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A guide to the dynamic economics, politics, and culture of the world's most populous region.

December 3, 2012 04:07
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India: Manufacturing shows green shoots in November

India's manufacturing sector growth hit 5-month high in November
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Indian labourers carry wood sleepers to construct a temporary pontoon bridge over the River Ganges at Allahabad on November 27, 2012. (SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/Getty Images)

India's manufacturing sector provided some good news for economy watchers, posting its highest growth in five months this November, according to the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI).

The news comes amid concern about a slowdown in India's overall growth, following the release of data showing GDP growth of only 5.3 percent in the quarter ended September 30.

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December 3, 2012 02:17
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India: Crunch time for economic reforms

With 13 days left in the parliamentary session and squabbling continuing over FDI in retail, India's prime minister is hoping to push through 6 more important economic reforms.
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It's crunch time for economic reforms in India, as slowing growth and persistent corruption allegations threaten to make Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's United Progressive Alliance (UPA) unelectable in the upcoming 2014 polls.

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November 23, 2012 20:47
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India: The world is fat, but are McDonald's and Frito-Lay to blame?

For the first time in history, more people are obese than hungry. But is the spread of western-style junk food really the culprit?
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My colleague Patrick Winn'sreport on 7-Eleven's dominance in Southeast Asia has me thinking this morning.

As GlobalPost's compelling "The World Is Fat" series makes clear, for the first time in history more people are obese than hungry across the world.  But are western multinationals like 7-Eleven, McDonald's, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay really to blame?

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November 22, 2012 02:43
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India: Black money out, white money in--India may be top recipient of remittances, says World Bank

Even as India's anti-corruption activists and opposition lawmakers rail about the allegedly vast sums of black money squirreled away in Swiss bank accounts, India looks set to top the world in remittances sent back home from abroad.
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In India, black money goes out and white money comes in, suggests new findings from the World Bank.

Even as India's anti-corruption activists and opposition lawmakers rail about the allegedly vast sums of black money squirreled away in Swiss bank accounts, India looks set to top the world in remittances sent back home from abroad, according to the World Bank study.

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November 21, 2012 22:51
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Just outside India's Camelot: Character assassination by gossip

An excerpt from Tavleen Singh's new book hammers Sonia Gandhi for being human, rakes up "foreign-born" charge with 40-year-old evidence
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An excerpt from columnist Tavleen Singh's new book, Durbar, in this week's Open reads exactly like what it is: Character assassination by gossip.

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November 21, 2012 06:32
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India criticizes Israel for "disproportionate use of force"

In a measured statement, foreign minister Salman Khurshid condemns "tragic escalation of violence"
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India's federal minister Salman Khurshid addressing a press conference in New Delhi on October 14, 2012. (SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images)

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid finally spoke out on Israel's bombing of Gaza on Wednesday, following criticism from the press that New Delhi had been too silent with regard to the conflict.

"We did say categorically that the disproportionate use of force is unacceptable," Khurshid told reporters, according to the Press Trust of India.

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November 21, 2012 01:21
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India: Mumbai attacker hanged after president rejects final appeal

Sole surviving terrorist from 26/11 attacks on Mumbai was hanged in Pune Wednesday morning
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An Indian policeman confiscates an effigy of Pakistan-born Mohammed Kasab, who was the sole surviving gunman of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, as activists celebrate his execution in Mumbai on November 21, 2012. (PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images)

Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving terrorist from the November 26, 2008 attacks on Mumbai, was hanged Wednesday morning in an unannounced ceremony at Pune's Yerwada Jail.

The Times of India quoted home secretary R K Singh as saying, "Family members of Kasab informed about the hanging through a letter sent by courier."

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November 20, 2012 01:09
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India: Manmohan Singh makes pitch for broad role in SE Asia

Indian prime minister backed a free trade agreement with ASEAN and called for increased cooperation on security in Phnom Penh
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Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said India is prepared to sign an agreement on free trade in services and investments with ASEAN next month and called for broader cooperation on security in the region at the India-ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh on Monday.

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November 19, 2012 04:47
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India: Where women are bought and sold

Skewed gender ratio fuels human trafficking in Rajasthan, as men mark "auspicious day" by buying young girls
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A relative (L) comforts a bride as she participates in a mass marriage in the village of Vadia, some 210kms north of Ahmedabad late March 11, 2012. (SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/Getty Images)

A spike in cases of human trafficking during the leadup to Diwali reveals a disturbing truth about the Mewat region of the western Indian state of Rajasthan. Because of a badly skewed gender ratio, families have taken to buying young girls for marriage to older men around the occasion of "Dev Uthani Ekadashi"--considered an auspicious day.

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November 17, 2012 09:05
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India: Political boss Bal Thackeray dies, leaving Mumbai on tenterhooks

Bal Thackeray, the fiery leader of the far right Shiv Sena party, died at age 86 on Saturday
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Shiv Sena founder and current chief Bal Thackeray -- a political boss with the power to turn Mumbai upside down -- died Saturday at age 86 after languishing for several days in critical condition.

The authorities virtually closed down India's financial capital in anticipation of violence when Thackeray's health was failing earlier this week. But so far the city appears to remain calm but tense. 

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