An ongoing ORF study looks into India’s economic footprint in CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam) countries. A detailed analysis was undertaken comprising Indian overseas investments and development cooperation initiatives — resulting in key observations.
Most Indian investments in the region have been led by a handful of large Indian companies. The bulk of the investments are in the energy and resources sector. Based on a series of interviews conducted in New Delhi and Vietnam, the study finds that Indian companies are struggling to compete with companies from other countries in the sub-region.
India’s development cooperation initiatives in the region is a mixed bag. Project delays and low disbursal rate of Indian lines of credit are a major cause of concern, but India’s technical cooperation and capacity building initiatives have been well received. Creation of the project development fund worth Rs 500 crore to promote Indian manufacturing investments in CLMV countries is a welcome step, however the progress needs to be expedited.
The study also finds that there is hardly any association between India’s economic interests and its lines of credit, the main instrument of India’s economic diplomacy.
The objective of this workshop is to get views and comments from experts and policymakers before the study is finalised.
The driving questions will include:
Amb. H.H.S. Viswanathan, Distinguished Fellow, ORF
Malancha Chakrabarty, Fellow, ORF
Nandita Baruah, Country Representative, The Asia Foundation
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. | Registration
3:00 – 3:05 p.m. | Welcome remarks | Amb. H.H.S. Viswanathan
3:05 – 3:10 p.m. | Welcome remarks | Nandita Baruah
3:10 – 3:30 p.m. | Presentation on “India’s Economic Footprint in CLMV Countries: Expanding Slowly and a Long Way to Go” | Malancha Chakrabarty
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Roundtable discussion
4:30 – 4:35 p.m. | Closing remarks
4:35 – 5:00 p.m. | High tea
