Convergence towards Regional Integration between the EU and India : Trade Implications for India and UK – Deb Kusum Das and Sangita Khurana (Aberystwyth University, UK)
Sponsoring Agency: Aberystwyth University, UK
Commencement: November 2007
The 1990s decade saw a rapid increase in the trade flows between the European Union (EU) and India . The EU was India ’s largest partner accounting for one-fifths of its total trade whereas India was the EU’s tenth largest partner. In terms of bilateral trade flows, the UK accounted for India ’s fourth largest trading partner in goods. The proposed EU-India FTA will lead to deeper integration in the trade of goods and services and at the same time it is being debated whether FTA will truly be a binding block for trading partners in the light of existing non tariff barriers to trade and its potential to impede the benefits of the partner countries. Against this background, the present study attempts to identify the non tariff barriers that at present impede trade between India and UK in the goods sector-particularly Leather and Textiles
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The Global Trading and Financial Systems: Multilateralism of the World Trade Organisation Versus Regionalism – T.N. Srinavasan and Vani Archana
Sponsoring Agency: Yale University, USA
Commencement: July 2007
Countries are turning their attention to Free/regional trade agreements (RTAs/FTAs), which they perceive would yield political, social and economic benefits. For SAARC countries various studies have indicated that the SAFTA process is not very effective as compared to other RTAs like ASEAN, MERCOSUR, etc. in augmenting intra-regional trade. SAFTA has been relatively a failure. Is it because of economic reasons or other than economic ones? If it is because of economic reasons, what are they, if not, what action at other front (political front) needs to be taken? These are some of the issues which need to be examined at micro level. Over the longer period, trade liberalization could result in positive spillover of institutional knowledge which could make domestic reforms more credible. The research is thus expected to break new grounds in analyzing the issues of regional/multilateral trade liberalization at micro level.
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Implications of Bilateral Agreements of SAARC member countries with India and China – Dr. Pravakar Sahoo and Team
Sponsoring Agency: Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Commencement: June 2008
For several years SAARC member countries have had India as one of their most important trading partners. In recent years however, China has increased its trade presence significantly and has become an important influence in the region. Its growing trade relations with SAARC member countries is a matter of concern to India. In recent years China has also increased its investment in the South Asian region particularly in Pakistan and Bangladesh where Indian investments are relatively lower. For instance, China is establishing an overseas economic and trade cooperation zone in Pakistan. Increased investment can further strengthen trade linkages and India may lose out on this count as well. Hence it is also important to examine the motivation, areas and pattern of Chinese investment in the SAARC region. Moreover, China was recently given Observer status at SAARC which makes its role in the region impossible to ignore. Against this backdrop the study sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, will examine the implications of Bilateral Agreements between SAARC member countries and China, and its implications for India’s trade and investment in the region.
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Food Security in SAARC- Surabhi Mittal and Deepti Sethi
Sponsoring Agency: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Commencement: August 2008
Agriculture in the SAARC region is caught in a low equilibrium trap that features low productivity of staples, supply shortfalls, higher prices, low returns to farmers, product diversification- all these factors can be threat to food security. The development of the Food Bank to meet the SAARC food security, has remained non-operational even in the times of crisis. At the same time, member nations have continuously felt the need to evolve mechanisms to make the SAARC Food Security Reserve operational. With this background the objective of the study is to identifying in each of the South Asian country, the issues relating to food security, the initiatives and policies undertaken to tackle this issue, critically evaluating these policies and finally suggesting measures to overcome the identified constraints and make the policies more effective. The project is a collaborative research between think tanks of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
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Entry Barriers in China’s Financial Sector - Khan Masood Khan and Shahid Ashraf
Sponsoring Agency: Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance
Commencement: August 2006
The study examines the regulatory structures in banking, capital markets, insurance, specialized financial institutions and money markets in India and China. The objective is to ascertain the constraints related to market access and the implications for Indian firms of national treatment in this sector in China. It highlights the changes in the policy and regulatory mechanisms that the Government of India can specifically request and for commitment from the government of the Peoples’ Republic of China in these areas.
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Trade in Services for the Proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement: - Arpita Mukherjee
Sponsoring Agency: Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Commencement: September 2007
This project, initiated in July, examines the feasibility of enhancing trade in 13 service sectors under the Indo-EU FTAs. It identifies the trade barriers and suggests how these can be addressed under the FTA. It also analyses the commitments made by the EU and India in the WTO and other bilateral/regional agreements. It lists the reforms needed to improve the productivity and global competitiveness of the respective sectors to enable them to meet the challenges and opportunities arising from the FTA. The study, based on secondary data and interviews is expected to provide critical inputs for the ensuing Indo-EU negotiations.
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Privatisation & Internationalisation of Higher Education in the Countries of South Asia: An Empirical Analysis - Pawan Agarwal and Furqan Qamar
Sponsoring Agency: SANEI, Pakistan
Commencement: December 2006
Higher education in South Asia has evolved in different ways in different countries with the result that there are now significant differences amongst them. This study undertakes an empirical mapping of the present status of higher education in the South-Asian countries in the context of growing privatisation and internationalisation of higher education worldwide. The project is being undertaken as a part of the SANEI network.
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Studies on the implementation of SAFTA - Nisha Taneja, Purnamita Dasgupta, Aparna Sawhney and Raashi Malhotra
As current chair of the SAARC, India is committed for promoting progress under SAFTA. In this context, ICRIER is undertaking 3 separate studies on various aspects of implementation of the SAFTA.
- Rationalisation of NTMs/PTMs Imposed by India - Nisha Taneja and Raashi Malhotra
The objective of the study is to identify genuine NTMs/PTMs that obstruct market access for South Asian neighbours into the Indian market. The study will suggest measures to rationalize such measures. The recommendations are expected to serve as inputs to the Task Force set up by the Commerce Ministry to examine the perceived NTMs by our neighbouring countries.
- Implications of Bilateral Agreements in South Asia on SAFTA - Purnamita Dasgupta
This study is analysing the implications of bilateral FTAs for SAFTA of the SAARC member countries. It will examine the key features of various bilateral FTAs in terms of the extent of tariff concessions, time span for phasing out tariffs, negative lists, rules of origin and dispute settlement. It will also evaluate the gains accruing to partner countries engaged in various bilateral FTAs and under SAFTA. It will be carried out using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
- Pruning India’s sensitive list for the South Asian least developed countries - Aparna Sawhney
The study examines price competitiveness of the South Asian LDCs and of other exporters to India in the current sensitive products with respect to the Indian domestic sector. The study also factors in domestic industry/market structure and producer concerns for determining the competitiveness aspect.
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