Connecting to Compete scores and benchmarks countries’ performance on logistics, which is determined by various factors including infrastructure, regulations, policies, geography, and political economy. In the 2016 Logistics Performance Index (LPI), which measures the efficiency of international supply chains, the “logistics gap” between more and less developed countries remain evident. Among SASEC member countries, India is a top performing lower-middle-income economy, improving its rank from 54 in 2014 to 35 in 2016. Bangladesh is ranked 87, Maldives is ranked 104, Nepal is ranked 124, and Bhutan is ranked 135. The publication remarks that coastal countries score better than landlocked countries—a pattern clearly evident in South Asia—and notes that lack of integration in the region keeps the good logistics performance of India from improving the rankings of its neighbors. For countries at the bottom of the rankings, border management reforms continue to be a serious concern, as paperwork and long delays constrain trade efficiency.

Author: Jean-François Arvis, Daniel Saslavsky, Lauri Ojala, Ben Shepherd, Christina Busch, Anasuya Raj, and Tapio Naula

Year: 2016

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Tags: Logistics, Business Efficiency, Trade Facilitation

The World Bank's Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency reports that South Asia ranked second among regions, after Europe and Central Asia, in the largest share of economies implementing at least one reform to make doing business easier in the past year. 6 out of 8 economies in South Asia implemented a total of 9 reforms, including Bhutan, India - following the Government of India's ambitious program to increase ease of doing business launched in 2014 - and Sri Lanka. However, South Asia still lags behind in use of online systems in regulatory processes. The highest ranked economy in the region is Bhutan, with a global ranking of 71.

Author: The World Bank

Year: 2015

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Tags: Business Efficiency, ICT, Bhutan, WB