South Asia in September 2026: the most important developments in economy
In September 2026, South Asia's economic news came mainly from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, alongside many items from Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka, small petrol cars under 1,000cc topped vehicle imports in 2026, the government saw five million tourists as the maximum it could handle, and the first coal shipment arrived at Puttalam for the Norochcholai power plant on September 4. In Bangladesh, remittances rose 22% in August, the central bank reported a profit of more than Tk 26,000 crore for the 2026 financial year, and the capital began sharing load-shedding with rural areas. Bangladesh kept second place in US apparel exports.
In Southeast Asia, Mount Anak Krakatau eruptions closed Jakarta's main airport and seven others on September 6 and 7 before they reopened, and Indonesia's richest family was reported to have moved more than $1 billion offshore amid economic turmoil. Thailand unveiled a public-private plan aimed at lifting annual growth above 5% and relaxed foreign business rules for seven service sectors. Vietnam's exports and imports reached record levels, Russia expressed interest in expanding LNG supplies to Vietnam, and Indonesia invited Russian investors to bid on 138 energy blocks. Malaysia saw a data-centre investment boom and considered Huawei chips for an AI project despite US warnings. China and ASEAN agreed to upgrade their free trade agreement, and OPEC+ kept October oil quotas amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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