Author: Aris Ekmekjian

Physical gold dealers in India offered discounts for a fourth consecutive week as consumers shied away from making purchases due to higher domestic prices, while top consumer China also saw muted demand. In India, this week, dealers offered a discount of up to $9 an ounce over official domestic prices — inclusive of the 15% import and 3% sales levies, up from last week’s discount of $5. “The market was cruising along pretty nicely in the first half of October, but then the price hike came along and threw a wrench in the works. Now, we’re seeing demand lower than…

Armenia wants and tries to establish good-neighborly and friendly relations with all countries, PM Pashinyan has said. The Prime Minister was asked at an online press conference by a member of the public on the possibilities of establishing relations with Pakistan. “It is our logic, and we also have a constitutional regulation, that the Republic of Armenia will attempt to, and wants to, establish friendly relations with all countries in the world. I assume that certain diplomatic work is being made in that direction too, not on the high level, and will continue to be done. And the processes of…

Tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians fled the region after Azeri forces seized the territory after a lightning offensive. Judges at the top UN court have said that Azerbaijan must allow ethnic Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh during an Azerbaijani military takeover to return to their homes. In a decision on Friday, the International Court of Justice said that previous ethnic Armenian residents must be allowed back and that those who remained there must be kept safe. “Azerbaijan must … ensure that persons who have left Nagorno-Karabakh after September 19, 2023, and who wish to return to Nagorno-Karabakh are able to do so in a…

Indonesia and India devoted significant efforts to boost innovation and entrepreneurship throughout their Group of 20 (G20) presidencies in 2022 and 2023, respectively. For both countries and other developing economies, innovation is key to boosting productivity and transitioning to higher-income knowledge-based economies. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization Global Innovation Index 2023, India has moved up in its ranking from 48th to 40th position since 2020, with Indonesia moving from 85th to 61st position in the same timeframe. Both countries are recognised for their vibrant entrepreneurship culture and funding availability for start-ups and scaleups. But their weaknesses include a limited circulation of talent and —…

Armenia is a crucial player in the planned International North-South Transportation Corridor. Its defeat will require India to adjust its strategy for the South Caucasus. When it comes to Armenia and its ethnic exclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, India has staked out a fairly defined position over the last few years, from arms sales to transcontinental rail lines to condemnations of Azerbaijan’s aggression in the region. Certainly, this was not without reason. For one, Azerbaijan’s long-time association with Pakistan had turned the conflict into one of the world’s more obscure proxy wars. Additionally, the South Caucasus region has become key for India’s ambitions to build a transportation corridor linking it to…

Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosted leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to discuss strengthening regional and economic cooperation. Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed leaders from the five Central Asian states for their first-ever summit on Friday, as EU member states seek to win geopolitical allies in the region. In Berlin, leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan discussed strengthening regional and economic cooperation – and the development of the so-called ‘Middle Corridor’ route, connecting the region with Europe. “The leaders confirmed their interest in developing the Middle Corridor and attracting financing for infrastructure projects under the Global Gateway initiative,”…

At Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, the Armenian government decided to allocate 15 million drams of financial support for organizing the “Havk” drone competition to be held this month by the Karen Vardanyan Educational Foundation in Lernapat village of Lori Province. The aforesaid foundation had petitioned to the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia in July. The “Havk” drone competition will be held in three categories: school-age teams, amateur, and high school teams and specialized companies. This year, the tasks for the competition are: orientation in the area, finding and distinguishing things, delivering cargo, overcoming obstacles, and spreading liquid substances. Also, the…

They call it the Road of Life, as it is the only route connecting 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region with the Republic of Armenia. But for nearly nine months the Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijani authorities, resulting in severe shortages of food, medication, hygiene products and fuel in the breakaway region. Eighteen-year old Hayk is standing on the balcony of a modest hotel in Goris on the Armenian side of the border with Azerbaijan, speaking to his mother on a video call. “No eggs, no sugar, there are no sweets at all, bread is being…

This is what happens when a yellow journalist becomes the head of government. Most Armenians, blinded by their utter dislike of the former leaders, initially welcomed him with open arms. Pashinyan’s popularity in Armenia has plummeted from 80-percent five years ago to 13-percent last month. Over the years, various Armenian polls have indicated a steady decline in his ratings. Nevertheless, he remains in power and refuses to resign, including after his calamitous mismanagement of the 2020 war, resulting in the loss of most of the Republic of Artsakh and the deaths and injuries of thousands of Armenian soldiers. It is…

Pakistan gets set to host just four of 13 matches of the regional cricket tournament after India’s refusal to tour. When Pakistan last hosted the Asia Cup in 2008, Imran Khan was a political novice, Narendra Modi was still banned from travelling to the United States, India’s cricket team was making its third visit to the country in five years and the entire tournament was played on Pakistani soil. It was also the last time an Indian cricket team set foot in Pakistan. Fast forward 15 years as Pakistan gets set to face off against minnows Nepal on Wednesday at the Multan Cricket Stadium…