ASIA BLOG: Which side leading Asian nations would back if Iran VS Israel escalates

In the event of an escalation, Beijing would likely call for restraint and push for a negotiated settlement. It may be doing so already behind the scenes. However, its silence or perceived tilt towards Tehran could provoke criticism from the West.

What the Iran-Israel war could mean for much of Asia

From energy security and trade disruptions to political polarisation and rising tensions among Muslim-majority nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia and nuclear armed Pakistan, the consequences for Asia could reshape regional dynamics.

COMMENT: Despite Pakistan’s hostility, India builds bridges with Islamic world

New Delhi's outreach to the Islamic world has intensified in recent years, particularly towards the Gulf Cooperation Council states, which are pivotal to India's energy security, diaspora well-being, and trade balance.

ASIA BLOG: How US tariffs are driving Asia closer to itself – and China

What’s striking right now is how ASEAN is operating on two levels. Publicly, it champions inclusivity and dialogue. Privately, it’s hedging harder than ever.

COMMENT: Asian unity in a fragmenting world boosted by the RCEP

In the face of renewed US protectionism and the use of tariffs as economic weapons, RCEP offers the Indo-Pacific region something far more strategic: a framework for resilience, integration and independence.

COMMENT: Asia's team lists in the Washington VS Beijing bout

While fewer in number, some Asian nations have displayed clear signs of alignment or strategic proximity to China.

Combined effort to tackle Asian climate change gaining momentum

Over the past five years Asia has witnessed unprecedented heatwaves, with countries like Bangladesh recording temperatures up to 43.8°C in 2024, leading to nationwide school closures affecting tens of millions of children

India’s remote Northeast emerges as a green energy frontier

India’s Northeast is gaining renewed strategic and economic significance as the country recalibrates its regional posture amid evolving geopolitical dynamics

COMMENT: China’s debt-trap diplomacy - lessons from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and beyond

For the nations affected this results in economic dependence on China and often the surrender of strategic assets - or both.

India poised to become world's third-largest economy by FY2030–31

Despite this, India continues to maintain its status as the fastest-growing large economy, even amid a moderation in real GDP growth projected for FY2024–25.

Rising waters will prompt “catastrophic” mass migration, says study

Even if global heating stays at today's level, the world could be headed for unstoppable sea level rise and mass migration, scientists have warned in a stark new report in the journal Communications Earth and Environment.

Rising waters will prompt “catastrophic” mass migration, says study

Could BRICS redefine Asia’s power balance?

For Asian countries outside the current BRICS framework, the stakes are high. Membership could mean enhanced access to financial resources, a larger voice in global institutions, and strengthened ties with emerging powers.

What next for Bangladesh in an undeclared India–China tug-of-war?

While India may hold historical and cultural sway, China’s presence in Bangladesh is growing in more visible ways. Beijing has poured billions into infrastructure, energy, and digital connectivity projects under its Belt and Road Initiative.

Xi Jinping's first meeting with Min Aung Hlaing as China backs Myanmar junta's territorial claims

Xi Jinping made clear, however, that support would be contingent upon the junta’s ability to guarantee the security of Chinese citizens and business interests inside Myanmar.

COMMENT: Why Asia should not follow the failed European model

Over the past 15 years, Europe’s trade frameworks have faltered, integration has stalled, and a number of its core political and economic ideas have failed under real-world pressure.

Japanese official warns of wider Asian security impact of Trump tariffs

Former defence minister Itsunori Onodera, speaking in Washington at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expressed particular concern about the potential impact on Southeast Asia.

ASIA BLOG: Is China preparing to poke the paper tiger in the White House?

The US intimidates certain countries. But America is just a paper tiger. Don’t believe its bluff. One poke and it’ll burst!

Asian giants thrive in Russia despite sanctions

Maintaining a complex balance between profit, geopolitical alignment and risk management, the presence of Asian nations in Russia reveals a divergence between Western corporate exodus and Eastern mercantile strategy.

ASIA BLOG: China suddenly recognises need for community, in a region Beijing has long polarised

President Xi made no mention of long-standing territorial issues with China’s closest neighbours including Japan, South Korea and the self-governing country long claimed as an integral part of China by Beijing: Taiwan.