Lindsay Whipp In Tokyo, James Lamont In New Delhi, Andrew Jack In London

Stories by Lindsay Whipp In Tokyo, James Lamont In New Delhi, Andrew Jack In London

Unicef attacks India's record on poverty

Unicef attacks India's record on poverty

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2009

India has failed to use a period of high economic growth to lift tens of millions of people out of poverty.

South Asia outpaces Tiger economies

South Asia outpaces Tiger economies

Rediff.com   28 May 2009

Growth in the east Asia region would be dragged down by the poor performance of countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

India shining

India shining

Rediff.com   28 May 2009

Today, India has a 55 per cent market share of the world's diamond cutting and polishing business.

Generic flu drug threatens Tamiflu

Generic flu drug threatens Tamiflu

Rediff.com   14 May 2009

An Indian pharmaceutical company is gearing up to sell a cheap version of the leading patented antiviral flu drug Tamiflu to emerging economies, in a move that will pitch intellectual property rights against affordable access to medicines.

Retailers eye rich pickings in Indian market

Retailers eye rich pickings in Indian market

Rediff.com   8 May 2009

Many are turning to the lower end of the market among India's 1.2bn population where they expect rural incomes to be recession-proofed with government support.

US anti-terror controls delayed swine flu response

US anti-terror controls delayed swine flu response

Rediff.com   7 May 2009

Tough US import controls on biological materials, introduced after the September 11 2001 attacks, hindered the rapid identification of the H1N1 virus because samples from infected Mexican patients had to be sent to Canada for analysis instead of the US.

India and China data fuel rise in optimism

India and China data fuel rise in optimism

Rediff.com   6 May 2009

Signs of "green shoots" in India came in the form of an ABN-Amro Bank purchasing managers' index based on a survey of 500 companies.

Chan hits back at WHO critics

Chan hits back at WHO critics

Rediff.com   4 May 2009

The head of the World Health Organisation hit back at critics who have accused it of over-reaction to the swine flu crisis, warning it may return "with a vengeance" in the months ahead.

Vaccine shortfall leaves poorer countries at risk

Vaccine shortfall leaves poorer countries at risk

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2009

Manufacturers warned on Wednesday that limited stocks of a future swine flu vaccine could be distributed on a "first come, first served" basis, leaving hundreds of millions of people in poorer countries without protection.

India's diamonds lose sparkle

India's diamonds lose sparkle

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2009

The economic downturn in the world's jewellery markets has checked the growth of India's diamond export industry, cutting the workforce by as much as 25 per cent and forcing one of the country's most promising export sectors to seek government help.

Crunch hits India IT outsourcing

Crunch hits India IT outsourcing

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2009

The global financial crisis has inflicted at least a year's delay on the Indian IT outsourcing industry's drive to reach its short-term revenue forecasts, with key markets in the US and Europe suffering from the financial downturn.

Rate cuts fail to revive Indian economy

Rate cuts fail to revive Indian economy

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2009

A series of interest rate cuts in India has failed to lead to cheaper commercial lending, leaving Asia's third largest economy to grow at only 6 per cent this year, the central bank said on Tuesday.

India gets biggest share of water aid

India gets biggest share of water aid

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2009

Despite New Delhi's self-reliant public stance, India receives almost twice as much development assistance for water and sanitation as any other country, according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Security costs for India poll soar 50%

Security costs for India poll soar 50%

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2009

Soaring security expenses mean this month's parliamentary election will cost India over 50 per cent more than the last such poll in 2004.

Mission for a mandate

Mission for a mandate

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2009

It is hard to believe that barely two months ago Manmohan Singh was having quintuple heart bypass surgery. The Indian prime minister appears robust, if a little tired, as he pursues a punishing schedule that yesterday involved taking time out from campaigning in hotly contested parliamentary elections to fly to London for the Group of 20 summit.

Infrastructure deficit chokes India

Infrastructure deficit chokes India

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2009

India faces a shortfall of as much as $190bn in financing key infrastructure projects as the global crisis chokes off urgently needed capital, according to a study by McKinsey, the management consultants.

Indian business blasts education reform

Indian business blasts education reform

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2009

India's business leaders have reacted strongly to government opposition to the opening up of higher education to private investment that might help millions of young people.

India faces crisis as boom fails rural poor

India faces crisis as boom fails rural poor

Rediff.com   23 Feb 2009

High economic growth rates have failed to improve food security in India leaving the country facing a crisis in its rural economy, the United Nations World Food Programme warned.

Indian businesses forced to cut staff

Indian businesses forced to cut staff

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2009

Key sectors of the Indian economy shed half a million jobs in the final three months of last year as the global slowdown took its toll on one of the world's fastest growing big economies.

Indian import shift stirs sugar market

Indian import shift stirs sugar market

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2009

Sugar prices reached a four-month high on Tuesday after India, the world's largest consumer, lifted duties on the import of raw sugar to bridge a shortfall in domestic production.