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FDI in Indian Manufacturing: Whither high-tech industries?

Author

Listed:
  • Aparna Sawhney

    (Jawaharlal Nehru University)

  • Rashmi Rastogi

    (Institute of Economic Growth)

Abstract

One of the core development objectives of the liberalization regime in India was to enhance FDI in the high-technology industries. Although FDI inflows have increased substantively, it seems that the development goal of technology transfer has not been realized. Moreover, weak enforcement and compliance of environmental norms has put the country at risk of a pollution-haven effect. We examine the pattern of FDI in manufacturing industries, differentiated by technology-intensity and pollution-intensity, to discern the nature of industries that have attracted foreign investment. We build a comprehensive dataset using three databases (on external merchandise trade, foreign investment and domestic production), and find that FDI inflows increased substantially in capital-intensive industries, but not in skill-intensive manufacturing. High-tech export-oriented polluting industries gained significantly, suggesting possibility of a pollution-haven effect through export-platform FDI in polluting industries. In our source-country analysis across industry groups, we find evidence of a pollution-haven effect in high-tech pollution-intensive industries.

Suggested Citation

  • Aparna Sawhney & Rashmi Rastogi, 2019. "FDI in Indian Manufacturing: Whither high-tech industries?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(3), pages 2192-2209.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-19-00154
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vona, Francesco, 2023. "Skills and human capital for the low-carbon transition in developing and emerging economies," FEEM Working Papers 338778, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    2. Francesco Vona, 2023. "Skills and human capital for the low-carbon transition in developing and emerging economies," Working Papers 2023.19, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    India; FDI; high-tech industry; pollution haven effect;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F2 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business

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