4 d. ago India overtakes Japan, Bali mulls bank check requirement: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. India overtakes Japan in economic size – while prosperity trails far behind India ushered in the new year with a symbolic triumph as its economy edged past Japan’s to become the world’s fourth largest by nominal gross domestic product. 2. Nearly 94% of Malaysians who...

Politics

7 d. ago India overtakes Japan in economic size, but prosperity trails far behind

India ushered in the new year with a symbolic triumph as its economy edged past Japan’s to become the world’s fourth largest by nominal gross domestic product. The achievement unleashed a wave of national pride in New Delhi and among business leaders, but behind the celebrations lingers a question: can the world’s fastest-growing economy turn rapid growth into widespread prosperity? Economists warn that GDP figures alone cannot create jobs, lift incomes or bridge yawning inequality in a nation...

Economics

7 d. ago As India overtakes Japan in economic size, prosperity lags far behind

India ushered in the new year with a symbolic triumph as its economy edged past Japan’s to become the world’s fourth largest by nominal gross domestic product. The achievement unleashed a wave of national pride in New Delhi and among business leaders, but behind the celebrations lingers a question: can the world’s fastest-growing economy turn rapid growth into widespread prosperity? Economists warn that GDP figures alone cannot create jobs, lift incomes or bridge yawning inequality in a nation...

Economics

2 w. ago Tesla dethroned by China’s BYD as world’s top EV maker amid Musk’s politics, tax credit woes

Tesla lost its crown as the world’s bestselling electric vehicle maker (EV) on Friday as a customer revolt over Elon Musk’s right-wing politics and stiff overseas competition pushed sales down for a second year in a row. Tesla said that it delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9 per cent from a year earlier. Chinese rival BYD, which sold 2.26 million vehicles last year, is now the world’s largest EV maker. For the fourth quarter, sales totalled 418,227, falling short of the 440,000 that...

Politics

2 w. ago India overtakes Japan as world’s 4th largest economy, eyes top 3 by 2026

India has overtaken Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy – and officials hope to pass Germany within three years, the government’s end-of-year economic review calculates. Official confirmation however depends on data due in 2026 when final annual gross domestic product figures are released, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggesting India will cross over Japan next year. “India is among the world’s fastest-growing major economies and is well-positioned to sustain this...

Politics

2 w. ago India overtakes Japan as world’s fourth largest economy, eyes top 3 in 2026

India has overtaken Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy – and officials hope to pass Germany within three years, the government’s end-of-year economic review calculates. Official confirmation however depends on data due in 2026 when final annual gross domestic product figures are released, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggesting India will cross over Japan next year. “India is among the world’s fastest-growing major economies and is well-positioned to sustain this...

Politics