(Un)ease Of Doing Business

India's rank on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index has improved considerably over the last few years. We are now 63 of 190 countries.  The PM's target is even more ambitious and he is working zealously to break the top 50. Admirable as the objective may be, it is worth considering why India continues to be perceived as an overregulated business environment. 

EoDB rankings are primarily based on data in Mumbai and Delhi, which may not be representative of how business is done in other cities. Most parameters considered in the EoDB survey (starting a business, enforcing contracts, insolvency, etc.) are being addressed at a policy level.  That said, there still needs to be a focus on a comprehensive and forward-looking policy framework. Crossing that barrier seemingly unravels a bigger challenge, implementing policy and enforcement.