Asia Pacific Jun 11, 2021

Indians still battling impacts of COVID-19 now burdened with medical debt

Even before the pandemic struck, India’s out-of-pocket expenses on health care were among the highest in the world.

Asia Pacific May 18, 2021

‘Entire families’ wiped out as COVID-19 ravages rural India

As leaders in Delhi struggle to contain the crisis, horrifying scenes are playing out across the country.

Asia Pacific / Politics May 3, 2021

Modi experiences setback after loss in key India state poll

The prime minister's party lost big in a state he visited frequently before the recent virus surge forced him off the campaign trail.

Asia Pacific | FOCUS Apr 30, 2021

How India’s vaccine push faltered and left a country in chaos

India has fully vaccinated less than 2% of its 1.3 billion-strong population, inoculation centers say they’re running short of doses and exports have all but stopped.

Asia Pacific Apr 27, 2021

Indian politicians vow to pay women for housework as virus rages

If enacted, the stipends would be some of the first in the world to specifically address women’s unpaid labor, which economists estimate accounts for up to 39% of global GDP.

Asia Pacific / Politics | FOCUS Apr 26, 2021

World's biggest COVID-19 crisis threatens Modi's grip on India

The political fallout of Modi's handling of the pandemic may become clear on May 2, when election results are due to be announced for the five states voting over the past month.

Asia Pacific Apr 19, 2021

There’s a new COVID-19 variant in India. How worried should we be?

Health experts worry that a new — possibly more virulent — coronavirus variant could be racing through the crowded nation of more than 1.3 billion people.

Asia Pacific Jan 17, 2021

Two of India’s richest men caught in crossfire over farming

The fight between the government and the farmers has revived the debate on what Modi’s critics call the cozy nexus between the magnates and the popular leader.

Asia Pacific Dec 5, 2020

Angry Indian farmers are ‘ready to die’ in showdown with Modi

The Indian prime minister has stood his ground against the protesters, saying Nov. 29 that the controversial new laws gave farmers "new rights and new opportunities.”

Asia Pacific / Politics | FOCUS Oct 21, 2020

Why Narendra Modi is still so popular even as India fails to fight pandemic

India is battling one of the world’s highest coronavirus caseloads, its worst-ever economic slump, shuttered factories, farmer protests and the deadliest border fighting with China in decades. Yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to remain as popular as ever. Opinion polls in Bihar, where from ...