Asia-pacific

India to work with APDIM to reduce disaster risks across Asia-Pacific

India has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation on disaster risk reduction, working closely with Asian and Pacific Centre for Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM) and regional partners to reduce disaster and climate risks across Asia-Pacific, a government statement said Saturday. Addressing the 10th Session of the APDIM hosted by India, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Disaster Management Nityanand Rai said India would champion a broad capacity-building agenda during its chairmanship. Rai, who led the Indian delegation, emphasised the country's commitment to regional disaster resilience and cooperation. The outcomes of this meeting will guide APDIM's overall programme of work and also contribute to advancing the goals of the Sendai Framework and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the statement said. The minister said that under India's chairmanship and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India will champion a ...

India, China drive Asia-Pacific need for nearly 20,000 new planes: Airbus

Asia-Pacific will need nearly 20,000 new planes in the next 20 years, with India and China driving most of the demand as passenger traffic grows and airlines expand their fleets

WHO launches 5-year plan to protect Asia-Pacific from climate disasters

With Asia and the Pacific among the most climate-vulnerable regions, WHO's new blueprint aims to build resilient health systems and protect millions from rising risks.

Taiwan's Pacific influence dwindles as China gains ground in island nations

From six diplomatic alliances in the region in 2019, Taiwan now only has three: The Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and Tuvalu

Asia stocks mostly on the rise as tariff truce supports sentiment

Markets have held modest ranges in recent weeks, waiting to see whether the world's two largest economies can agree on a durable trade deal or if global supply chains will again be upended

Deloitte launches agentic AI centre with hubs in India, Singapore, Malaysia

The new CoE will bring together 6,000 professionals and back AI projects worth over $1 billion using autonomous technologies like Zora AI

Asia-Pacific growth to fall if US imposes reciprocal tariffs: S&P

Major Asia Pacific economies like India, China, and Japan, will see growth fall by 0.2-0.4 percentage points (ppts) over the next two years if the US implements the reciprocal tariffs announced on April 2, S&P Global Ratings said on Tuesday. It said that the threat and imposition of tariffs by the US will slow global trade and confidence. The region's dependency on exports with China and the US will have an outsized hit on manufacturers and small economies. "Should the tariffs announced on April 2, 2025 resume for economies ex-China, the geopolitical and economic fallout will be deep," S&P Global Ratings, Asia-Pacific Head of Research, Eunice Tan said. For India, S&P had in March projected a 6.5 per cent and 6.8 per cent growth for 2025 and 2026, respectively. If the reciprocal tariff as announced by US President Donald Trump is implemented, S&P estimates the growth to fall to 6.3 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively. After the April 2 announcement jolted stock ...

Asia-Pacific credit volatility expected in 2025 amid slow growth: S&P

Forecasts on credit conditions become unstable as trade and foreign policy under Trump 2.0 administration remain unclear

Corporate India note strongest hiring outlook globally for Jan-Mar: Survey

Employers in India reported the strongest employment outlook for the January-March period next year, with 40 per cent corporates aiming to increase their staffing levels over the next three months, the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey said on Tuesday. The survey, which gathered data from more than 3,000 employers across various regions of India, revealed that 53 per cent of employers plan to hire, while 13 per cent anticipate a decrease in their staffing levels in the the first quarter of the 2025 calendar year and 31 per cent do not expect any change. The net employment outlook (NEO) -- calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers who anticipate reductions in staffing levels from those who plan to hire -- after seasonal adjustment stood at 40 per cent, strengthened 3 percentage points from both last quarter and year-on-year. "India remains one of the world's fastest-growing large economies, with its position as the global leader in employment outlook for Q1 .

Taiwan, US territory Guam should defend freedom in region: Taiwan Prez Lai

Taiwan and Guam should work together to defend freedom and democracy in the region, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Thursday on a visit to the American territory. Guam was Lai's second US stop on an ongoing tour of the Pacific islands, following a visit to Hawaii last weekend. China's authoritarian government claims Taiwan as its territory and says the self-governing island must come under its control at some point in the future. Lai, in a speech to Guam's legislature, emphasized the shared values and strategic importance of Taiwan and Guam in the Indo-Pacific region. "Let us together become the crucial force in defending freedom, democracy in the first island chain, he said, referring to a string of islands off the Asian continent that includes Japan, Taiwan and part of the Philippines. The legislature passed a resolution welcoming Lai and extending appreciation for Taiwan's "significant contributions to Guam's economy and community, Speaker Therese Terlaje said. Lai called fo

Taiwan Prez Lai's Pacific trip shows efforts to counter China's expansion

Taiwanese president arrived in Hawaii on Saturday for a two-day stopover en route to Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu, with a stop in Guam scheduled for his return journey

Brazil's embrace of Xi sets up a clash over Donald Trump's China policy

The infrastructure build-out is part of Lula's grand plan to move Brazil up the value chain and develop economically, with Beijing's help as key

Chinese provocations around Taiwan up by 300%, says US Air Force general

The General also said that China's tactics are just not reserved to China, but they show to the world that China achieves their goals, Taipei Times reported

Watch: PM Modi's speech at Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024 in New Delhi.

India seen as growth engine for German investments in Asia-Pacific: Survey

AHK World Business Outlook, which surveyed around 820 members in Asia-Pacific and Greater China region, shows that 51 per cent of German companies based in India intend to increase their investments

Indian employers most bullish globally on Oct-Dec quarter hiring: Survey

Corporate India reported the strongest hiring sentiments globally for the next three months, with 37 per cent of employers planning to increase their staff strength as businesses are bullish about the country's economic position, a survey said on Tuesday. According to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey Q4, 2024, of nearly 3,150 employers across sectors and regions, the Net Employment Outlook in India is the strongest worldwide at 37 per cent, followed by Costa Rica (36 per cent) and the US (34 per cent) in the second and third place respectively. The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) is calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers who anticipate reductions to staffing levels from those who plan to hire. The India employment outlook for Q4 (October-December) stood at 37 per cent, up 7 per cent from Q3 2024, and unchanged when compared with the same time last year. "The hiring intention of employers signifies the positive outlook in the country's economic position that h

Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia, kicks off ambitious Asia-Pacific tour

Pope Francis is expected to continue voicing appeals to confront the dangers of a warming globe

India to apply for licences to scout Pacific Ocean for critical minerals

China, Russia, and some Pacific Island nations have already secured exploration licences for the Pacific Ocean

India to remain fastest growing Asia-Pacific economy, predicts Moody's

Moody's Ratings on Thursday said India will remain the Asia-Pacific region's fastest-growing economy in 2024, sustaining last year's domestically driven momentum. In a report titled Credit Conditions Asia-Pacific H2 2024 Credit Outlook, Moody's Ratings said Indonesia, the Philippines and India led the way in terms of growth in first half of 2024 and should continue to outperform pre-COVID growth numbers on the back of rising exports, local demand and government spending on infrastructure. "India will remain the region's fastest-growing economy, sustaining last year's domestically driven momentum. We anticipate policy continuity after the general election, and a continued focus on infrastructure development and encouragement of private sector investment," it said. Moody's said stronger portfolio inflows are likely in India and ASEAN economies, because of robust corporate credit metrics and appealing valuations. Last month, the rating agency projected India to grow 6.8 per cent in t

Fumio Kishida to address Congress amid scepticism about US role abroad

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday for an address to US lawmakers meant to underscore the importance of keeping a strong partnership between the two countries at a time of tension in the Asia-Pacific and scepticism in Congress about US involvement abroad. Kishida was in Washington this week visiting President Joe Biden as the White House completed hosting each leader of the Quad an informal partnership between the US Japan, Australia and India that is seen as important to countering China's growing military strength in the region. Kishida is expected to talk about the future of the relationship between Japan and the US. He will be addressing many Republicans who have pushed for the US to take a less active role in global affairs as they follow the America First" ethos of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The Republican-controlled House has sat for months on a USD 95 billion package that would send wartime fundin