New Century Publications Foreign Trade Policy & Trends in India -- 1947-48 to 2008-09

Since the early 1990s, world economies have witnessed a paradigm shift towards market-oriented economic policies, as well as a careful dismantling of obstacles in international trade. This has helped developing countries like India gain access to world markets, modern technologies, and collaborations. This has also given these countries a window to the developed world, helping them to understand the significant role of foreign trade as an effective instrument of economic growth and employment generation. Beginning in 1991, the government of India has introduced a series of reforms to liberalize and globalize the Indian economy. Reforms in the external sector have helped to integrate India into the world economy. In recognition of the growing importance of foreign trade in the Indian economy, this book provides a comprehensive description and analysis of post-independence developments in India's foreign trade and allied sectors with focus on the post-1991 period. The book covers: changing patterns of international trade . pre- and post-independence developments in India's foreign trade . compositional and directional shifts in Indian exports and imports . rationalization, simplification, and moderation of the customs tariff regime . capital account convertibility and flows . exchange rate determination and management . foreign exchange reserves . external debt and aid . foreign direct investment . globalization and international trade . the global economic crisis and international trade . India's Regional Trade Agreements . and the World Trade Organization and India's foreign trade. The book also contains: an annual review of developments in India's foreign trade from 1947-48 to 2008-09, appendices containing relevant information on India's foreign trade, a glossary of trade-related terms, and time-series statistics of India's foreign trade. About the Author Dr. Vibha Mathur is presently an Associate Professor in the Department of Commerce, Jesus and Mary College (JMC), University of Delhi, New Delhi. She received her M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees from the Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics (DSE), University of Delhi. She has written extensively on India's foreign trade and authored a number of books on the subject. The prominent ones include: Foreign Trade, Export-Import Policy and Regional Trade Agreements of India, WTO and India: Development Agenda for the 21st Century, and India-European Union Trade Prospects and the Impact of Euro. She was a visiting fellow at the European Commission and Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, in May 2001. In June 2005, she visited, as a guest, the University of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. In March 2003, she was selected by the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi for a post-doctoral research project titled: Birth of Euro and its Implications for India-Eurozone Trade. The project was successfully completed and submitted to UGC in May 2005. She has also completed another UGC project titled: Trade Liberalisation and its Impact on India-ASEAN Trade.