Arvind Subramanian, the new Chief Economic Advisor, has an outstanding work experience and is considered a “pro-reform” economist and also an expert on China.

Educated in India and Britain, Subramanian’s impressive and long career includes stints at the World Bank, World Trade Organisation, Unctad and the IMF.

A graduate from St Stephen’s College, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, Subramanian did his M.Phil and D.Phil from the University of Oxford.

His academic work has focused on trade and its effect on developing countries,

Subramanian had also taught at Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University.

Prior to his appointment as CEA for a three-year period, he was a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the Center for Global Development.

Subramanian, who has published widely in academic and other journals, had authored an award winning book ‘Eclipse: Living in the Shadow of China’s Economic Dominance’ published in September 2011.

His next book, ‘From Wariness to Partnership: Closer India-US Economic Cooperation’ (with Fred Bergsten) will be published later this year.

Subramanian – who had in the past advised Indian Government in different capacities – has become the third economist of international renown to be appointed as CEA in recent years. Kaushik Basu (currently World Bank chief economist) and Raghuram Rajan (RBI Governor and former IMF Chief Economist) were the other two.

Though Subramanian was tipped for the CEA’s post since August, there was some uncertainty regarding this.

There were doubts on his getting this post as he had given a poor rating to the Modi’s Government’s performance on inflation control and labour reforms.

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