Doing business became easier in India and Pakistan in 2005-2006, according to a new regional report released yesterday by the World Bank and its private sector arm, IFC, entitled Doing Business in South Asia 2007.

Doing Business in South Asia 2007 is the third report in a series of South Asia regional reports based on the methodology of the annual global Doing Business report.

In end August 2006, the Doing Business 2007: How to Reform report was released.

The South Asia report covers 8 countries. The top ranked countries in the region are the Maldives (53) and Pakistan (74), followed by Bangladesh (88), Sri Lanka (89), Nepal (100), India (134), Bhutan (138), and Afghanistan (162). As a region, South Asia performs comparatively well in business start-up and protecting investors. It lags far behind, however, on the ease of employing workers, enforcing contracts, and trading across borders.

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