Trade, Investment and Economic Development in Asia ─ Empirical and Policy Issues

In an era of globalization, trade in goods and cross-border services and capital flows are playing a key role in determining the economic growth path of countries. Over the last two decades, the countries have embarked upon several alternate tracks (viz., unilateral, bilateral, regional and multilateral) to liberalize and deepen their linkage with the world economy. The growing trade-investment nexus and the emerging developments lead to deepening of international production networks, rise in cross-border trade in services, sharp rise in regional trade agreements etc.

In this wider canvas, the ongoing debate is, whether it is possible to empirically validate the potential benefits of this deepening trade-investment linkage? The evidence of literature is however ambiguous. This book contributes to the literature by looking at Asian economies, namely, ASEAN, India, SAARC, through empirical analyses. It also looks at EU, Maghreb countries and Pacific Island economics. In line with the evolving trade-investment flows and their role in fostering economic development, the book examines the issues under four broad areas, namely: (1) Trade: Theoretical and Policy Issues, (2) Factor Flows: Impact on Trade and Welfare, (3) Impact of Trade and Factor Flows on Environment and (4) Institutions, International Trade and Policy Issues.

Debashis Chakraborty is currently Assistant Professor of Economics at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi. Before joining IIFT, he worked for five years in Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies. He received his Doctorate Degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His research interests includes international trade policy and WTO negotiations, environmental sustainability and Indian economic development. He has presented and published his research in various academic and policy forums in India and abroad. He is also a reviewer of several national and international journals.

Jaydeep Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi. His research interests include financial sector and real sector economy interlinkage, open economy macroeconomy, macroeconomic policy and applied econometrics. He has been involved in more than 15 research projects commissioned by Ministries of Indian Government, Multilateral Bodies and Corporate Entities.