Using markedly different strategies and policy reforms, China and India have sustained high growth rates over a number of years. This has had and will continue to have profound effects on their social, economic, cultural and political structures. The rapid growth in China and India has brought about tremendous opportunities and challenges for other countries as well. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying their growth. What is the role of policy and reform in this process? How does governance, particularly centralization vs. decentralization, affect growth and equity? Can the current growth rates and development trends be maintained as energy demand and demographic characteristics evolve?

IFPRI's first two Dragon and Elephant conferences in New Delhi (March 2003) and Beijing (November 2003) brought together researchers and academicians to examine different issues related to development in China and India. While the first two conferences generated insightful discussion on rural and agricultural reforms and their implications on poverty reduction, knowledge gaps still exist. In this context, IFPRI, CES and SUFE are co-hosting this conference to compare China and India's economic reforms beyond agriculture and rural areas.

The specific objectives are:

• To review, analyze and compare the impact of economic reforms;
• Explore the lessons learned from the experiences of these two mega economies for faster growth and poverty alleviation;
• Examine select constraints to future growth;
• Generate dialogue and discussions through the workshop;
• Develop a network of policy researchers, advisors and decision makers in China and India that can continue to dialogue on these issues in the future.