Prof. Amita Batra

Amita Batra is Professor and former Chairperson, Centre for South Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). She has over three decades experience in University teaching and policy-oriented research. She has held several senior research and teaching positions in national/ international Think Tanks and Universities including as the first ICCR Chair Professor in University of Edinburgh and Senior Visiting Fellow, University of Sydney. Most recently in May-June, 2024, she was awarded the Rockefeller Foundation, Bellagio Centre Residency Fellowship. Prof. Batra served as member, Advisory Group for the Finance Track Agenda, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and the B20 India Task force for “Inclusive GVCs and resilient global trade and investment” during India’s G20 Presidency in 2022-2023. Prof. Batra has published extensively on International trade and related policy issues. Her most recent books are A World in Flux: India’s Economic Priorities (co-edited, Rupa publications, 2025) and India’s Trade Policy in the 21st Century published by Routledge: London in 2022. Prof. Batra is also on the editorial committee/ boards of national and international journals. She has been a member of the CII Economic Advisory Council and is a member of the FICCI Economist’s Forum. Prof. Batra writes a monthly column “Straight Talk” for Business Standard, a leading economic daily in India.

Prof. Batra holds an M.A., M.Phil., Ph. D. in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, India.