Enablers and Obstacles to UK-India Trade
Enablers and Obstacles to UK-India Trade is an ESRC-ICSSR funded project in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI, UK).
It aims to understand key enablers and obstacles to UK-India bilateral trade by gathering primary data on supply chains and bank credit for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India.
The project will address two primary research questions:
- How do export-oriented MSMEs access credit, and how is their propensity to export shaped by this?
- What is the role of social networks, including those between the Indian diaspora and exporters in India, in shaping MSME inclusion within export supply chains?
By addressing these questions, the project intends to provide evidence for policy-makers and businesses in both India and the UK on how to manage the changing business environment against an ongoing Brexit and rising global protectionism that has implications for both the UK-India and UK-EU relations.
Aims
- Analyse existing data and gather new primary data to understand the following, with a special focus on UK-India trade
- The extent and impact of credit constraints on export activity of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
- How firm and owners’ characteristics (e.g. gender and caste) shape access to credit
- The role of formal and informal networks in enabling MSMEs to internationalize and support export activities
- How networks and access to credit shape supply-chain integration of Indian MSMEs
Methods
A combination of econometric analysis and qualitative analysis of new and existing data sources. The project will undertake a survey of Indian MSMEs to gather data on access to credit, participation in formal and informal networks, export activity, and a host of firm characteristics.
We will also conduct qualitative interviews with the owners of a subset of surveyed MSMEs to understand their participation and perceptions of formal and informal networks, and how these support their economic and export activities.
The project will also host seminars and panel events with policymakers, academics and industry figures to create knowledge and awareness of key issues concerning UK-India trade, and in particular the role of MSMEs therein.
Impact
- Policymakers in the UK and India
- Industry figures including Indian MSMEs and related ecosystems
- Academics working on topics including trade, small firms, credit and social networks
Conferences
Seminar Series
The seminar series will bring together leading experts from both industry and academia to discuss and present research on various issues related to MSMEs and trade.
Workshops
The project will hold two research dissemination workshops, one each in London and in Bangalore to involve academic and non-academic stakeholders with the research, share findings and incorporate their inputs.
Panel events
Over the course of the project a set of panel events will be organised – both online and in-person. These will bring together policymakers, industry figures, and academics to host discussions on key dimensions of UK-India trade and the role of small firms in supporting trade activity.
| Event | About the event |
| UK-India Trade: FTA negotiations, Indian exports, and the role of small firms - 24 February 2022 |
This panel discussion brought together policymakers, analysts and industry figures to discuss these questions:
|
| Why liberal democracy is needed for India's economic development? - 6 July 2022 |
This event was jointly organised by the King’s India Institute (presented by the ‘Enablers and Obstacles to UK-India trade: Banks and Diaspora’ project) and the National Indian Students & Alumni Union. Watch the full lecture on the School of Global Affairs YouTube channel. The event was featured in: |
News
India's foreign policy geared towards securing national interest and maximising opportunities
India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami spoke about India’s foreign policy and trade relations, in a lecture hosted by King’s India Institute.
Conferences
Seminar Series
The seminar series will bring together leading experts from both industry and academia to discuss and present research on various issues related to MSMEs and trade.
Workshops
The project will hold two research dissemination workshops, one each in London and in Bangalore to involve academic and non-academic stakeholders with the research, share findings and incorporate their inputs.
Panel events
Over the course of the project a set of panel events will be organised – both online and in-person. These will bring together policymakers, industry figures, and academics to host discussions on key dimensions of UK-India trade and the role of small firms in supporting trade activity.
| Event | About the event |
| UK-India Trade: FTA negotiations, Indian exports, and the role of small firms - 24 February 2022 |
This panel discussion brought together policymakers, analysts and industry figures to discuss these questions:
|
| Why liberal democracy is needed for India's economic development? - 6 July 2022 |
This event was jointly organised by the King’s India Institute (presented by the ‘Enablers and Obstacles to UK-India trade: Banks and Diaspora’ project) and the National Indian Students & Alumni Union. Watch the full lecture on the School of Global Affairs YouTube channel. The event was featured in: |
News
India's foreign policy geared towards securing national interest and maximising opportunities
India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami spoke about India’s foreign policy and trade relations, in a lecture hosted by King’s India Institute.
Our Partners
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B)
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
Principal Investigator
Sunil Mitra Kumar
Senior Lecturer in Economics
Investigator
Kamini Gupta
Lecturer in International Business & Comparative Management (ICBM)
Affiliations
Funding
Funding Body: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Amount: 406,019
Period: May 2021 - May 2024
Funding Body: Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
Amount: 234,8000
Period: May 2021 - May 2024