It Is Not a BIT Race, It Is a BIT Marathon: Comparing Pakistan’s and India’s Evolving Approach to Investment Policy

India and Pakistan initiated their journeys from distinct starting points, yet have since adopted similar approaches to structuring their investment policies. These two large, developing nations differ politically, but both seek to attract foreign investment and have faced many complicated investment disputes. Because of the significant role that each of these countries play in the developing world within their respective spheres of influence, it is worth examining their experience. Indeed, India has recently terminated numerous Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) after restructuring its investment policy while Pakistan is contemplating amendments to its existing investment regime and may adopt a similar approach. Related developments on the international plane could also further support the countries’ stances on renegotiating and adopting a balanced approach to their investment policies. In the future, it would be interesting to observe whether other countries adopt similar approaches. Pakistan, India, investor-state dispute settlement, investment, investor, reform, expropriation, fair and equitable treatment, most-favoured-nation, developing world