Question 1 · 10 marks · 316 words written
Opening · a definition
Balance of Payment (BOP) is a systematic account of transactions between the residents and non-residents of a country in a given time period (usually 1 year).
| Current Account | Capital Account |
|---|---|
| 1. Components: | |
| → Visible: [Merchandise trade] | |
| → Invisible: | |
| → [Services trade] | |
| → [Primary income (wages, profit)] | |
| → [Secondary income (remittances, etc)] | 1. Components: |
| → FDI, FII | |
| → External borrowing → [sovereign, ECB] | |
| → FCNR accounts (non-resident accounts). | |
| 2. Usually negative for India, (i.e [Current Account deficit] (except in [FY20-21])) | Usually positive for India, (i.e [capital account surplus]) |
| 3. Reflects: net (income + trade) | Reflects: net (investment + borrowing) |
| 4. Related to short term transactions (Eg: salary/trade) | Related to long term transactions (eg: investments) |
| 5. Broadly relates to non-capital generating/revenue transactions | capital generating transactions |
To Balance BOP deficit:
(I) : Encourage exports :
Body · points and prose
- Invest in logistics and infra ↓ Bring down [logistics cost] (14% of GDP) ↓ make exports more competitive
- Reform SEZ policy - as ace to [Baba kalyani recommendation]
- Focus on exporting MSME products (Eg): GI tags - [marketing] ["Invaluable treasures of Incredible India"] (Eg): Help MSMEs in resolving SPS issues
- Sign FTAs (Free Trade Agreements)
- Focus on getting integrated into [GVCs and GSCs] (Global value chains) (Via) PLI scheme, Make in India
- Focus on [sunrise sectors] (for India) (Eg): new tech, defence, toys, pharma, etc
(II) : Decrease imports
- Faster transition to renewables → reduce coal, crude imports
- NITI Aayog - [improve resource efficiency] (Eg): [$1 billion] worth of gold from e-waste annually
- (Eg): vehicle scrappage
- Hydrocarbon exploration in India, Lithium mining, etc
Close · a summary
(III) : [Attracting investments] : FDI policy, Ease of Doing Business, etc.
These steps will surely bring down BOP deficit.