Indian men watching a bonfire on the street

Reaping What the Farm Bills Sow: Has Modi met his match?

According to the IMF, India has the 5th biggest economy in the world, behind the US, China, Japan and Germany. Leading its economic charge is Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, a polarising Hindu nationalist running a country encompassing a multitude of faiths, languages and cultures. Modi has a reputation for immediate action, for example in 2016 he gave four hours’ notice to invalidate high value … Continue reading Reaping What the Farm Bills Sow: Has Modi met his match?

South Korea’s Economic Growth

During the Covid-19 crisis, South Korea has stood out as a nation that has responded strongly in spite of initially high infection rates. However, even before Covid-19, the peninsular economy had initiated a global expansion, riding the K-pop boom and creating brand value through Samsung and LG. Its high exports and steady growth led it to be called the “Germany of Asia” and hailed an … Continue reading South Korea’s Economic Growth

City with mountain in the background

Land of the Rising Sun

Described as the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan has experienced unparalleled levels of economic growth and infrastructural development. Yet, one might be taken aback to discover the socioeconomic circumstances which have swept Japan away. Thence it is obligatory that one should understand how Japan could transgress its expectations if, at one point, superseding the United States to having fallen to a level of battling … Continue reading Land of the Rising Sun

The Future Made in China?

In the past forty years China has experienced extraordinary growth driven by an abundant supply of labour, exports and low wages. Will the authoritarian state will become the prevailing power in the years to come? I have decided to exclude issues caused by Covid-19 and instead focus on the underlying factors. Since China began to modernise its economy in 1978, it has experienced an average … Continue reading The Future Made in China?

China’s Stranglehold on Rare Earth Elements

China’s quick recovery from Covid-19 has sparked concerns about the country’s increasing geopolitical power. The crisis has exacerbated anti-Chinese rhetoric which has encouraged Western firms to lessen their reliance on Chinese goods and services. However, somewhat worryingly, this isn’t possible in one increasingly important market: the market for rare earth elements (REEs), which plays a crucial role in the production of most electronic goods- everything … Continue reading China’s Stranglehold on Rare Earth Elements

Indian Telecom Revolution

Mobile data has become ubiquitous with cellular packages, and its usage is likely to increase further.  Access to mobile data is essential for consumers due to the unreliability and privacy concerns of public Wi-Fi networks and long commuter hours spent around the globe. However, even with increasing demand, data prices in India (which houses the world’s second highest number of mobile users) have been drastically … Continue reading Indian Telecom Revolution

What’s the big deal about Huawei?

Forgot Johnson and Johnson’s, or Wells Fargo, Huawei has been the most notorious and controversial company of at least the last few years. Boris Johnson’s decision on 28 January to allow Huawei, a Chinese telecoms giant, to build 35% of Britain’s 5G infrastructure caused uproar, both domestically and internationally. Senior Tories, including Ian Duncan Smith and David Davis, wrote a letter criticising the decision, while … Continue reading What’s the big deal about Huawei?

China in Africa

At the turn of the century, China started to boost its outward direct investment (ODI). This change in policy constituted one of the most dramatic shifts in economic history; China shot up in the global ODI rankings, moving from 23rd to 2nd in a matter of 15 years. In particular, China has boosted its investment into Africa and in 2009, it overtook the US as … Continue reading China in Africa