Rajan Sudesh Ratna | United Nations (original) (raw)

Books by Rajan Sudesh Ratna

Case study of India linking Gender with the Foreign Trade Policy

Papers by Rajan Sudesh Ratna

Rio + 20 has reiterated that sustainable development incorporates three dimensions, one of which ... more Rio + 20 has reiterated that sustainable development incorporates three dimensions, one of which is economy including trade. Demand for energy in Asia has also been linked to rising trends of trade and production. Trade and investment can also play a key role in mitigating climate change. Increasing growth-driven energy demand, coupled with the increasing price burden of fossil fuels, has made efforts for energy security more important than ever in Asia-Pacific. Despite being home to major energy producers such as Central and South Asian (CSA) countries, regional energy trade and integration have been limited, with countries typically looking outwards to secure either supply or demand. This has led to high import and export dependency and deteriorating trade deficit with the rest of the world. The objectives of this paper is to examine the trends of production and trade in energy in Asia and the Pacific. It therefater explores if countries can cooperate with each other for a more ef...

Over the years, developing countries, commonly referred to as “the South,”1 have emerged as an im... more Over the years, developing countries, commonly referred to as “the South,”1 have emerged as an important player in the world economy as manifested in terms of global GDP, investment, savings, trade, foreign exchange or manufacturing capability. With the increase in the overall growth of the South and its decreasing dependence on trade with developed countries, also referred to as “the North,”2 trade among countries of the South, also known as “South-South trade, ” can provide resources for meeting the developmental goals of the South. Indeed, the volume of total exports from the South in 2005 showed a threefold increase from 1995. Total exports from the South amounted to US$4.5 trillion in 2006 – 37 percent of world exports – and rose to US$5.2 trillion

The current debate on climate change and its linkages to trade is rapidly gaining global attentio... more The current debate on climate change and its linkages to trade is rapidly gaining global attention. Thus it is reasonable to expect that the focus on carbon leakage and border tax adjustment will only intensify in the future. Carbon leakage is said to happen when production of carbon intensive products migrates from countries which have measures to reduce emissions to countries where there are no such measures. Therefore, border tax adjustment is suggested when carbon intensive products are imported from countries with no carbon emission regulation so that carbon leakage can be controlled. However, the legitimacy of border tax adjustment is questionable as such government interventions may have a trade restricting effect. On the other side, individual consumers are free to include emissions criteria in their buying decisions. Private carbon standards and labelling can be used to introduce such criteria.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply t... more The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The opinions, figures and estimates set forth in this publication are the responsibility of the authors and should not necessarily be considered as reflecting the views or carrying the endorsement of the United Nations. Mention of firm names and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations. All material in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgment is required and a copy of the publication containing the quotation or reprint should be sent to the ESCAP Publications Office. The use of this publication for any commercial purpose, including resale, is prohibited unless permission is first obtained from the Secretary of the Publication Board, United Nations, New York. Requests for permission should state the purpose and the extent of the reproduction. This publication has been issued without formal editing.

The proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) in Asia-Pacific economies that started in 1... more The proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) in Asia-Pacific economies that started in 1990s is continuing and, with the passage of time, their contents and composition have changed. The present RTAs go beyond conventional goods agreements and cover a wide range of issues that are WTO-plus and WTO-beyond. Services agreements are now part of these RTAs, whereby the countries make commitments going beyond what they have offered in the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). As of January 2016, there were 271 physical RTAs in force globally, of which 132 cover agreements related to services. The inclusion of services in RTAs not only invigorates trade in services and investment flows among the RTA partners, it also enhances opportunities to trade in goods and integrates the partners through regional and global supply chains. Due to the importance of services to the RTA partners’ economies, liberalization in services could become a powerful factor for trade-driven sustainable development.

Economic Integration in Asia, 2019

Foreign Trade Review, 2010

Issue of subsidy provided by the US government to its cotton production has been a bone of conten... more Issue of subsidy provided by the US government to its cotton production has been a bone of contention in the current Doha Round of WTO negotiations. C4 countries have alleged that the subsidy given by the US is hampering their prospects in world market as they are unable to compete with world prices. These countries are vociferously arguing that withdrawal of subsidy from cotton sector will be a welcome step for the growth of a free and fair world economy. However, this paper makes an attempt to examine the prospects of cotton production and exports between India and the US. It provides a comparative analysis by taking into consideration also the pricing factor. It shows India has become a top ten exporter in the world since 2005 and has a promising future in this sector. Similarly, exports of the US have increased. The paper further highlights that the demand of cotton in world market has not decline.

Foreign Trade Review, 2013

The ASEAN India Free Trade Agreement has brought the opportunities to the Indian industry as well... more The ASEAN India Free Trade Agreement has brought the opportunities to the Indian industry as well as challenges as it has been in force on 1 st January, 2010. There is no clear cut estimates about the gains which will come to India especially in the sectors of agriculture, plantation and fisheries, however some of the sector which are labour intensive or unorganised will be facing the bigger challenges. This paper attempts to examine the impact of FTA where the tariff is either reduced or eliminated on some of the agricultural products like tea, coffee, rubber and fisheries which have been projected as sensitive for India. The commitment of India & ASEAN under the FTA is analysed along with the trade and tariff data. While doing so the paper looks at some of the empirical evidence to examine the impact of India's unilateral tariff liberalisation Post-Uruguay Round by taking into consideration India's imports, domestic production etc. These results are then extrapolated to examine the tariff liberalisation impact on the domestic economy in view of India's commitment in the ASEAN-India FTA. The study is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the history of India-ASEAN relationship and highlights the features of India-ASEAN FTA. The second part does the case study of fisheries, pepper, tea, coffee, coconut and rubber etc. with regard to FTA and likely impact on India. The Final part gives a broad conclusion of the study. The study first looks at the bilateral trade data and then highlights the salient features of India-ASEAN FTA. It then reviews some of the literary works that have been carried out in this regard. The study thereafter looks at the historical trends of production, prices, trade values and tariffs on identified items at a national level as well as the items in India's tariff liberalisation programme (TLP). In the next section while identifying the position of it also examines the position of these items in ASEAN's TLP so as to assess whether Indian producers will get equal opportunities for preferential market access there or not. A comparison of the unit value price of Indian producers as well ASEAN members has been made to look at their respective competitiveness not only in the international markets but each others' market as well. The study gives its finding at the end summarising where the threats are there and where are the opportunities for Indian producers.

STUDIES IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT, 2010

... Please update your bookmarks. The global economic crisis and rising NTMs-is South-South trade... more ... Please update your bookmarks. The global economic crisis and rising NTMs-is South-South trade a viable solution. Rajan Sudesh Ratna () Additional contact information Rajan Sudesh Ratna: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. ...

Studies in Trade and Investment, 2015

This monograph explores the challenges faced in implementing the Bali package by LDCs in WTO. It ... more This monograph explores the challenges faced in implementing the Bali package by LDCs in WTO. It provides an analysis of the key decisions, and identifies opportunities and, in certain cases, outlines strategies for assessing the impacts. The important aspects of this publication relate to policy advisory with regard to the preparedness of LDCs as a group for successful negotiations at WTO. At the same time, given the high trade costs facing the LDCs, the study rightly suggests that they must capitalize on the successful implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Moreover, the study identifies the gaps in LDC capacities, and articulates the needs in terms of national and regional policies as well as capacity-building programmes for helping them to implement the Ministerial decisions in favour of the LDCs. The study also draws attention to what should be done towards achieving the finalization of the Doha Development Agenda Work Programme and the ongoing WTO negotiations.

The Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT) is an open regional network of r... more The Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT) is an open regional network of research and academic institutions specializing in international trade policy and facilitation issues. AFD, UNCTAD, UNDP, ESCAP and WTO, as core network partners, provide substantive and/or financial support to the network. The Trade, Investment and Innovation Division of ESCAP, the regional branch of the United Nations for Asia and the Pacific, provides the Secretariat of the network and a direct regional link to trade policymakers and other international organizations. The ARTNeT Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about trade issues. An objective of the series is to publish the findings quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. ARTNeT Working Papers are available online at www.artnetontrade.org. All material in the Working Papers may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgment is requested, together with a copy of the publication containing the quotation or reprint. The use of the Working Papers for any commercial purpose, including resale, is prohibited. Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this Working Paper do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Where the designation "country or area" appears, it covers countries, territories, cities or areas. Bibliographical and other references have, wherever possible, been verified. The United Nations bears no responsibility for the availability or functioning of URLs. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. The opinions, figures and estimates set forth in this publication are the responsibility of the author(s), and should not necessarily be considered as reflecting the views or carrying the endorsement of the United Nations. Any errors are the responsibility of the author(s). The mention of firm names and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations.

Rio + 20 has reiterated that sustainable development incorporates three dimensions, one of which ... more Rio + 20 has reiterated that sustainable development incorporates three dimensions, one of which is economy including trade. Demand for energy in Asia has also been linked to rising trends of trade and production. Trade and investment can also play a key role in mitigating climate change. Increasing growth-driven energy demand, coupled with the increasing price burden of fossil fuels, has made efforts for energy security more important than ever in Asia-Pacific. Despite being home to major energy producers such as Central and South Asian (CSA) countries, regional energy trade and integration have been limited, with countries typically looking outwards to secure either supply or demand. This has led to high import and export dependency and deteriorating trade deficit with the rest of the world. The objectives of this paper is to examine the trends of production and trade in energy in Asia and the Pacific. It therefater explores if countries can cooperate with each other for a more ef...

Over the years, developing countries, commonly referred to as “the South,”1 have emerged as an im... more Over the years, developing countries, commonly referred to as “the South,”1 have emerged as an important player in the world economy as manifested in terms of global GDP, investment, savings, trade, foreign exchange or manufacturing capability. With the increase in the overall growth of the South and its decreasing dependence on trade with developed countries, also referred to as “the North,”2 trade among countries of the South, also known as “South-South trade, ” can provide resources for meeting the developmental goals of the South. Indeed, the volume of total exports from the South in 2005 showed a threefold increase from 1995. Total exports from the South amounted to US$4.5 trillion in 2006 – 37 percent of world exports – and rose to US$5.2 trillion

The current debate on climate change and its linkages to trade is rapidly gaining global attentio... more The current debate on climate change and its linkages to trade is rapidly gaining global attention. Thus it is reasonable to expect that the focus on carbon leakage and border tax adjustment will only intensify in the future. Carbon leakage is said to happen when production of carbon intensive products migrates from countries which have measures to reduce emissions to countries where there are no such measures. Therefore, border tax adjustment is suggested when carbon intensive products are imported from countries with no carbon emission regulation so that carbon leakage can be controlled. However, the legitimacy of border tax adjustment is questionable as such government interventions may have a trade restricting effect. On the other side, individual consumers are free to include emissions criteria in their buying decisions. Private carbon standards and labelling can be used to introduce such criteria.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply t... more The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The opinions, figures and estimates set forth in this publication are the responsibility of the authors and should not necessarily be considered as reflecting the views or carrying the endorsement of the United Nations. Mention of firm names and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations. All material in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgment is required and a copy of the publication containing the quotation or reprint should be sent to the ESCAP Publications Office. The use of this publication for any commercial purpose, including resale, is prohibited unless permission is first obtained from the Secretary of the Publication Board, United Nations, New York. Requests for permission should state the purpose and the extent of the reproduction. This publication has been issued without formal editing.

The proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) in Asia-Pacific economies that started in 1... more The proliferation of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) in Asia-Pacific economies that started in 1990s is continuing and, with the passage of time, their contents and composition have changed. The present RTAs go beyond conventional goods agreements and cover a wide range of issues that are WTO-plus and WTO-beyond. Services agreements are now part of these RTAs, whereby the countries make commitments going beyond what they have offered in the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). As of January 2016, there were 271 physical RTAs in force globally, of which 132 cover agreements related to services. The inclusion of services in RTAs not only invigorates trade in services and investment flows among the RTA partners, it also enhances opportunities to trade in goods and integrates the partners through regional and global supply chains. Due to the importance of services to the RTA partners’ economies, liberalization in services could become a powerful factor for trade-driven sustainable development.

Economic Integration in Asia, 2019

Foreign Trade Review, 2010

Issue of subsidy provided by the US government to its cotton production has been a bone of conten... more Issue of subsidy provided by the US government to its cotton production has been a bone of contention in the current Doha Round of WTO negotiations. C4 countries have alleged that the subsidy given by the US is hampering their prospects in world market as they are unable to compete with world prices. These countries are vociferously arguing that withdrawal of subsidy from cotton sector will be a welcome step for the growth of a free and fair world economy. However, this paper makes an attempt to examine the prospects of cotton production and exports between India and the US. It provides a comparative analysis by taking into consideration also the pricing factor. It shows India has become a top ten exporter in the world since 2005 and has a promising future in this sector. Similarly, exports of the US have increased. The paper further highlights that the demand of cotton in world market has not decline.

Foreign Trade Review, 2013

The ASEAN India Free Trade Agreement has brought the opportunities to the Indian industry as well... more The ASEAN India Free Trade Agreement has brought the opportunities to the Indian industry as well as challenges as it has been in force on 1 st January, 2010. There is no clear cut estimates about the gains which will come to India especially in the sectors of agriculture, plantation and fisheries, however some of the sector which are labour intensive or unorganised will be facing the bigger challenges. This paper attempts to examine the impact of FTA where the tariff is either reduced or eliminated on some of the agricultural products like tea, coffee, rubber and fisheries which have been projected as sensitive for India. The commitment of India & ASEAN under the FTA is analysed along with the trade and tariff data. While doing so the paper looks at some of the empirical evidence to examine the impact of India's unilateral tariff liberalisation Post-Uruguay Round by taking into consideration India's imports, domestic production etc. These results are then extrapolated to examine the tariff liberalisation impact on the domestic economy in view of India's commitment in the ASEAN-India FTA. The study is divided into three parts. The first part deals with the history of India-ASEAN relationship and highlights the features of India-ASEAN FTA. The second part does the case study of fisheries, pepper, tea, coffee, coconut and rubber etc. with regard to FTA and likely impact on India. The Final part gives a broad conclusion of the study. The study first looks at the bilateral trade data and then highlights the salient features of India-ASEAN FTA. It then reviews some of the literary works that have been carried out in this regard. The study thereafter looks at the historical trends of production, prices, trade values and tariffs on identified items at a national level as well as the items in India's tariff liberalisation programme (TLP). In the next section while identifying the position of it also examines the position of these items in ASEAN's TLP so as to assess whether Indian producers will get equal opportunities for preferential market access there or not. A comparison of the unit value price of Indian producers as well ASEAN members has been made to look at their respective competitiveness not only in the international markets but each others' market as well. The study gives its finding at the end summarising where the threats are there and where are the opportunities for Indian producers.

STUDIES IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT, 2010

... Please update your bookmarks. The global economic crisis and rising NTMs-is South-South trade... more ... Please update your bookmarks. The global economic crisis and rising NTMs-is South-South trade a viable solution. Rajan Sudesh Ratna () Additional contact information Rajan Sudesh Ratna: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. ...

Studies in Trade and Investment, 2015

This monograph explores the challenges faced in implementing the Bali package by LDCs in WTO. It ... more This monograph explores the challenges faced in implementing the Bali package by LDCs in WTO. It provides an analysis of the key decisions, and identifies opportunities and, in certain cases, outlines strategies for assessing the impacts. The important aspects of this publication relate to policy advisory with regard to the preparedness of LDCs as a group for successful negotiations at WTO. At the same time, given the high trade costs facing the LDCs, the study rightly suggests that they must capitalize on the successful implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. Moreover, the study identifies the gaps in LDC capacities, and articulates the needs in terms of national and regional policies as well as capacity-building programmes for helping them to implement the Ministerial decisions in favour of the LDCs. The study also draws attention to what should be done towards achieving the finalization of the Doha Development Agenda Work Programme and the ongoing WTO negotiations.

The Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT) is an open regional network of r... more The Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT) is an open regional network of research and academic institutions specializing in international trade policy and facilitation issues. AFD, UNCTAD, UNDP, ESCAP and WTO, as core network partners, provide substantive and/or financial support to the network. The Trade, Investment and Innovation Division of ESCAP, the regional branch of the United Nations for Asia and the Pacific, provides the Secretariat of the network and a direct regional link to trade policymakers and other international organizations. The ARTNeT Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about trade issues. An objective of the series is to publish the findings quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. ARTNeT Working Papers are available online at www.artnetontrade.org. All material in the Working Papers may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgment is requested, together with a copy of the publication containing the quotation or reprint. The use of the Working Papers for any commercial purpose, including resale, is prohibited. Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this Working Paper do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Where the designation "country or area" appears, it covers countries, territories, cities or areas. Bibliographical and other references have, wherever possible, been verified. The United Nations bears no responsibility for the availability or functioning of URLs. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. The opinions, figures and estimates set forth in this publication are the responsibility of the author(s), and should not necessarily be considered as reflecting the views or carrying the endorsement of the United Nations. Any errors are the responsibility of the author(s). The mention of firm names and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations.

In a world where more and more goods are produced through the amalgamation of parts coming from v... more In a world where more and more goods are produced through the amalgamation of parts coming from various regions and countries, conferring origin to a product is not always an easy task. RoO are used to determine the country in which goods have been produced or manufactured in cases where the production or manufacturing took place in more than one country. These rules are necessary to ensure that the provisions applying selectively on the basis of origin are not avoided by minimal processing, trade diversion and similar circumvention methods. The paper makes an attemp to detail the intricacies involved in the rules of origin and analyzes dimensions of preferential and non-preferential rules of origin. It throws up some issues and concerns which are currently discussed in the on-going Doha round of negotiations