Sino-Saarc Trade Relations: Commentary and Analysis

The Chinese government continued implementation of the strategy of “The Belt and Road”. The strategy has brought new opportunities for China and South Asia economic and trade cooperation. According to the “UN” UN-COMTRADE database, measuring the trade of China and South Asia of each index, revealed comparative advantage index, export similarity index, the specialization of the revised coefficient and coefficient of consistent indices, analysis competitive and complementary of China and south Asian countries trade. Results show that the trade structure of China and South Asia has a certain competitiveness, but also has a lot of complementarity. There are lots of varieties for trade. Chinese exports to South Asia have a wide range of categories, export manufactured goods are the main products. South Asian exports to China are the low value-added primary products and semi-finished products mainly. Under the background of the strategy of “The Belt and Road”, policy measures should be taken to promote China’s economic and trade relations with south Asian countries.

South Asian countries have been experiencing frequent drought incidents recently, and due to this reason, many scientific studies have been carried out to explore drought in South Asia. In this context, we review scientific studies related to drought in South Asia. The study initially identifies the importance of drought-related studies and discusses drought types for South Asian regions. The representative examples of drought events, severity, frequency, and duration in South Asian countries are identified. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was mostly adopted in South Asian countries to quantify and monitor droughts. Nevertheless, the absence of drought quantification studies in Bhutan and the Maldives is of great concern. Future studies to generate a combined drought severity map for the South Asian region are required. Moreover, the drought prediction and projection in the regions is rarely studied. Furthermore, the teleconnection between drought and large-scale atmospheric circulations in the South Asia has not been discussed in detail in most of the scientific literature. Therefore, as a take-home message, there is an urgent need for scientific studies related to drought quantification for some regions in South Asia, prediction and projection of drought for an individual country (or as a region), and drought teleconnection to atmospheric circulation.

Introduction: Dentistry is the field that brings back one’s smile. It is this field that teaches about the importance of oral hygiene. Dental education varies in all Southeast Asian and South Asian countries. Aim: To compare dental education concerning fee structure, dentist population ratio, and year of graduation between South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Methodology: This study was conducted to the comparison of dental education in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Southeast Asian countries were classified as Group A and South Asian countries were classified as Group B. Data was retrieved from manual and electronic databases using search engines (Pubmed, google scholar, Web of Science). In this study, the keywords were Dentistry, Southeast Asian, South Asian, Dental colleges, and Dentist population ratio used in the search. Result: This study determined the difference between dental education, dentist population ratio, and the dentist’s average salary among Group A and B. The number of Dental colleges was the maximum in India (71%) among all other Group A and B. Conclusion: Nevertheless South Asia had a plethora of colleges, and high-paying dental jobs were possible only in Southeast Asian countries. Hence substantial numbers of dental colleges with proper apportionment and job contentment is obligatory for better treatment outcome of patients.

Mitochondrial diseases in South Asia – A systematic review

The study focuses on FDI inflows to South Asian countries between pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods and the relationship between FDI inflows and good governance in South Asian countries over the period of 1990 to 2021. T test, panel co-integration test and dynamic panel data analysis are employed to accomplish the objectives of the study. The impact of COVID-19 on South Asia’s FDI inflows is found to be significant and particularly inflow of FDIs has experienced a significant drop in all other South Asian countries, except India during the pandemic period. Additionally, the study confirms a positive relationship between good governance and inflow of FDIs in South Asian countries. Hence, the present study strongly recommends improving infrastructure facilities while ensuring a higher level of good governance to attract more FDI to the countries in South Asian region.

Comparative Environmental Constitutionalism in South Asia

The present paper looks at the challenges to feminism in the 21st century and gives a south Asian perspective. All over the world there has been a close link between the women’s movement and feminism, each inspiring and enriching the other. While the women’s movement is a much earlier phenomenon, the term Feminism is a modern one. Feminism comprises a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities and equal rights for women. The present paper looks at the challenges to feminism in the South Asian region, with a special focus on India. These can be referred to as the three G’s - the attitude towards, Girl child, Gender violence and Globalization. South Asia is home to around a fifth of world population. Though today this region is characterized by high economic growth for the past 10-15 years yet poverty is also a reality along with illiteracy, backwardness and a large population. In the absence of a State support structure, the family plays a major role in this culture and this affects women more than men. All South Asian cultures are patriarchal. There is a lot of value placed on the birth of a son and one of the major problems facing the family today is the declining sex ratio. Gender-based violence is a universal reality of the South Asian region regardless of income, class and culture. The liberalization of the economy in the wake of Globalization in many South Asian countries has vastly diminished traditional livelihood means for the poor. The dominance of rich nations, multinational corporations and international capital over markets, resources and labour in the developing countries through trade, aid and technology transfer has greatly weakened the capacity of nation states and governments to promote human development and offer protection to the poor people. The paper concludes by stating that feminism is as relevant as ever before and the biggest challenge of 21st century feminism as to how do we integrate difference with an interdependent world.

An increasing concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the global atmosphere can perturb the ecological balance, affecting the climate and human life. South Asia, one of the world’s most populous regions, is a hotspot for N2O emission. Although agriculture traditionally dominated the region, economic activities are rapidly shifting towards industry and energy services. These activites may become the largest emitters of N2O in future. Yet, few attempts have been made to estimate long-term direct N2O emission from fuel combustion for the different energy-consuming sectors in the South Asian region. Therefore, the present study developed a comprehensive sectoral N2O emission inventory for South Asian countries for the time period of 1990–2017, with projections till 2041. It revealed that the average N2O emission from fuel combustion in the South Asia region is about 40.96 Gg yr−1 with a possible uncertainty of ±12 Gg yr−1, showing an increase of more than 100% from 1990 to 2017. Although India is the major contributor, with an average of 34 Gg yr−1 of N2O emissions, in terms of growth, small countries like Bhutan and Maldives are dominating other South Asian countries. Sector-wise, the residential sector contributed a maximum emission of 14.52 Gg yr−1 of N2O but this is projected to reduce by more than 50% by 2041. This is because of the successful promotion of cleaner fuels like liquefied petroleum gas over more polluting fuelwood. Power generation contributed 9.43 Gg yr−1of N2O emissions, exhibiting a maximum growth of 395%, followed by road transport (289%) and industry (231%). Future N2O emissions from transport, power and industry are projected to rise by 2.8, 3.3, and 23.9 times their 2017 estimates, respectively, due to the incapability of current policies to combat rising fossil fuel consumption. Mitigation options, such as replacing diesel and compressed natural gas vehicles with electricity-driven vehicles, can decelerate N2O emissions to 45% by 2041 for road transport. A 41% reduction is possible by displacing coal with renewables in the power and industry sectors. Overall, the South Asian contribution to global N2O emissions has enlarged from 2.7% in 1990 to 5.7% in 2007–2016, meaning there is an urgent need for N2O emission mitigation in the region.

The discipline of International Relations (IR) started its journey in 1919, to understand why wars occur, reflecting the concerns arising out of World War I. The origin of the discipline thus has carried a Western bias since its inception and often remained oblivious to investigate the concerns of non-Western countries. In this context, the aim is to locate the centers of learning about the development of institutional IR in South Asia, by probing into the academic development of IR in different countries of the region. While doing so, it is necessary to emphasize how the concept of “international” emerged in South Asia much before the ideas of international relations in modern sense made their ways in the region. While there is a rich heritage of “international” in South Asia, the modern statehood often juggled between the old and the new. The institutional development shows that South Asian IR, despite a rise in local contribution to global IR, still yearns to follow Western path in educating about IR. The investigations on South Asian IR and its institutional set ups take two broad views into concern. First, it elaborates on the root and the expanse of the idea of “international” indigenously prior to the idea of modern statehood penetrated South Asia. This discussion also highlights on how the region building itself has gone through transformation and finally the political region emerged through institutionalization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The institutional expanse of IR in South Asia, its rise, location and development of IR in different countries of the region are worth a serious study. It should be noted here that the first institutional beginning of IR took place in modern day Bangladesh, established by the British colonial ruler in 1947, right before the partition of the subcontinent. However, one must take into account of the trend in South Asian IR of how the concept of “international” is imbued in the teaching and research of IR. In the case of Afghanistan, very few academic resources are available to ascertain if this is the case, like in other South Asian countries. Bhutan is seeing a development in the understanding of “international” as well as expanding on research in this area except it has not institutionalized the study of IR like other South Asian countries. The discussion concludes by arguing that while South Asian IR has made its distinct contribution in developing IR as a discipline, it is yet to create its own foothold as it is influenced by Western traditions in its teachings.

China shares border with five South Asian countries, while India has borders with six of them. Other South Asian countries share borders with not more than any two countries in South Asia. Though China is not part of South Asia, it is politically more attractive than India for most of the South Asian countries. Chinese investment and trade with South Asian countries are remarkable. South Asian regional security, particularly in the nuclear dimension, cannot be understood without factoring China. China and India were involved in a war in 1962. Both the countries are yet to resolve their territorial disputes. Apart from the nuclear dimension in regional security, China has also been an important factor in determining relations between India and other South Asian countries. Unresolved border issues between India and China, coupled with perceptions of hegemonistic intentions on both sides, the establishment of cordial relations with other South Asian countries, particularly with Pakistan, by China is seen by India as a threat to it. Weaving through the new dimensions that have emerged in South Asia,this chapter aims at constructing/building some future scenarios with regard to relations between China and South Asia.

The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shocked the whole world. It had a disastrous impact on the economies and the healthcare systems of South Asian countries. Australia was able to minimize the COVID-19 impact by imposing a strict lockdown. The healthcare system and the healthcare industry in Australia are advanced and provide high quality pharmaceutical products and healthcare services. Australia has a lot to offer to South Asian countries in public health programs, quality of healthcare, complementary medicine products, clinical data management and development, and drug developments. Healthcare systems in South Asian countries vary significantly. Australia can play a significant role in developing the healthcare systems of South Asia. For instance, Australia can provide the traditional medicine sectors in South Asian countries with scientifically effective complementary medicines. Improving healthcare bilateral investment and the trade relationship between South Asia countries and Australia is a win/win partnership for SAARC nations post pandemic.

The South and Southeast Asia region has the second-highest number of people living with HIV globally. Despite progress in reducing HIV incidence and AIDS-related deaths, the region still has a long way to go in achieving the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression targets. HIV self-testing (HIVST) is recommended by the World Health Organization as an additional approach to HIV testing. This paper provides a commentary on the implementation status, benefits, barriers and recommendations for HIVST implementation in South and Southeast Asia. Additionally, it presents perspectives from HIV testing service experts from 11 countries in the region to put forth recommendations to accelerate the implementation of HIVST in South and Southeast Asia. There is uneven progress in national HIVST policy development and implementation across the region. HIVST, as an additional testing approach, can help to enhance testing coverage, frequency and demand for follow-up HIV services among key populations. Key factors influencing the implementation and scale-up of HIVST include the degree of awareness of HIVST among general and key populations, the development and implementation of supportive national HIVST policies and the availability of public funding for HIVST. To address barriers and leverage enablers to HIVST implementation, generating evidence on cost-effectiveness and budget impact, developing multisectoral partnerships for market shaping, promoting differentiated and decentralized delivery models, and optimizing linkage to further testing and care are recommended. It is crucial to accelerate the implementation and scale-up of HIVST to differentiate and decentralize the delivery of HIV testing services in South and Southeast Asian countries. Sharing experiences among country experts is vital to foster the adoption of best practices and facilitate the trial-and-error process of HIVST implementation. Such collaborative approaches can help South and Southeast Asian countries attain the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, especially the first 95 on HIV diagnosis, and play a significant role in ending the global AIDS epidemic.

A growing body of recent empirical and theoretical research has discussed how social work practitioners of South Asia engaged themselves in meeting the challenges of environmental disasters. South Asia is a dynamic and diverse region highly vulnerable to disasters. With diverse backgrounds and rich history of education and practice, social work knowledge in two south Asian countries (India and Nepal) toward reducing disaster risks and vulnerabilities and increasing communities’ resilience has continued to evolve. Although governments, through regional cooperation and the international aid agencies, are investing in disaster resilience infrastructure, hazard governance in South Asian countries remains fragmented and warrants further critical review and model building. Provided this background, this chapter reviews how social work practice, especially green social work approaches, has been applied in the recovery and rehabilitation of communities facing environmental disasters in India and Nepal in the last ten years. The chapter makes a case for the critical needs for revisiting social work practices and the need for introducing green social work practices to nurture disaster resilience communities in the South Asian region. Additionally, the chapter discusses the approaches, challenges, and opportunities for green social work practices in the region. We argue that by decolonizing social work education and practices and ensuring human rights of the disaster-prone communities through achieving both environmental and social justice, South Asian social work can contribute to building disaster-resilient communities in the region.

China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative has attracted worldwide attention, and a solid foundation for the initiative has been laid at home and in the neighbouring regions of Southeast Asia. While many countries may not have imagined the possibility of reviving the Silk Route, China has not only coined the term OBOR but also taken steps to bring it close to reality. Despite the various challenges posed by the initiative to their national strategies and to the regional security order, developing countries along the OBOR have an opportunity to improve connectivity and transform their economic conditions by exploring complementarities through trade, investment and greater people-to-people exchanges. From the South Asian point of view, OBOR presents multiple opportunities as well as dilemmas. The puzzles need to be addressed to shape the connectivity agenda of the region and to harness the benefits of integration, which may require joint development and sharing of responsibility among economically stronger countries. Greater cooperation among South Asian countries will be critical in shaping the connectivity agenda, through OBOR or otherwise, in the South Asian region.

BackgroundASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is composed of ten Southeast Asian countries bound by socio-cultural ties that promote regional peace and stability. South Asia, located in the southern subregion of Asia, includes nine countries sharing similarities in geographical and ethno-cultural factors. Chikungunya is one of the most significant problems in Southeast and South Asian countries. Much of the current chikungunya epidemic in Southeast Asia is caused by the emergence of a virus strain that originated in Africa and spread to Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, in South Asia, three confirmed lineages are in circulation. Given the positive correlation between research activity and the improvement of the clinical framework of biomedical research, this article aimed to examine the growth of chikungunya virus-related research in ASEAN and South Asian countries.MethodsThe Scopus database was used for this bibliometric analysis. The retrieved publications were subjected to a number of analyses, including those for the most prolific countries, journals, authors, institutions, and articles. Co-occurrence mapping of terms and keywords was used to determine the current state, emerging topics, and future prospects of chikungunya virus-related research. Bibliometrix and VOSviewer were used to analyze the data and visualize the collaboration network mapping.ResultsThe Scopus search engine identified 1280 chikungunya-related documents published by ASEAN and South Asian countries between 1967 and 2022. According to our findings, India was the most productive country in South Asia, and Thailand was the most productive country in Southeast Asia. In the early stages of the study, researchers investigated the vectors and outbreaks of the chikungunya virus. In recent years, the development of antivirus agents has emerged as a prominent topic.ConclusionsOur study is the first to present the growth of chikungunya virus-related research in ASEAN and South Asian countries from 1967 to 2022. In this study, the evaluation of the comprehensive profile of research on chikungunya can serve as a guide for future studies. In addition, a bibliometric analysis may serve as a resource for healthcare policymakers.