{"title":"Trade Impacts of South Asian Free Trade Agreements in Sri Lanka","authors":"Hiroyuki Taguchi, Don Chalani Imasha Rubasinghe","doi":"10.1177/1391561418822203","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This article aims to examine the trade effects of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) with a focus on Sri Lanka, by applying a gravity trade model. The study targets the following three FTAs: the SAFTA, the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), and the Pakistan–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA). The outcomes of the gravity trade model estimation suggested that the trade creation effects were identified in the ISFTA, while those were not verified in the SAFTA and that the PSFTA had the trade creation effects only on the Sri Lankan imports. Those results seem to reflect the differentials in the preferential tariff rates. In particular, ISFTA could have the predominant positive effects on Sri Lankan trade flows due to its lowest preferential tariff rates, and thus the SAFTA effect might be crowded out at the current stage of Sri Lankan trade. JEL: F13, F14, O53","PeriodicalId":39966,"journal":{"name":"South Asia Economic Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2019-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"4","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"South Asia Economic Journal","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1391561418822203","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 4
Abstract
This article aims to examine the trade effects of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) with a focus on Sri Lanka, by applying a gravity trade model. The study targets the following three FTAs: the SAFTA, the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), and the Pakistan–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA). The outcomes of the gravity trade model estimation suggested that the trade creation effects were identified in the ISFTA, while those were not verified in the SAFTA and that the PSFTA had the trade creation effects only on the Sri Lankan imports. Those results seem to reflect the differentials in the preferential tariff rates. In particular, ISFTA could have the predominant positive effects on Sri Lankan trade flows due to its lowest preferential tariff rates, and thus the SAFTA effect might be crowded out at the current stage of Sri Lankan trade. JEL: F13, F14, O53
期刊介绍:
The South Asian nations have progressively liberalized their economies in recent years in an effort to integrate with the world economy. They have also taken steps to enhance multilateral and regional economic integration. Even though the South Asian economies have grown at an average rate of more than 5 per cent over the last few years, roughly 40 per cent of their people still live below the poverty line. Hence, the South Asian region continues to face many challenges of economic and social development. The South Asia Economic Journal (SAEJ) is designed as a forum for informed debate on these issues, which are of vital importance to the people of the region who comprise one-sixth of the world’s population. The peer-reviewed journal is devoted to economic analysis and policy options aimed at promoting cooperation among the countries comprising South Asia. It also discusses South Asia’s position on global economic issues, its relations with other regional groupings and its response to global developments. We also welcome contributions to inter-disciplinary analysis on South Asia. As a refereed journal, SAEJ carries articles by scholars, economic commentators,policy-makers and officials, from both the private and public sectors. Our aim is to create a vibrant research space to explore the multidimensional economic issues of concern to scholars working on South Asia. Among the issues debated in relation to South Asia are: - the implications of global economic trends; - the issues and challenges by WTO; - approaches to industrialization and development; - the role of regional institutions such as the SAARC; - the relationship between SAARC and other regional economic groupings such as ASEAN; - the implications of economic liberalization for trade and investment in the region; - new initiatives that can be launched to enhance economic cooperation among the South Asian countries both on a bilateral and a regional basis.