India and Pakistan at 75: A Tale of Two Divergent Economic Paths

This summer, India and Pakistan will each mark 75 years since independence. Over the years, the two countries have taken divergent economic paths. Pakistan's growth exceeded India's as recently as the late 1980s. But since then, India has become one of the world's largest economies, while Pakistan's has failed to keep pace. This event will compare and contrast each country's economic evolution, identify key economic policies and turning points, and highlight what each must do to achieve future economic success. The event will also consider how the economic trajectories of India and Pakistan have shaped US policy toward each country.

[faisal]

I am a Pakistani citizen but honestly speaking, keeping in view the economic progress of India and downfall of Pakistan it is an insult to India to compare it with Pakistan.

[patmclaughlin]

I am not sure why there is so much pushback against India’s desire for self-reliance, particularly in critical like semiconductors and defense. Encouragement to manufacture in India doesn’t automatically mean protectionism.

[vamsikrishna]

1. Pakistan got disproportionately large agricultural land in comparison to its population. Both west Punjab and Bangladesh were good for agriculture.
2. West Punjab has one of the most irrigated canal lands in the world.
3. It didn’t have the industry, but the war was just over and huge industrial components were available for imports especially from US of which Pakistan was an ally
4. Pakistan didn’t suffer from socialist disease that other post colonial nations suffered.
5. It didn’t had to feed large bureaucracy unlike India. Pakistan has advantages that it blew it off. It has itself to blame

[aarora]

Pakistanis economy never really took off.
They just got bloated on military and economic aid.
For the economy to have taken off, they would have had to have established sustainable industries, exports …, none of which was ever seen.

[jauhariakash]

India's Self reliance or what we call atmanirbhar is essentially focussed on reducing China dependence and to reduce risks in Defence. Beyond that, India had signed or in process of signing unprecedented numbers of FTAs - UAE, Australia, UK, EU, GCC / Saudi Arabia.

[tamberlame]

28:43 😂😂😂 this guys is such a joke.

He literally says India's service sector is an accident and then follows that by saying the service sector growth happened because of Indian investment in higher education early on.

It's like saying I went to the gym for an year and accidentally developed muscles 😂

Before that he says India'sn primary education achievements aren't better than Pakistan's but conveniently doesn't provide any facts or figures for his statement.

Why don't you compare literacy rates, school enrollment etc.?

[truthbetold.]

The fact that Pakistan thinks it's somehow still comparable to India is the biggest joke of this decade.

[devshetty]

Crazy economists blame Hindus for slow economic growth in 1950's. It's nehru/ congress rate of growth. Hindus did extremely well by leaving country large numbers.

[dodiraj]

Coming to the end of the seminar I am amazed as how everyone has missed the elephant- the small matter of Pak sponsored terrorism aimed at India. Unless Pakistan gives up on it there's no hope of present regime in India responding

[Parasuram]

Some points about what Prof Atif said
1. Regarding higher military expenditure and economy where Pakistan differs from South Korea and India now is that it has not created a domestic economic spin off on those investment.
2. Regarding the ‘characteristics’ of migrant between India and Pakistan is that Pakistan lost its entire Hindu ‘Baniyas’ whereas there were very few business class that went to Pakistan. Mostly the moneyed landed class. Moreover Hindus benefited more than Muslims in the British administrative system. Clearly the business ethos and acumen is the difference.
3. Very right about Nehru continuing the ‘democratic’ tradition because it suited him more and his descendants too.
4. Comparing investment in thermal power sector in CPEC and India through NTPC/BHEL in 70s, while India developed an entire power equipment industry with World bank loans, Pakistan industry was clearly kept out of CPEC investment

Coming to Arvind Subramanyam (remember Sunabeda Arvind)
1. Compared to what Raghuram and Arvind would have us believe that India did better Pre-2014 than post- 2014, how much of that should be attributed to the low hanging fruit being exploited in the initial decade or more.
2. Is the selective protectionism that India is now adopting not a result of no holds bar China swamping India, not by very fair means. Take case of API, Solar panels, power equipment and many more sectors which almost got wiped out and needed to be protected. Liberalising doesn’t mean Harakiri

Lastly is it not unethical and immoral for Raghuram and Arvind to criticise Modi’s actions during a period when they were advising Modi. Reeks of political bias

[kaykay_rai]

While no country is perfect, Pakistan now is a security state and that is one of the biggest reason for its problems.

[syedhabbas]

Yeah no comparison, just Banglore+Hyderabad economy is bigger than whole Pak.

[FullHD-ngmg]

Pakistan chose to pursue Terrorism and Indian Hatred and proxy war with India
India chose path of higher education, Technological Growth, IT, and Industrial Growth

[Sameer-erwz]

India is a net importer. This puts an enormous pressure on the exchange rates and making imports more expensive.
The major contributors to imports are oil and defence. Cutting that down will give India some cushion.

[apoorvamahajan]

One of the major differences between India and Pakistan is that Indian middle class values education over religion. Culture of education is very high and the younger generation is working extremely hard. Women workforce participation is low but there are increasingly more and more women who are fighting everyday battles with their families to be able to keep working and make a career.

[ranjitkunchur]

2 comments -
1. Basically, India has had at least a few leaders who have truly loved India and consequently tried their best for the welfare of India.

2. With regards to the Pakistani gentleman's hope for good relationships, it is simple.... All Pakistan needs to do is to cease cross border terrorism.... Mumbai 2008, etc, etc, etc.
Till then, there is no ethical, moral, justifiable reason for India to 'normalise' relationships. Also, it was Imran Khan who ceased trade with India.

[aminaabdulla]

Atif Mian may be an accomplished and well-placed economist, but he betrayed his Pakistani mindset - when he makes an unnecessary snide remark about Indian PM Modi and his Hindutva policies...

If Hindutva (nationalism based on Hinduism) is so bad... how can he justify the existence of Pakistan which was formed on the basis of Islam and its nationalism remains deeply entrenched to Islam and hindu hatred?

So much so that everything in Pakistan begins with and ends with Islam and geared towards hatred of other religion - particularly Hinduism.
Even he himself is a victim of this Sunni Islamic radicalism being an Ahmadiya.

Pakistaniyat is based on "hindu-hatred" and jihad against hindus...
This ideology is at the heart of every Pakistani - whether he is located inside Pakistan or outside...

[dkagarwal]

Miya Bhai has typical very biased view against Modi and India . This guy who is a prof says democratically elected Modi is autocratic . What a shame. Kuch pe padh le kahin bhi reh Len Hindu Hate always visible ....

[truthsayer]

My constant observation when I hear discussions in foreign Institutions by Indian participants you will invariably come across some India bashing even without context to appear objective and unbiased . Comparing Modi with Bhutto and label him as dictatorial is going a bit too far.

[val-schaeffer]

How exactly is Indian protectionism bad? EU is far more protectionist. It actively discourages skilled migration, encourages mass migration (who would be in blue collar jobs for one generation, at least) and uses language barrier to protect own labour market (even against other EU countries, who technically are entitled to labour market equality).