Welcome To India Economy Watch

Welcome to India Economy Watch. This is an economics blog, and not a systematic source of information on the Indian economy. The objective is not to replace the existing sources of information, but to complement them. To complement them in that unique and highly personal fashion which characterises weblogging. My aim here is to provide some kind of focus, and hopefully forum, for refections on the evolution of the Indian Economy (and of course on Indian society and culture). I do not claim any special expertise on any of these topics. Just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. In part that is what blogging is, a learning experience. But blogging is also about sharing. As you learn you share with others (including, sometimes, your mistakes!!).

I have had a lifelong interest in India, and Indians. (This interest also seems to be a family affair, since my son, who studies in the UK, once brought five 'friends' here (to Barcelona that is) to stay. I don't think it was any coincidence that three of them were Indian). My 'excuse' for starting this page now: really the latest round of employment data from the US, which shows the pace at which 'services outsourcing' is gathering momentum. But if I hadn't started this now, I would have done so later anyway. India is important. The sheer numerical impact on the planet guarantees that. But India is important culturally. To me it is no accident that several of my favourite contemporary English language authors have Indian origins (I would say several of the best, even if my choice would not always meet with universal approval). I think I am also starting this page to ask myself the question: what can we in the west learn from India? I don't pretend to know the answer. At least not yet.

So don't look here for know-it-all-ism. And don't look here for an uncritical eye. Sometimes what we all need to do most is look at ourselves full-face in the mirror. But if you want up to date info, critical reflection, humour, and a bit of personal chit chat, then this is the place to come.

BTW, even as I was playing around setting up this page, fellow blogger and Random Notes editor, Kaushik Banerjee contacted me with some very kind comments.

Thank you for creating this weblog. I was fretting about the lack of a central source of information on Indian economy only recently. I linked to it from my weblog. I would also forward the link to my friends interested in Indian economy. I don't know how you managed to absorb and process so much information every day!

Incidentally, the CMIE website (that Rediff quoted) is here. the site is not all that hot. It doesn't seem to care all that much about their web presence yet. But it is well respected in India ...

My Indian bloggers section isn't up to much yet, but I will be adding links over the next few days. If you have an Indian weblog, and you want me to link, please get in touch. The same goes for comments and collaboration, anything you would like to send me is more than welcome.