This book addresses the prospects and challenges concerning both soft and hard infrastructure development in Asia and provides a framework for achieving Asian connectivity through regional infrastructure cooperation towards a seamless Asia.

This insightful book collects empirical analyses and case studies to clarify issues and draw policy recommendations for facilitating greater regional trade through increased cooperation.

Although the overall economic performance of economies in South Asia in recent years has been impressive, there is concern that an aging and increasingly inadequate infrastructure may limit the potential for further growth and economic development. A critical infrastructure component is the...

Although the overall economic performance of economies in South Asia in recent years has been impressive, there is concern that an aging and increasingly inadequate infrastructure may limit the potential for further growth and economic development. A critical infrastructure component is the...

In this paper we analyze why Naxalism (an ultra-left movement) still persists in pockets of India. One popular perception about the existence of Naxalism is deprivation. We examine deprivation in terms of seven development indicators, namely, access to health and health outcomes; access to...

India has signed a FTA with the ASEAN. The ‘Look East’ policy for India matches very well with the ‘Look West’ policy that ASEAN have for India. However, in its present state, India-ASEAN FTA promises limited gain. There is a need to go beyond trade in goods, and cover areas in services....

This paper examines association between the cyclical component of agricultural output and rainfall in India. When the cause of food inflation is because of supply shortage driven by inadequate rainfall and poor irrigation facilities, then a contractionary monetary policy may lead to stagflation....

The notion about China being factory of the world is changing. Factories in China are shifting their production base to neighboring Asia, primarily because of higher input costs in China, a volatile Chinese exchange rate, Chinese exports being increasingly targeted by its major trading partners,...

This paper investigates empirically the possibility of forming an Optimum Currency Area (OCA) among member countries of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region. Under OCA, member countries share a common currency (like, the Euro), while foregoing their autonomy with respect to...

The anti-dumping agreement is a major agreement in the rules segment of the Uruguay Round package, although some versions of the anti-dumping code precede the Uruguay Round. Dumping is defined as exporting a product at lower than its 'normal value', interpreted as exporting below the sales price...