South Asia’s Business Climate 2024: Challenges, Opportunities, and Reform Pathways
The World Bank’s 2024 Doing Business Index data for the South Asian region reveals a widening gap between top performers and those struggling with systemic inefficiencies. India leads the group with a global rank of 63, having made significant strides in operational categories. Conversely, Bangladesh (168) and Afghanistan (173) remain in the bottom quintile globally, primarily due to hurdles in utility access and legal enforcement. These rankings reflect challenges in regulatory efficiency, infrastructure, and institutional capacity that directly affect private-sector growth and foreign investment.