BLOOMBERG India will hold elections in the populous southern state of Karnataka in May, the results of which will indicate whether the opposition has cut into the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party ahead of general elections next year. Winning Karnataka — the state is home to Bengaluru, India’s IT hub — would energise Rahul Gandhi’s opposition Congress …

BLOOMBERG Japan’s foreign minister is planning to visit China this weekend in the first such trip in about three years, Kyodo News and other local media reported, as Asia’s two largest economies seek to maintain stable ties amid rising tensions. Yoshimasa Hayashi is set to meet his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang during a two-day visit, Kyodo reported, citing government sources …

BLOOMBERG White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, people familiar with the matter said, as the two sides look to ease tensions that have continued to build in recent months. Sullivan’s previously unreported call took ahead of Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen scheduled visit to the US en route to Central America, a trip …