As the Sri Lanka Economic Association’s Annual Sessions 2012 kick off today on the theme ‘Export Growth for Sustained Development’, Ashani Abayasekara (Research Assistant – IPS) writes that trade protectionism is raising its ugly head through subtle yet substantial ways, and the Sri Lankan export sector must keep a close watch. Some of the top [...]

So many facets of the “Asian century” are discussed heatedly. But one is glossed over — economic freedom. Market liberalisation is a crucial enabler of Asia’s current awakening. Its “negative” acts – removing restrictions that repress economic activity – have unleashed the animal spirits of ordinary people, and they are transforming Asia and the world [...]

After listening to a talk by a Japanese academic at a recent forum in Colombo on East Asian and Malaysian development models and their applicability to Sri Lanka, Project Intern Kaushalya Attygalle writes that while these experiences hold many valuable lessons for our economic development, we must be cautious of drawing too close a parallel and in subscribing to particular models or processes. Yet, she stresses that some of the most valuable lessons we must take note of are consistency in economic policies and political commitment to reform and economic leadership, that countries like Malaysia displayed.

The estimates on the size to which India’s middle class is set to grow in the coming years according to various agencies1 are staggering – 267 million by 2015, 583 million by 2025, 600+ million by 2030. The market potential, just next door as it were, is clearly enormous. Sri Lanka has to seize this opportunity by increasing its trade and investment integration with India and gain access to this huge consumer base.

This week (Oct. 22-23), in Dhaka, Bangladesh, policymakers, economists, SAARC officials and diplomats will come together for the 4th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES), following on from the first three held in Colombo, Delhi, and Katmandu. The theme this year for the SAES is: ‘Global Recovery, New Risks and Sustainable Growth: Repositioning South Asia’. In this context, this article takes a look at some of the positive factors that are likely to support South Asia’s emergence as a formidable economic force in Asia.