South Asia is emerging as one of the most consequential battlegrounds for the global 2030 Agenda, with new data showing that hard-won social and economic gains are being steadily undermined …
R. Suryamurthy
R. Suryamurthy
R. Suryamurthy is a Contributing Editor at South Asian Herald. He has worked for The Telegraph, The Tribune, and Press Trust of India.
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By the time the doors opened at Bharat Mandapam for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, it was clear this wasn’t a conference chasing hype cycles. What unfolded instead was …
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Bangladesh at a Crossroads: New Leadership, Old Fault Lines—and a Narrow Window for Renewal
by R. Suryamurthy 4 minutes readThe swearing-in of Tarique Rahman as prime minister on February 17 marks far more than a routine transfer of power in Bangladesh. It closes a turbulent chapter opened by the …
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Inside India’s Big AI Moment: Power, Purpose, and a Bid to Shape the Future
by R. Suryamurthy 6 minutes readThe buzz inside Bharat Mandapam this week wasn’t just about algorithms and compute power. It was about ambition. About who builds the future of artificial intelligence—and who merely rents it. …
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When Algorithms Tell Stories: AI Cinema, Gaming and Creativity Take Centre Stage in Delhi
by R. Suryamurthy 5 minutes readWalking into Bharat Mandapam this week feels less like entering a conference venue and more like stepping into a working prototype of the future. Holographic avatars greet visitors in multiple …
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Bangladesh’s Post-Uprising Verdict: Reform Mandate or Repackaged Majoritarianism?
by R. Suryamurthy 6 minutes readDhaka has spoken — loudly, decisively, and yet not without ambiguity. The 13th Jatiya Sangsad election has handed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies between 209 and 213 …
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U.S.–Bangladesh Trade Deal Offers Textile Relief, but Critics Warn Gains May Be Limited
by R. Suryamurthy 5 minutes readThe United States and Bangladesh on February 9 signed an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade that promises modest tariff relief for Bangladeshi garments entering the U.S. market, but the deal has …
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NITI Aayog’s Net Zero Scenarios: What India’s Development–Climate Blueprint Really Signals
by R. Suryamurthy 5 minutes readThe release of NITI Aayog’s eleven study reports on Scenarios towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero marks the first time the Government of India has attempted a fully integrated, economy-wide …
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India–US Interim Trade Pact Brings Tariff Relief but Locks India into Deeper Market and Strategic Concessions
by R. Suryamurthy 6 minutes readIndia and the United States on Friday announced a framework for an interim trade agreement that delivers immediate tariff relief for Indian exporters but commits New Delhi to sweeping concessions …
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The ‘Reverse Brain Drain’ Budget: Making the Move Back to India Frictionless
by R. Suryamurthy 5 minutes readNew Delhi – In a move to strengthen the bridge between India and its 32-million-strong global diaspora, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 2026-27 Union Budget has introduced a sweep of “common …