And it is partly with an eye to a rising China that India now shows signs of change.

ECONOMIST: India and its near-abroad

For an eye-opening feast of edible insects, it's hard to beat the Donghuamen night market in Beijing, China.

BBC: Is crawly cuisine the future of food?

In January, the company said that it planned to open its 7-Eleven stores in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, with an eye on China in the longer term.

WSJ: Thai Tycoon Offers $6.6 Billion for Siam Makro