India’s trade with South Asia below 4% of global trade; China’s up 5x

India’s trade with countries in South Asia has remained less than 4% of its global trade since the late 1980s while China has increased its exports to the region by 546%, from $8 billion in 2005 to $52 billion in 2018, according to a new study. The study by Brookings India noted that South Asia remains one of the least economically integrated regions in the world. As per the report, intra-regional trade remains well below its potential, at only 5% of the region’s global trade, because of protectionist policies, high logistics cost, lack of political will and a broader trust deficit.