Competition Law in South Asia
Policy Diffusion and Transfer

Examines the state of competition enforcement in South Asia to aid the region in realising the full benefits of economic law reform.

Amber Darr (Author)

9781009247177, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 February 2023

312 pages
23.5 x 15.5 x 2.1 cm, 0.62 kg

'… the book proves to be not only an empirically sound, knowledgeable and data-based study, but also a brilliant plea for a democratic, participatory competition policy that respects the national framework and the addressees of the norm.' Jacob Kornbeck, ÖZK - Austrian Competition Journal

In the last twenty years, South Asian countries have increasingly engaged with modern competition legislation. Yet, apart from India and Pakistan, the countries in this region have had little success enforcing these laws. Competition Law in South Asia analyses the mechanisms and institutions through which Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Maldives Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan have engaged with modern competition legislation. The book argues that the success (or failure) of competition reform in these countries is inextricably linked to the unique interplay of mechanisms and legal and political institutions through which these countries have engaged with competition legislation. The book provides an in-depth comparative analysis of the adoption and implementation continuum in India and Pakistan, the compatibility and legitimacy generated by the adoption process, and its impact on implementation. Taking a far-reaching, comparative approach, the book draws lessons not only for countries in South Asia but also for emerging economies across the globe. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

1. The theoretical framework
2. Adoption of competition laws in India and Pakistan
3. The spread of competition laws across South Asia
4. Enforcing Indian and Pakistani competition acts: an overview of the authorities and their operations
5. Anti-competitive agreements and interpretive strategies in India and Pakistan
6. Understanding penalties in the context of the adoption process
7. The role of pre-existing legal systems in competition enforcement
8. Implementing competition laws across South Asia
9. Bridging the implementation gap.

Subject Areas: Competition law / Antitrust law [LNCH], Company, commercial & competition law [LNC], International law of transport, communications & commerce [LBD], Comparative law [LAM]