India, June 10 -- In the past couple of years, India signed bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with a few countries - most prominently, with Israel and the UAE. The success of a BIT lies not in the headline investment numbers announced, but in the chances of a mutually-agreed-to framework leading to the effective implementation of such treaties.

Recently, EU President Ursula von der Leyen urged India and the EU to conclude pending investment agreement negotiations soon. Leyen believes the agreement will unlock the full potential of the free trade agreement (FTA) the two sides signed last year. Economic theory supports the idea that trade and investment are joined at the hip - more so when we consider the current realities of global sup...