News Across Asia | ASIA BRIEFING

India Briefing

Deepfake, Content Labeling & Safe Harbor Risks for Global Platforms: India’s 2026 AI Regulation

02/12/2026

India’s latest updates to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, tighten artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake regulation with mandatory labeling and 2-3 hour takedowns, putting safe harbor protection at risk for foreign platforms.

India Briefing

India Fast-Tracks New Drug & Clinical Trial Approvals with 2026 NDCT Amendments

02/12/2026

India’s 2026 amendments to the New Drug and Clinical Trials (NDCT) Rules, 2019, materially improve the operating environment for pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers, and foreign investors by compressing approval timelines and reducing pre-licensing bottlenecks.

China Briefing

China Enforces Higher Salary Thresholds for A/B Work Permits

02/12/2026

China has tightened enforcement of salary-based requirements for foreign work permits, with major cities applying full 6× and 4× multipliers. These changes impact both new applications and renewals, increasing compliance obligations for employers and foreign staff.

Middle East Briefing

GCC, India Launch Free Trade Agreement Talks: Trade, Investment, and Sector Implications

02/12/2026

The GCC and India have restarted Free Trade Agreement talks, in a move that could shape tariffs, rules of origin, customs procedures.

Vietnam Briefing

Vietnam’s New Law on Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy: Aligning the Insolvency Framework with International Practice

02/12/2026

Vietnam’s 2025 Law on Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy transforms its insolvency system by focusing on debtor-led rehabilitation with early intervention, court oversight, and structured creditor involvement.

Middle East Briefing

UAE's Commercial Companies Law Amendments: Corporate Structuring and M&A Implications

02/11/2026

The UAE’s 2025 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law enhance flexibility for onshore companies by introducing redomiciliation with continuity of legal personality, expanded constitutional rights, multiple share classes, and clearer in-kind contribution rules.

ASEAN Briefing

Vietnam Year-End Closing and Audit Preparation for Foreign-Invested Enterprises

02/11/2026

Foreign investors should assess Vietnam’s year-end closing rules, statutory audits, tax risks, and profit repatriation limits.

Vietnam Briefing

Vietnam Manufacturing Tracker: As of February 2026

02/11/2026

The Vietnam Manufacturing Tracker by Vietnam Briefing provides the latest data, policy updates, FDI trends, industrial production indicators, and export performance insights to help investors monitor Vietnam’s fast-evolving manufacturing landscape.

ASEAN Briefing

Vietnam’s 183-Day Rule: Tax Implications for Foreign Employees

02/11/2026

Understand how Vietnam’s 183-day rule changes tax exposure, withholding, and assignment structuring for foreign staff.

China Briefing

China Clarifies VAT Threshold Under New VAT Law

02/11/2026

China’s updated VAT threshold introduces new monthly, quarterly, and per‑transaction rules under the 2026 VAT Law. These changes affect VAT liability, invoicing, and compliance obligations for FIEs.

India Briefing

India's Component Warehousing Safe Harbor: A Competitive Tax Proposition for Global Manufacturers

02/11/2026

India’s Budget 2026-27 introduces a 2 percent safe harbor for bonded component warehousing and a five-year tax exemption for non-resident suppliers, offering transfer pricing certainty and strengthening India’s role in global manufacturing supply chains.

India Briefing

After 10 Months of Tariff Deadlock, US and India Find Common Ground on Trade

02/11/2026

The White House has revised its February 2026 factsheet on the interim India-US trade framework, softening procurement language from “committed” to “intends” regarding over US$500 billion in US goods.