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Session Highlights:
- Panelists addressed the current uncertainty of the recovery trajectory in India and noted that with skyrocketing unemployment and mass urban-rural migration, public-private partnerships and unconventional thinking will be key. ‘The role of government is vital, as is flexible capital and digitisation,’ said Saleem Khan, of The British Asian Trust.
- With crisis comes opportunity and the panellists provided insight into how they see entrepreneurial opportunities emerging as India recovers – from increasing digitisation, urban to rural migration, and changing consumption patterns. The relaxation of inter-state transportation of agricultural produce was cited as an example of opportunity for building scale.
- More than ever, investors are compelled by the technology components of social start-up ventures – panellists were clear that they would be unlikely to invest where the technology layer was not an integral part of the proposition.
Session Description:
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COVID-19 will create risks as well as opportunities for investors in South Asia. Given a contraction to global GDP, countries in South Asia, including India are emerging as a promise for investors who are looking for political stability, liberal economic and trade policies, growing investment in manufacturing and infrastructure, and a vibrant labour force. Amidst the chaos of the pandemic, Facebook has already announced an investment of USD 5.7 billion in Jio platforms in India and Apple is reportedly planning to move 20% of its production to India. These developments are a suitable backdrop for a conversation about the investing trends and opportunities in South Asia for the post-COVID-19 era.
The session will provide insights on the sectors that will benefit from this emerging investor interest and the social and environmental impact that it will generate.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the challenges that global investors might face while investing in South Asia
- Identify the emerging opportunities and sectors that will be the beneficiaries of this investment
- How the impact investment community prepares and positions itself for the upcoming surge of interest in South Asia
