Studies in impact of India's Tariffs on UK-India Trade

Tender description

The World Trade Organization estimates that India's simple average applied most favoured nation import tariffs are 17.1 percent the highest of any major economy. These present a significant barrier to UK companies looking to export to the Indian market. In order to gain a more detailed picture a detailed statistical analysis is needed to provide a full picture of the economic impact to both India and the UK of the existing Indian tariff structure. It should identify specific tariff lines that, if reduced, would be the most mutually beneficial to both economies. The study should also consider existing precedents and case studies of tariff reductions offered by India (or comparable countries) that have delivered economic benefits to the countries involved. This should include: Part I: a detailed statistical analysis and assessment of the existing Indian basic customs duty structure and the economic impact to both India and the UK of any reductions in these duties. Part II: a consideration and analysis of the respective sectors of the UK and Indian economies, and specific products, that would most benefit from any tariff reduction and case studies of the impacts of such reductions. This project will produce empirical evidence to support the on-going UK-India trade discussions. We would expect a mixed methods approach that includes both quantitative and qualitative information - primary and secondary research, data analysis and case studies.