Articles by Ashima Goyal

Parts of this paper were presented at SSS-AIU, Study Group and EGROW Foundation webinars, O P Jindal Finance Global Finance Conclave and Rajagiri Conference on Economics and Finance. Enthusiastic feedback helped improve it. In particular, the author thanks Charan Singh for the invitation to develop one of her op-eds, Arvind Virmani, Amartya Lahiri and an EPW referee for comments. The author would also like to thank Krishnandu Ghosh and Sandipan Saha for research assistance and Shreeja Joy Velu for secretarial assistance. This paper is an updated and abbreviated version of IGIDR WP-2021–025.
 

Careful research on the inflation targeting regime’s impact on anchoring inflation expectations, as well as an empirical examination of convergence, is used to assess the direction of convergence between core and headline inflation, as well as the efficacy of the expectation channel compared to the aggregate demand channel of monetary transmission. There is evidence of more anchoring, with the Reserve Bank of India communications as well as headline inflation affecting short-run inflation expectations and core inflation dominating in the long run.

Over 2017–18, there was a sharp rise in Indian government securities interest rates unrelated to fundamentals. Examining each of the standard explanatory variables shows them to be inadequate to account for the rise in bond yields in this period. Turning to aspects of Indian structure, the reason is found to be the narrow focus of monetary operating procedures, with excessive reliance on making up liquidity shortfalls with short-term liquidity, which was inadequate given large exogenous durable liquidity shocks, including foreign inflows. The composition of liquidity, share of reserve money and its sources all matter. Open market operations have a significant impact on yields. Large foreign debt inflows induce open market operations sales as G-Secs are swapped for foreign securities to sterilise the effect of inflows on the money supply. G-Secs yields are then found to rise.

A variety of indicators are presented to show that demand restricted output during the growth slowdown of 2011–17. The macroeconomic structure of the economy is such that a policy-induced demand contraction affects output more than it affects inflation. In this context it is important to evaluate the application of inflation targeting. Flexible inflation targeting was too narrowly and strictly implemented initially, although there are signs of moderation in 2018. Since inflation forecasts were biased upwards, the more effective expectations anchoring channel of inflation targeting was underutilised. The output sacrifice imposed was higher than necessary. Finally, possible mechanisms to ensure inflation targeting is implemented flexibly as required in the Indian context are discussed.

Macroeconomic analytical frameworks change with events they are unable to explain. The process is closer to abductive reasoning that is based on both events and analysis, unlike induction which is data-based and deduction where analysis dominates. Abduction reasons backwards from the outcome to deduce the framework with which it is compatible. Therefore, it is useful to study how macroeconomic conceptual frameworks evolve after anomalous outcomes such as crises. The post-crisis churning is assessed from this perspective using criteria such as greater generality, systemic feedback, and structural aspects. Abductive reasoning is also used to extract the structure of aggregate demand and supply consistent with the observed negative correlation inflation and growth in India. If prolonged growth slowdowns do not reduce inflation, it suggests underlying aggregate supply is elastic but volatile, so that supply-side issues, not excess demand, are primary inflation drivers. Monetary and fiscal policy need to focus on elements that reduce costs, while avoiding sharp cuts in aggregate demand.