S2E45: Behind that 100-part bicycle: Asia’s shifting supply chains

Oct 10, 2025

22:04

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How geopolitics is pushing manufacturers from China to South-east Asia and India.

Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

In this episode, Ravi hosts Mridula Iyer, Asia South Head of Services at Citi, the global financial services firm, on shifts in Asia’s supply chain and how it matters for ordinary people.

They discuss how manufacturing is moving toward South-East Asia, which countries are gaining, and the US dollar’s continued dominance in trade settlement.

They also discuss prospects for South Asia, where countries such as India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are seeing an increase in manufacturing activity.

This episode is brought to you by Citi.

Highlights: (click/tap above)

1:45 Demystifying the supply chain; smartphones as examples

7:30 The shift to South-east Asia

9:12 How a financial institution such as Citi figures in supply chain, trade

11:07 "We have the globality of a global bank, but we're embedded like a local bank"

12:45 China’s export thrust to South-east Asia

14:10 Why Vietnam is booming

17:00 The tariff situation: India and South Asia

19:30 Dollar dominance even as supply chains shift

Citigroup - Singapore: https://www.citigroup.com/global/about-us/global-presence/singapore