In the current international setting, global trade and growth outlook appear uninspiring, and policies have to be conducted amid a whirlwind of uncertainty. At such critical times, conferences of this nature can help us better understand the evolving scenarios and policy trade-offs. In my address today, I shall briefly cover some of my thoughts on South Asia's Current Macroeconomic Challenges and Policy Priorities. 2.
Looking back into history, the South Asian region has been a key hub of ideas, commerce, art and culture, etc. The Indus Valley civilisation was among the three earliest civilisations on earth and was the most extensive. In the so called middle ages, trade and commerce flourished in a variety of commodities such as spices, precious metals and other minerals, handicrafts and food items.