Supply Chains Are Digitising Rapidly as Automation Becomes the Next Technology Frontier
Surveys show that core digital systems are widely deployed across supply chains, and automation is expected to transform them in coming years.
Surveys show that core digital systems are widely deployed across supply chains, and automation is expected to transform them in coming years.
Saudi Arabia’s economy has roughly doubled over the past decade, yet oil exports still dominate trade.
The volatility and geographic concentration of investment flows raises questions about Africa’s ability to sustain momentum into 2026 and beyond.
Upstream mineral supply is globally distributed, but China remains the dominant actor in the midstream and downstream battery ecosystem.
Kazakhstan accounts for the region’s economic scale, while Uzbekistan and neighbouring economies are expanding manufacturing and trade.
India provides the region's industrial scale and Bangladesh is driving the fastest export-led expansion.
Fixed asset investment has continued to expand steadily, but growth has slowed in recent years, with the sharpest declines in real estate and construction.
Manufacturing is expanding steadily in absolute terms, but India’s growth model remains firmly services-led.
Asia accounts for over half of China’s trade, but growth momentum is shifting toward developing regions, especially Africa and Latin America.
Electricity generation rose 2.2% in 2025, as thermal output declined for the first time in a decade, with strong gains in solar and wind.