Join getAbstract to access the summary!

India Gambles with Its Currency

Join getAbstract to access the summary!

India Gambles with Its Currency

GIS,

5 min read
5 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

The world is waiting to see how India’s surprise move to “demonetize” its economy will fare.

auto-generated audio
auto-generated audio

Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Innovative
  • Overview

Recommendation

The world is waiting to see whether India’s surprise move in late 2016 to “demonetize” its economy will unleash the country’s latent output, productivity and prosperity. Journalist Pramit Pal Chaudhuri provides a succinct analysis of the experiment’s ripple effects on India’s huge informal sector and how they might boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chances of a second term. getAbstract suggests this information-packed report to financial policy makers, business executives and investors watching the Indian economy.

Summary

On November 8, 2016, India’s government revealed that by year-end it would take out of circulation all 1,000- and 500-rupee [about $15.60 and $7.80, respectively] notes, the highest denominated banknotes in India and 86% of its circulating cash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim is to rid the country of “black money” – the “untaxed, unaccounted funds” underpinning India’s “low-wage, low-productivity” informal sector, which makes up 45% of GDP, according to estimates. The government did not publicize this “demonetization” before the announcement to ensure that those holding the notes would be unable to launder the funds. Yet...

About the Author

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri is the foreign editor of the Hindustan Times, an Indian newspaper.


Comment on this summary

More on this topic

Learners who read this summary also read