The book provides a deep and insightful enquiry into a set of persistent questions about investment treaties, including the causal relationship between investment treaties and investment, and their role in emerging economies such as India. It is innovative and pathbreaking as it distils past practices and experiences of investment treaties, from local and global perspectives, and seeks to sketch a template that could mark the next generation of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) for emerging economies, including India.

The book provides an authoritative account of whether the investment community accords importance to the existence of investment treaties while taking investment decisions, based on cross-country ethnographic research involving some of the key stakeholders drawn from foreign investor community, academicians, leading practitioners and key policy makers. Among other topics, it discusses potential evolution of investment treaties and how next generation treaties should look like, drawing lessons from past experiences, current practices and most importantly, the outlook for India in its next stage of development.

The book is very useful for academic community studying international investment law (IIA). Domestic and international practitioners of law will find the book a must read as the topic is emerging as a vibrant field of practice and consulting, and the volume focuses on some of the most debated areas in IIA. The book contains interest areas for policy makers, especially those who work in the field of commerce and economic diplomacy. It is also immensely useful to treaty negotiators and professionals that actively assist and advise negotiating teams of BITs and other investment disciplines which are part of trade agreements.