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This paper examines the reasons for farmer suicides in India. Inability to get the right price, crop failures, and insurmountable debt are the factors that may drive the farmers to take this extreme step. A key factor for farmers being unable to get market prices is inefficient agriculture supply chain management. We find that the reasons for inefficient supply chain management include lack of reforms in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act, low bargaining power due to small farm size, and lack of warehousing facilities. Crop failures happen because of poor irrigation facilities. Considering agricultural output and rainfall data from four different states in India we find evidence in favor of association between the cyclical component of agricultural output and rainfall data. Understanding this linkage is important from the perspective of formulating demand management policies (read, intervention by the government and central bank).

Chinese and Indian enterprises have been increasingly involved in international business thereby attracting global attention since the turn of the 21st century. This article examines outbound investment experiences of Chinese and Indian multinationals and compares and contrasts the investment development trajectory for both the countries. The comparisons and contrasts are made with respect to government policy, motivations for outbound investment, financing of investment, success rate in overseas acquisition, sectoral composition, characteristics of multinational enterprises (MNEs), and the challenges and impact of such investments in the light of differences in economic and institutional parameters between the two countries. It can be observed that there are more differences than similarities in the trajectory of outbound investments by Chinese and Indian enterprises. These differences arise due to the economic and institutional structure and the development path chosen by the two countries. Due to the differences between Chinese and Indian economic development trajectories, which are unique in many ways, it is not meaningful to make a straightforward comparison of outbound foreign direct investment (FDI) experience of the two countries. Nevertheless, the main differences with regard to outward investment by Indian and Chinese enterprises can be observed in areas such as the degree of involvement of the public sector enterprises, financing of overseas investments, success rate of proposed mergers and acquisitions (M&A), sectoral composition of such investments, investment motives, and so on. Various challenges facing outward FDI from China and India are highlighted, some of which could be addressed by specific economic and institutional reforms. The tale of the two countries examined in this article taken together contains important insights for emerging country enterprises and governments on the challenges and opportunities of global business.

Worldwide, India has the highest number of people defecating in the open. In an attempt to reduce number of open defecation, a supply side initiative is underway. In 2014-2015, Government of India, constructed 8 million toilets. However, an important aspect for this supply-side initiative to become successful is to create demand for toilets. In this paper we look at household demand for toilets, and study the factors leading to open defecation. Using Demographic and Health Survey data we create a wealth index, and use it to rank household preference for toilets vis-à-vis 20 other different consumer durables. Our results suggest, among lists of household items that any individual want to have, toilets get a lower preference - ranked 12, out of 21. Additionally, we examine preference structure for using toilets among residents from various federal states in India. We find residents of North-Eastern states are more likely to use toilets. We further investigate factors leading to toilet usage among households. Results indicate a strong case for imparting education and public awareness, especially, among the female cohort.

Acknowledging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a persistent health challenge in the foreseeable future, there is a need to evaluate how India can emerge as a major exporter in this category. This analysis with 41 COVID-19-related pharmaceutical products indicates that India currently lacks comparative advantage in several categories, for example, active pharmaceutical ingredient, medical equipment and devices, disinfectants and sterilisation products, and personal protective equipment. The country, however, enjoys a comparative advantage in manufacturing vaccines and formulations. Interestingly, India imposes higher tariffs and non-tariff measures (NTMs) on both sets of products, irrespective of the comparative advantages. Additionally, the article identifies important operational, logistic, and financial issues that can improve the efficiency of the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC), which in turn can ensure smoother availability of these pharmaceutical products in the domestic market. While the operational issues underline the need for better coordination between multiple stakeholders, the logistic bottlenecks call for a general improvement at the infrastructure level. The financial issues correspond to infrastructural bottlenecks, transport costs and resulting cost escalation. The article concludes that the policymakers need to focus on the reduction of import barriers and improve the PSC to ensure the easier availability of COVID-19 medicines, vaccines, and related products. JEL Codes: F13, F15, I18, O25

In light of the spread of Covid-19 cases in India during the second wave, the Government of India (GOI) decided to negotiate for an IPR waiver under section 1 (copyright and related rights), 4 (industrial designs), 5 (patents), and 7 (protection of undisclosed information) of TRIPS Agreement under the World Trade Organization (WTO). The expectation of the GOI is that the proposed IPR waiver would allow more firms to come forward to manufacture vaccines, medicines, and other COVID-19 related medical items, which would in turn augment their availability at an affordable price. The current paper concludes that IPR waivers as such are unlikely improve the cheaper access to medicine. Instead, the focus should be on granting of compulsory licenses, reduction of import tariffs and non-tariff measures (NTMs) to reduce prices of COVID-19 medicines, vaccines, and other pharmaceutical items. The analysis with trade data points out India currently lacks a comparative advantage in several categories of active pharmaceutical ingredients, manufacturing medical equipment and devices, disinfectants and sterilisation products, and personal protective equipment. In contrast, it holds a comparative advantage in manufacturing vaccines and formulations. Interestingly, India imposes higher tariffs and NTMs on both sets of products, irrespective of the comparative advantages. The analysis concludes that the focus of the policymakers should be on reduction and elimination of tariffs and NTMs. This will ensure smoother availability of medicinal goods in the domestic market at an affordable price on one hand and augment competitiveness in the world market on the other.