Asia Economist and CEO, Centennial Asia Advisors

Manu Bhaskaran

Mr. Bhaskaran is a leading Asian economist based in Singapore with more than 30 years of experience in studying economic, political and security issues that shape the business environment in Asia. He co-ordinates the Asian business of Washington DC-based strategic advisory firm, Centennial Group, directing its Asian economic research practice which provides in-depth analysis of macro trends in Asia. He works extensively with investment institutions, government agencies and corporations. Mr. Bhaskaran regularly presents his views on the economic, political and business environment in Asia at business conferences and in-house briefings. He has conducted studies on a wide range of subjects including: consumer finance in Asia; Asian integration; regional and country-specific political and economic outlooks; the Impact of China on Asia; portfolio capital flows in emerging markets, amongst many others. He is as a member of the Regional Advisory Group for Asia and the Pacific of the International Monetary Fund. Mr. Bhaskaran is a regular columnist for The Edge (Singapore) and holds positions in think tanks including being Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS); Vice President of the Economics Society of Singapore, and Council Member of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA). Mr. Bhaskaran serves on the boards of CIMB Investment Bank and Japfa Limited.

Asia Economist and CEO

As the Economy Normalises, Beware of Resurgent Price Pressures

India: Nascent Economic Improvements Amidst Inflation Concerns

Hogging the Limelight as the Fastest Growing Economy

India: Cyclical Pickup Underway, Tinkering with GST Welcome, but Labour Reforms Needed

As Election Nears, Policy Will Be Focused on Growth

Centennial Asia Advisors

At Centennial Asia Advisors, we tell it like it is. We have no vested interests, no need for a China wall, and no reason to skew our outlook any other way. With over 30 years experience covering Asia’s political economy, you can be sure our conclusions and analyses are based on the unadulterated facts. Through years of fine-tuning our research methodologies, we deliver a quality of macroeconomic analysis few other houses can match.

Centennial Asia Advisors is an independent research and advisory firm that works with governments, multilateral institutions, financial firms and leading MNCs.

Economic Policy and Strategic Advisors

Macroeconomics

<ul><li>The government’s last full-year budget prior to the general elections in May-2019 yields little surprises as it reaffirms the authorities’ commitment to continued fiscal consolidation amidst mild slippage in FY18.</li><li>Nevertheless, the quality of spending is poorer while the rural-centric budget saw the unveiling of pro-development policies ranging from a behemoth health insurance scheme to a continued emphasis on infrastructure development.</li><li>The near-term revenue targets are reasonable, considering that measures to combat GST tax evasion are in the pipeline. That said, there are reasons to be wary over the government’s long-term fiscal health, particularly as key details on the financing and the design of incentives over the health insurance scheme are unknown as of yet.</li></ul>

The government’s last full-year budget prior to the general elections in May-2019 yields little surprises as it reaffirms the authorities’ commitment to continued fiscal consolidation amidst mild slippage in FY18.Nevertheless, the quality of spending is poorer while the rural-centric budget saw the unveiling of pro-development policies ranging from a behemoth health insurance scheme to a continued emphasis on infrastructure development.The near-term revenue targets are reasonable, considering that measures to combat GST tax evasion are in the pipeline. That said, there are reasons to be wary over the government’s long-term fiscal health, particularly as key details on the financing and the design of incentives over the health insurance scheme are unknown as of yet.

India: A Balancing Act Between Populism and Fiscal Rectitude