Title: FDI in retail sector India: structural reform more than a political reform

Authors: Ankit Arora

Addresses: K – 67A (Ground Floor), Kalka Ji, New Delhi – 110019, India

Abstract: In our brief study, we try to address one of these market inefficiencies, by studying the Indian retail sector, which has posed as a structural defect causing a political battle rather than an economic one. We take a historical outlook to the contribution of retail and wholesale sector in our economy with respect to other sectors, before and after FDI was introduced. To prove this defect, we concentrate on two aspects of the retail sector. We discuss the present procurement and distribution system in the basic agricultural commodities which is majorly handled by the government agencies. We also brush along the outdated legislation which regulates the whole market and is the underlying cause of un-competitiveness in the sector. We analyse the views of skeptics and try to reason out some biases within their work. We conclude with recommendations that free market is better than a nationalised one.

Keywords: India; foreign direct investment; FDI; structural reforms; comparative advantage; economic policy; retail industry; procurement; distribution; agricultural commodities; government agencies; free market.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEPEE.2014.065253

International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, 2014 Vol.7 No.3, pp.310 - 324

Published online: 30 Oct 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article