean up waste

Over the years, the authorities have removed a mountain pile of trash and the bodies of climbers on the world’s highest peak.

23 Dec 2025 - 12:30PMvideocam

India’s partial visa suspension signals unease over Bangladesh’s recent unrest

India halted visa services from its Chittagong mission after violent protests, underscoring its concern over security and stability.

23 Dec 2025 - 11:41AMvideocam

Why India to Europe trade corridor is stalling even as talks continue

A key hurdle hampering the progress of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor is the lingering uncertainty over Gaza.

21 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi (left) and then US President Joe Biden attend the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and India-Europe-Middle East Corridor meeting on September 9, 2023.
Photo: Indian Press Information Bureau/EPA-EFE

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