01/03/1983
This paper highlights the salient features of economic relations between Nepal and the five member countries of the ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) grouping, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand since 1974-75. The paper is divided into three sections. Section I deals with the survey of trade relations; Section II with the survey of industrial investment in joint ventures and other economic relations; and Section III speculates on the prospects for future economic cooperation between Nepal and the ASEAN countries. Besides analysing the recent trends in the exports, imports and balance of trade of Nepal with the countries of the ASEAN grouping, we have also computed and analysed the behaviour of three types of analytical measures to survey the trends in the trade relations of the countries concerned. These measures are: (1) Kojima indices of trade (export and import) intensities; (2) Grubel-Lloyd indices of movements in intra-industry trade; and (3) Trade reciprocity Index developed by one of the authors. A survey of the economic relations between Nepal and the ASEAN countries leads to the conclusion that considerable scope exists for expanding economic cooperation between Nepal and each of the countries of the ASEAN grouping. The paper identifies some of the avenues for such cooperation in the fields of trade, joint ventures and other services.