This volume investigates the fundamental determinants of saving and investment patterns and their subsequent impact on economic growth within the Indian economy since independence. The authors, Kunal Sen and Prema-chandra Athukorala, utilize historical economic data to evaluate the efficacy of national development policies. By focusing on the specific context of India, the text challenges broad generalizations derived from multi-country cross-sectional studies and provides a rigorous framework for understanding the post-1991 market-oriented reforms.

Experts identify this work as a foundational text for understanding the specific macroeconomic trajectory of the Indian economy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a primary resource for researchers and policy analysts interested in development economics.