South and Central Asia
Is India Saved by the Federal Bell?
The U.S. Federal Reserve shocked the market on 18 September 2013. Ben Bernanke said the Fed would postpone tapering its USD 85 billion per month bond buying program possibly until
Raghuram Rajan to Save the Plummeting Rupee
In India, the value of the rupee has fallen dramatically, and the once heralded future economic powerhouse looks more fragile. The U.S. Federal Reserve decided at this week’s FOMC meeting to continue
Armenia to Join Eurasian Customs Union
Last week, Armenia publicly announced it would join the Russian-led customs union in a move that stunned EU officials, who already had completed negotiations on comprehensive free trade and political
India’s Economic Ills Cause Rupee to Tumble
With tapering looming on the horizon, and many observers predicting the Fed to start hiking interest rates very soon, the rupee has been plunging downwards to record lows. Low interest
Mongolia Reverses Foreign Investment Law to Revive Economy
The Parliament of Mongolia held an emergency session between September 2 and September 6. The main issue discussed during this session was legislation governing Mongolian foreign investment. Due to a
Kazakhstan Pegs Tenge to Foreign Currency Basket
Starting September 2nd, Kazakhstan will peg the tenge to a basket of foreign currencies, effectively ending the managed float that was put in place in March 2011. The basket will
Complications Ahead for Afghanistan’s Election Reform
With the Afghan presidential election scheduled for April 2014, just three months after U.S. troops begin withdrawing from the Afghan combat mission, reforms to the previously highly flawed Afghan electoral
India’s Naval Buildup Positive For Regional Commerce
On August 5, 2013 late in the night, five Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush while on patrol in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Early reports show that
Ramadan shows religious freedom deficit in Central Asia
The holy month of Ramadan puts in sharp relief the challenges to religious freedom by secular governments in the former Soviet Central Asian republics. Most notably, this year in Uzbekistan,
Balochistan Talks May Release Local Resource Wealth
Over the past month, Pakistan’s long-term, slow-burning Balochistan conflict has seen both continued violence and new rhetoric about possible peace deals. The newly elected provincial chief, Abdul Malik, a Baloch
