question_answer 28)

What is invisible trade? Discuss salient aspects of India's trade in services.

Answer:

Invisible trade refers to trade in services. Service exports and imports involve trade in intangibles because of which trade in services is also known as invisible trade. Trade in services includes trade in tourism and travel, boarding and lodging, entertainment and recreation, transportation, professional services, communication, construction and engineering, marketing, educational and financial services. India's trade in services has increased substantially over the years. Both the exports and imports of services relating to foreign travel, transportation and insurance have increased at a high rate during the last four decades. Software and other miscellaneous services (including professional technical and business services) have emerged as the main categories of India's exports of services. While the relative share of travel and transportation has declined from 64.3% in 1995-96 to 29.6% in 2003-2004, the share of software exports has gone up from 10.2% to around 49% in the corresponding period.