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Institute of South Asian Studies

Institute of South Asian Studies
The latest news and top stories on Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) in Singapore. Established in 2004 and affiliated with the National University of Singapore, the primary mission of ISAS is to promote understanding of the South Asia region.
An oil tanker traverses icy waters. Russia’s Northern Sea Route is attracting growing interest from Asia's commercial shipping lines. Photo: Shutterstock
India

India joins China and South Korea in push for Arctic shipping routes

With Middle East sea lanes choked by conflict, melting polar ice offers Asia a seasonal two-week short cut to European ports.

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China-India relations

India and China revive Himalayan trade at high-altitude pass

India

Chinese drone discovery sharpens focus on Asia’s undersea security race

India

A Delhi-Dhaka thaw? India opens door to Sheikh Hasina extradition talks

The former Bangladeshi leader and close Indian ally remains ‘a strategic asset for Delhi’, an analyst says.

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Sheikh Hasina speaks to the media after casting her vote in Dhaka on January 7, 2024. Photo: AP
Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s refusal to host US warplanes before Iran war risks trade backlash

Trying to keep conflict at arm’s length by distancing itself from the US could bring Sri Lanka’s economy ‘to its knees’, analysts say.

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Malaysia

Deal or no deal? Malaysia-US trade pact in turmoil after minister ‘misspeaks’

First, a minister called the deal dead. Then his ministry backtracked. Now the opposition is demanding answers.

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Nepal

Nepal just elected a rapper for PM. His foreign policy has a new beat

Newly elected Balendra Shah’s public messaging suggests a balanced approach rather than a tilt to either side, analysts say.

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Balendra Shah greets supporters in Damak, Jhapa district, on March 7 after winning the election. Photo: Reuters
India

‘Structural reality’: why US tariff deal cannot sever India-Russia defence ties

While the pact demands a halt to Russian oil imports, analysts say New Delhi’s military dependence on Moscow is non-negotiable.

China-India relations

Could India’s twin trade agreements set back its improving ties with China?

Analysts expect the deals with Washington and Brussels to give New Delhi leverage with Beijing and may even slow the thaw.

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Singapore

A tale of two cities: Singapore, Hong Kong and their contrasting paths

Historian Wang Gungwu reflects on how political legacies have shaped Hong Kong and Singapore, two of Asia’s economic ‘tigers’.

People gather around the Merlion statue at Marina Bay in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Thailand

‘Critical point’: can Thailand election pave way for national reset?

With the economy struggling and corruption rife, Thai voters will look to the February 8 election as a chance to turn the country around.

Thailand’s prime minister and Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul (second from right) greets people at a market during an election campaign at Chinatown in Bangkok on January 20. Photo: AFP
Donald Trump

Diversify or die: Asian firms face trade uncertainty amid Trump’s Mexico threats

The president’s call for strikes against drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia will add to the cost of trading with the US, analysts say.

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China-India relations

Indian airbase on China border is infrastructure upgrade, not a threat: analysts

Fighter-capable station near Line of Actual Control believed unlikely to derail thaw, with Beijing still holding edge in disputed area.

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Pakistan

Will plan for port in Pakistan with US involvement fuel regional tensions?

Under the plan, the port in Balochistan will be used to access Pakistan’s critical minerals in a region where China has a strong presence.

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The Gwadar port in Balochistan, Pakistan, a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Photo: Xinhua
Belt and Road Initiative

China weighs risks as social unrest rocks strategic partner Nepal

Regional instability, political upheaval test China’s Belt and Road Initiative, casting uncertainty over key infrastructure projects.

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A protester prepares to burn a picture of Nepal’s former prime minister while storming the Singha Durbar palace in Kathmandu on Monday. Observers warn that Beijing should prepare for further instability among neighbouring Asian nations. Photo: EPA
India

India’s ‘dead economy’ growth hailed, but Trump’s tariffs pose risks

While the 7.8 per cent first-quarter growth is a positive sign, experts warn the impact of US tariffs could be felt later in the year.

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