TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT

The influence of emerging technologies not only led to economies at scale but also addresses pressing societal problems. The focus area would be centred around exploring questions on emerging technologies, their adoption, use, opportunities, integration, implications, and impact on developmental issues and emerging economic sectors. Some of the policy problems and questions on AI ethics, semiconductors, fintech, the digital economy, and public interest technologies will be addressed and analysed.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Good governance relates to the political and institutional processes and outcomes necessary to achieve development and economic growth goals. The focus area would be centred on exploring contemporary issues in India’s political economy to inform its development policy trajectory. The researchers at NEF will dwell on questions and issues on welfare policies, industrialisation, urban policy challenges, subsidies and freebies, agricultural reforms, and others.

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

The rapid expansion of human capital in the form of emerging academic research, innovation, and development is an impetus for developing economies to capitalise on intellect and resources generated through the intellect. This is an emerging research domain, and NEF would like to contribute to the emerging literature on economy and policy around knowledge. The researchers at NEF will explore issues and questions on the national research landscape, non-stem knowledge ecosystem, IPR, IT/ICT skill development, and traditional knowledge, among others.

SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

India’s long-term goal of reaching net zero by 2070 will not be without challenges, limitations, and policy shortcomings. For building an India-centric strong policy research base to address some of these current and upcoming challenges, NEF will dwell on questions on the low-carbon economy from a holistic, multisectoral, and interdisciplinary lens. Some of the policy problems on clean energy, circular economy, unlocking innovative financing mechanisms, energy technology, energy access & sustainable livelihoods, and mobility will be addressed and analysed through empirical studies.

LAW AND ECONOMY

The Indian legal framework has an intricate relationship with national economy and growth. The focus area would reflect on this goal and undertake primary and secondary research in issues on the economic implications of laws and judgments, the relevance of economic principles in legal discourse both within and outside litigation law, and the economic rationale behind formulating (or not) laws.

STRATEGIC ECONOMIC AREAS