(By Ayesha Mahnoor) The Chinese yuan has strengthened to 6.8982 against the US dollar in March 2026, marking a three-year high and reflecting a significant shift in global currency dynamics. This appreciation coincides with an accelerating trend of countries paying for oil in yuan rather than dollars—a development that challenges the seven-decade dominance of the…
(By Khalid Masood) The smoke rising over Asaluyeh on the Persian Gulf coast marks more than a tactical strike; it signals a qualitative shift in the 2026 Iran-Israel conflict. For the first time, the war has moved beyond military installations, nuclear facilities, and leadership targets to strike the very engine of Iran’s economy: its energy…
(By Ayesha Mahnoor) The US-Bangladesh Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, signed on February 9, 2026, represents a pivotal moment in bilateral economic relations amid the Trump administration’s aggressive push for reciprocal tariffs. This legally binding pact, finalized just days before Bangladesh’s national elections on February 12, 2026, under the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad…
(By Khalid Masood) India faces a significant dilemma in its dealings with the United States, particularly crystallized by the interim trade framework announced in early February 2026 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. This stems from the fundamental tension between pursuing deeper economic and strategic ties with the world’s largest economy—for accelerated…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction On 2 February 2026, in a development that unfolded with remarkable speed, US President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that the United States and India had reached a bilateral trade agreement following a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The centrepiece of the announcement was an immediate reduction…
(By Faraz Ahmed) The conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on January 27, 2026, during the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi marks a pivotal moment in global trade dynamics. Dubbed the “mother of all deals” by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Indian leaders, the pact creates preferential access…
(By Quratulain Khalid) Introduction: Davos in a Changed World The World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos has long been regarded as a symbolic meeting point of global consensus—a place where political leaders, corporate executives, policymakers, and intellectuals converged to discuss the future of globalization, economic cooperation, and shared prosperity. For decades, Davos embodied the optimism…
(By Quratulain Khalid) Introduction In early January 2026, a bombshell announcement from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham sent shockwaves through Indian social media and financial markets. President Donald Trump had reportedly “greenlit” the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill that could impose tariffs of at least 500% on all goods and services from countries…
(By Ayesha Mahnoor) On January 8, 2026, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) released its flagship World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2026 report. This comprehensive annual assessment comes at a pivotal moment, as the world navigates lingering effects from trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainties, and structural challenges. The report paints…
(By Mohsin Tanveer) The ongoing tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border have exposed the fragility of regional relations, but they have also revealed India’s calculated opportunism. While Pakistan has been compelled to close key crossings like Torkham and Chaman to counter cross-border terrorism sponsored from Afghan soil, New Delhi is rushing to fill the vacuum through…
