Dialogue January-March, 2011, Volume 12 No. 3
Book-Review
Economic Diplomacy of India in Terms of Transformation of the World Order
The University of World Economy and
Diplomacy of the Republic of Uzbekistan has published the monograph
Economic Diplomacy of India in Terms of
Transformation of the World Order. The
author is Dr. Ibragim R. Mavlanov head of the Chair of this university. The
monograph describes the key aspects of Indians external economic policy and
diplomacy in terms of present transformation of world order.
There are conceptual, methodological and practical aspects of
formation and development of modern Indian economic diplomacy and its
experiences in this field are at the centre of this monograph. The author
highlights several reasons why economic diplomacy has attracted such great
attention. Economic diplomacy, in his opinion, is comparatively a new scientific
development in the area of international economic relations. Based on the
international, political, economical, legal and other research works, economic
diplomacy has become integral part of modern science and experience in the field
of international economic relations, world economy and diplomacy.
This monograph is one of the first attempts of complex and
systematic scientific researches in Uzbekistan, explaining the economic
diplomacy problems as a whole and particularly taking the example of comparative
analysis of Indian experience with leading countries in terms of transformation
of world order. It analyzes the main conceptual understandings of economic
diplomacy and deep research, mainly emphasizing on known objects in the system
of international economical relations – attraction of investments, development
of trade, promotion of official aid to development, ensuring the economic
security and national interests. It also explains the existing conceptions,
models and practical aspects of bilateral, multilateral and regional economic
diplomacy required to draft the foreign economic policy of government, exhibits
their international economical relations and Indian approach in these
directions. The author emphasizes that modern bilateral, multilateral and
regional economic diplomacy and underlying concepts of promotion and protection
of national economic interests on the world arena are generally accepted as
integral part of practical implementation of foreign economic policy by most of
the countries.
The author in his book acknowledge the fact that diplomatic
advantages of the governments, especially India, at international arena emerges
from possibilities of bilateral, multilateral and regional economic diplomacy.
Meanwhile he gives special emphasis on advantages of each diplomacy direction,
analyzing the achievements, challenges and problems which they face in today’s
modern world of transformation and globalization. The monograph also enumerates
the facts that a favourable strong position at world arena is achieved as a
result of cumulative positive factors of all kinds and models of economics
diplomacy in various fields – trade development, attraction of investments,
outsourcing of work etc. This conclusion can be derived from the Indian
experience and that of other developed countries.
The monograph consists of preface, introduction, five chapters,
conclusion, list of pictures, tables and appendices.
Chapter 1: “Concepts and methodology of modern economic diplomacy”.
This chapter describes the tendency of development of modern international
relations; transformation of world order in terms of globalization; development
of main directions of modern diplomacy and the understanding of “economic
diplomacy”. The abstract theoretical model of transformation of the world order
is presented.
Chapter 2: “Economic diplomacy in the system of public
administration of Indian economy development”. This chapter describes the
economic diplomacy in the models of social and economic development of India;
place and role of economic diplomacy in modern foreign policy and experience of
India; place and role of economic diplomacy in modern foreign policy and
experience of India; institutionalization and legal regulation of economic
diplomacy and approaches of India.
Chapter 3: “Tasks of economic diplomacy to promote the competitive
advantage at the world arena”. This chapter is dedicated to the questions of
economic diplomacy in ensuring national interests and economic security;
international trade diplomacy and export-import policy of India; development of
world investments and investment diplomacy of India;
Chapter 4: “Concepts and Models of Modern Economic Diplomacy” –
analysis of modern concepts and models of bilateral, regional and multilateral
economic diplomacy and experience of India, its approaches and initiatives.
Chapter 5: “Modern economic diplomacy of India with the Central
Asian countries, modern models of its regional economic diplomacy and
development of its perspectives”. This chapter describes and highlights the
geostrategic interests of India in the Central Asia, modern models of its
economic diplomacy in the given region and future prospects of their
development. The bipolar model of inter-regional cooperation of the Central and
South Asia is discussed.
The concluding part consists of resume of above mentioned research
and analysis. Author underlines that modern economic diplomacy in terms of
dynamic process in world economy and international economic relations has
obtained dynamic and dedicated character, widened its arsenal of applicable
methods. Bilateral, multilateral, regional and inter-regional models of economic
diplomacy in terms of globalization and transformation of world order, close
interaction, supplement and strengthen each other by forming new approaches for
effective implementation of national interests.
This kind of research and analysis, for the first time in our
Republic, builds the fundamental base on scientific research for formation and
development of modern economic diplomacy in the world, making use of vast
experience of India and other developed countries. From scientific and
theoretical point of view, the role of economic diplomacy in social and economic
development of India and its foreign policies has been thoroughly studied. This
work will be of immense help for development of Uzbek economic sciences. The
author for the first time has offered the methodology of complex and continuous
study of economic diplomacy as a component of the world economy, international
economic relations, foreign economic policy and diplomacy. The all-round
analysis of the concept <<Economic Diplomacy>> has been attempted. The author
has tried the new concept.
In connection with publication of this Monograph, I would like to
share my thoughts based on my own experience as indologist and diplomat. This
book reminds me of the historical period of modern India – beginning of the
1990, when the country was going through a rough phase of economic difficulties
and the reserve bank had only a reserve of one billion US dollars. Then the
newly elected Government headed by the then Prime Minister Mr. P.V. Narasimha
Rao started implementation of the program for liberalization of Indian economy,
advised by a small group of professional economists like. Dr. Manmohan Singh and
couple of cabinet ministers like Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr. P Chidambaram. I
would like to make a mention of an important fact that all the four organs of
this process – Government and parliament on one side and Chamber of Business
Houses and scholars from the other side together implemented necessary steps to
achieve, in comparatively short span of time, the main goal – to make the
country not only politically but also economically a global power.
Today, after 20 years, we can say with confidence that India is one
of the few states which has become economically strong amongst the fast
developing countries and has also become an active member of G-20 group of
industrial super powers and many other international and regional organizations.
The present strong economy of India, with more than 400 billion
reserve could provide facilities to achieve long lasting results in all fields
namely science & technology, culture, sports, education, agriculture, medical
etc. with the kind of growth, economic strength and very large professional
human resource bank, we can expect to see India, in the near future, developing
into a super power and a major global player.
In conclusion, I would like to mention that the book by Dr.
Mavlanov strongly confirms the very important historical fact that in the first
half of XX century India was a good example of a colonial nation struggling for
freedom and to establish a sovereign state, and now in the beginning of XXI
century, the Indian model of effective and fast development has become a subject
of intensive study for other nations.
This publication could be of great interest for the scientists
covering international relations, diplomats, specialists in the area of world
economy and foreign economic activity, political analysts, teachers,
postgraduate students and students.