Book Review
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ACHIEVING SUPERLATIVE EXPORT PERFORMANCE: (How to Benefit from the Biggest Opportunity of the Next 10 Years)
By Ajay Srivastava
Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry Publisher: BDP Publications. Price: Rupees 395. |
The book looks at what Indian Companies and Government must do to benefit from the Sectoral Growth Opportunities.
Powerful and inspiring, the book argues that, few Smart Initiatives will enable India to become a significant Export and Manufacturing base for the Global Companies, make a significant contribution to economic growth and offer better life to millions
Written in informal, conversational style, the book includes 29 chapters that take the readers on a journey of important concepts that have made the field of Exports what it is today and lays bare an action plan that will carve a dominant niche for Indian Exports. The book argues that our focus should shift from (talking about) India advantage to making India an advantageous place to do business. To achieve this, India will need to create a high-spirited business environment that fosters innovation, productivity and competition.
The Book offers bold prescriptions and a number of Winning Strategies embraced the world over for significantly increasing exports. It recommends that India should scale up its aspirations for the export sector and take essential steps to increase exports from USD166 Billion (Goods and Services) in 2006 to USD685 Billion by 2015.
The book has four parts
The first section discusses emerging Global Opportunities for Indian exporters and makes an assessment of India’s growing sectoral and manpower capabilities to exploit these. It argues that, with few Smart Initiatives, Export Sector will enable India to become a significant Export and Manufacturing base for the Global Companies, make a significant contribution to economic growth and offer better life to millions. This Section draws Vision 2014-15 for Indian Exports and recommends Actionable measures to achieve it. It argues that the Merchandise and Service Exports together, can fetch USD 685 Billion in 2014-15 up from USD166 Billion in 2005-06.
The second section focuses on Understanding the Rules of the game. Today, International Trade is characterized by a growing synergy between the developed and developing economies, use of technology and falling border barriers. The section highlights the shift in focus from the competition between ‘Firm versus Firm’ to ‘Supply Chain versus Supply Chain’. It stresses that India cannot become a significant exporter unless it becomes an important part of such networks, which have so far largely bypassed India.
The third section, preparing the Ground for transformation argues that edifice of India’s Exports growth must be built on the sound competitive foundation of its industry. For this our focus should shift from (talking about) India advantage to making India an advantageous place to do business. To achieve this, India will need to create a high-spirited business environment that fosters innovation, productivity and competition. This section discusses Nine Action steps that will transform Indian competitive landscape.
The Fourth Section Bold Agenda for Superlative Export Growth outlines specific approaches Indian exporters and government must adopt for achieving exceptional export growth. While India must scale up exports where it has comparative advantage, urgent action is needed to enter into exports of technology products. The section discusses a four-step programme; India needs to follow to become an important part of global supply chain.
In the above framework, the book essentially discusses the opportunities available to the Large Domestic Firms, Emerging Indian Mini Multinationals, MNCs operating from India, Export Promotion Councils, Business Forums, Government Agencies, and most importantly, thousands of Small and Medium exporters. In the end, it is this group, which, dreaming together will take the Indian exports from the Fringe to Mainstream of Global Trade.
The key purpose of this book is to make Exporting companies and Government realize that India can achieve SUPERLATIVE EXPORT PERFORMANCE in the next 10 years. The book is an important addition to the export literature of India and may prove to be an invaluable companion for Indian Exporters who dream to capture a piece of the Global Marketplace.
