About Us

Research occupies a crucial place in the spectrum of IIFT's activities because of the institutional emphasis on a strong and pervasive interface between research and training. The Institute has so far brought out over 700 research studies and surveys. In addition, it has developed substantial consulting capacity in analyzing international business situations and developing appropriate corporate strategies. Research activities are undertaken both as part of its own research programmes and at the instance of its clients, which include:

•   Central and State Governments including Indian Missions abroad
•   International organizations like the WTO, International Trade Centre, World Bank, the FAO, ESCAP, UNCTAD, German Development Institute, etc
•   Public Sector Undertakings like RBI, MMTC, STC, State Industries Corporation, etc.
•   International stakeholders like Global Development Network, PwC, IPE Global Pvt. Ltd., DFID

In 1963 when the Institute was set up, the basic mandate was to carry out research particularly concerning export potential surveys. The Institute has not only met these objectives but surpassed the mandate in many ways. Current portfolio of research includes:

•  Trade Policy Research (including WTO issues, bilateral trade agreements, regional integration, preferential trade agreements - bilateral and multilateral, etc.),
•   Functional Research
•   Survey Research
•   Trade Database Development.

In the last five years, the Institute has completed around 43 research studies. The objectives and policy implications of these research studies can be broadly classified into:

•   Influencing India's negotiating outcomes at Bilateral / Multilateral level
•   Export Potential Studiesli>
•   Trade Facilitation Issues
•   Trade and Investment Flows with Policy Implications in International Business