ThinkTankWeekly

Traders, Speculators, and Captains of Industry: How Capitalist Legitimacy Shaped Foreign Investment Policy in India

Foreign Affairs | 2026-04-21 | economy

Topics: Indo-Pacific

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English Summary

The analysis argues that India's foreign investment policy is not driven by a single ideology but by a selective assessment of 'capitalist legitimacy.' New Delhi distinguishes between suspect speculative capital (viewed as unethical market manipulation) and desirable industrial capital (linked to innovation and production). This selective approach explains how the state has historically fostered productive investment while maintaining regulatory controls against financial speculation. The key implication for policy is the structural paradox: the continued dominance of speculative capital suggests a significant gap between the state's normative economic goals and the actual functioning of the Indian economy.

中文摘要

本分析指出,印度外國投資政策並非由單一意識形態驅動,而是基於對「資本主義合法性」的選擇性評估。新德里區分了可疑的投機資本(被視為不道德的市場操縱)和可取的產業資本(與創新和生產掛鉤)。這種選擇性方法解釋了國家如何歷史性地扶持了生產性投資,同時對金融投機保持了監管控制。對政策的關鍵啟示是結構性悖論:投機資本的持續主導,暗示了國家規範經濟目標與印度經濟實際運作之間存在重大落差。

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