South and Central Asia
Bangalore is not thriving, it is broken
President Obama often evokes the example of Bangalore to motivate the next generation of Americans or to satisfy his protectionist Democratic Party base. To the US, Bangalore is the bustling
Russia’s growing middle class favours status quo
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s soaring popularity amidst his support for separatists in eastern Ukraine has highlighted the importance of the relationship between his government and Russia’s growing middle class. The
Sri Lanka’s Tamils search for economic lifeline
As the Sri Lankan government continues to evade international investigations into war time atrocities, Sri Lanka’s Tamils have sought economic opportunities with mixed results. For Sri Lanka’s Tamils, the legacy of
Russia seeks to strengthen ties with Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia – the South Caucasus – continue to be an area of contention between the East and West. This area is of growing importance as the post-Soviet
Azerbaijan’s energy future depends on tightrope diplomacy
Surrounded by regional and international heavyweights, Azerbaijan must use its specific brand of diplomacy if it is to realize its economic aspirations. With the EU clamouring for energy diversification and Washington
Will Modi achieve ‘minimum government, maximum governance?’
India’s new Prime Minister Modi seeks to cut the federal government and make it more efficient. Yet, there are significant challenges to overcome before he can improve the efficiency, effectiveness and
Modi and Rajan face uphill battle with India’s growth and inflation
Given the potential conflict between Narendra Modi’s focus on growth and the Reserve Bank of India President Raghuram Rajan’s goal to curb inflation, both will need to work together to
Putin wins with Eurasian Economic Union
Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus recently agreed to establish the Eurasian Economic Union. Like the Custom Union before it, Russia looks to benefit the most. On May 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin,
Bhutan rests hopes for economy on new PM
In the years following Bhutan’s political reform, the country’s economy and infrastructure still lag behind. Heavily dependent on India for aid, Bhutan must attract more foreign investment and strengthen its
India’s domestic whiskey industry difficult to tap
India remains the world’s largest consumer of whiskey, an industry worth about $10 billion. Foreign whiskey brands, however, have struggled to capture the market due to a complicated federal tax structure, high import duties and
