Building New Bridges In South-South Cooperation: A Study of India-Brazil–South Africa (IBSA) Economic Cooperation
Research Team: Prof. K. J. Joseph, Dr. S. K. Mohanty, Shri Prabir De, Dr. Mirza Allim Baig and Dr. Saon Ray
The Ministerial meeting of IBSA held in March, 2004 in New Delhi, in tune with Brasilia Declaration emphasized the importance of concrete trilateral cooperation in civil aviation, infrastructure, job creation and small, medium and micro enterprises, science and technology, information technology, tourism, energy, defence and social sectors covering health, education etc. The Ministers agreed that the IBSA countries can reinforce the economic strength of each other by synergizing their complementarities in area of industry, services, business and technology which in turn could create a market of 1.2 billion people, 1.2 trillion dollars of GDP and foreign trade of 300 billion dollars. It was also decided that each country could conduct studies to examine the potential for economic and commercial partnership and the ways and means for increasing trade and investment flows among the three countries. Against this background the present study, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, explores the possibilities of strengthening trade (goods and services) and investment relations between these countries.

 

IOR-ARC: Institutional Mechanisms for Trade and Investment Facilitation in Strategic Sectors
This study undertaken as a part of the work programme of the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group in collaboration with the Institute for Policy Studies aims to prepare a policy paper on ways and means of exploiting the synergies between Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) in select strategic sectors such as infrastructure, energy, high technology. A concept paper had been prepared. However, the project has not been completed due to resources problems faced by both RIS and IPS. RIS will be exploring possibilities of completing it in consultation with IPS for presentation at the next IOR-ARC Ministerial Meetings in Iran.

 

Relevance of Investment in India-GCC Partnership
Research Team: Dr. Mirza Allim Baig, Dr. Saon Ray et al.
India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are entering into a free trade arrangement in order to facilitate exploitation of their complementarities for mutual development. RIS has been commissioned by the Department of Commerce to examine the relevance of investment forming a part of such an arrangement. The study will assess the feasibility and potential of including investment in the FTA with the economies in question. First, it will analyse the existing investment flows by looking at the trends, patterns, as well as the potential for two way flows between the countries. This assessment will provide a background to the second issue that will examine the policy regime for investment in the countries. The objective behind this would be to identify the barriers to investment that exist at present and the constraints that affect the realization of the potential. It will also identify areas in which investment could be encouraged in the future. The third aspect that the study will deal with is the potential negotiating issues that would encourage bilateral investment.

 

Regional Trading Arrangements and Developing Countries
Research Team: Dr. Nagesh Kumar and Dr. S.K. Mohanty
The Commonwealth Secretariat has sponsored the study at RIS to examine motivation for the rapid proliferation of regional trading arrangements in different parts of the world, particularly among developing countries. The broad ambit of the study covers certain critical issues including choice of appropriate approach for making the regional process enduring and meaningful for developing countries. The study is also examining whether South-South or North-South RTA is appropriate in serving the interest of these countries. The issue of unintended risks of RTAs among such countries is discussed in the light of experiences of certain regional groupings. The performances of selected RTAs in different continents are evaluated to examine the efficacy of second wave of regionalism for developing countries, and providing guidance for evading mortality of RTAs among Third World countries.

 

Biotechnology and Development
Research Team: Dr. Sachin Chaturvedi
In order to specifically address the broad socio-economic challenges emanating from introduction of biotechnology, RIS has launched several studies with support from different agencies. Life Science Division of UNESCO, Paris has supported a series of studies on various aspects of rice in Asia. Some of these studies would be published in the forthcoming issue of Asian Biotechnology and Development Review (ABDR). The contributors include leading policy makers, commentators and practitioners. RIS would be working on some aspects of Cartegena Biosafety Protocol in context of India’s commitments. The issues include liability and compensation, capacity building and analyzing the concept of precautionary principles in the wider context of multilateral environmental agreements. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Government of India would be the key partner in this initiative. RIS would organize a National Consultation on the above stated issue in collaboration with MoEF. Apart from subject experts, practitioners and policy makers, people from key international organizations would be invited to address the issues. There is also a proposal to work on impact of Bt cotton on Indian economy and agriculture. The study is likely to be conducted in collaboration with Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad and Gujarat Institute for Development Research (GIDR), Gujarat. The All India Biotech Association Southern chapter is likely to be the key partner for data collection.