Research Areas
Find out about our research areas, thematic expertise, and faculty research interests in the Department of Economics at IIT Jodhpur.
The Department of Economics at IIT Jodhpur promotes interdisciplinary and technology-driven research to address emerging economic, environmental, and societal challenges. The department integrates economics with data science, engineering systems, sustainability studies, and policy analytics to develop actionable and scalable solutions for national development.
Our Motto
अर्थज्ञानविज्ञानतन्त्रनवोन्मेषानां राष्ट्राभ्युदयाय समन्वयः
(Confluence of Economics, Science and Technology, and Innovation for National Development)
The department follows a “glocal” approach by combining globally informed research with locally relevant applications. Current research activities are organised around the following broad thematic areas.
Ongoing departmental research is organised around the following broad thematic areas:
Digital Economy and Computational Economics
Research in this area examines the transformation of economies through digital technologies, computational methods, financial innovation, and data-driven systems. The department focuses on understanding digital markets, platform-based business models, fintech ecosystems, monetary dynamics, and emerging analytical tools for economic modelling and forecasting.
Current research themes include the following:
- Digital and platform economics - Market design, digital ecosystems, platform governance, and technology-enabled service systems
- Fintech and blockchain - Monetary systems, financial intermediation, inflation dynamics, green finance, and financial innovation
- Big data and computational economics - Computational modelling, policy analytics, applied econometrics, forecasting, and time-series analysis
- Applied game theory and operations research - Strategic interactions, optimisation, service operations, and analytics-driven decision-making
- Macroeconomic interactions and financial systems - Firm dynamics, macro-finance, fiscal and monetary policy, and global economic linkages
Researchers in Digital Economy and Computational Economics:
Energy, Environment, and Global Economy
Research in this area addresses the interconnected challenges of climate change, energy transitions, sustainability, agricultural transformation, and the evolving global economic order. The department examines how environmental change, trade systems, and resource transitions shape development pathways, livelihoods, and economic resilience.
Current research themes include the following:
- Economics of climate-smart technologies - Climate adaptation, sustainability transitions, green technologies, and environmental policy
- Trade and geo-strategy - International trade, global value chains, geopolitical economic interactions, and strategic economic systems
- Resource and energy transitions - Energy economics, green transitions, renewable systems, and low-carbon development pathways
- Agricultural and infrastructure economics - Agricultural transformation, climate-resilient systems, infrastructure development, and rural transitions
- Urban and regional sustainability - Urban economics, migration, resource allocation, and environmental governance
Researchers in Energy, Environment, and Global Economy:
Innovation, Culture and Development Economics
Research in this area focuses on inclusive and human-centred development in rapidly changing social and economic environments. The department examines how institutions, culture, innovation, demographic change, and regional dynamics influence development outcomes, social mobility, and national progress.
Current research themes include the following:
- Cultural capital, tourism, heritage and innovation - Regional development, local economies, innovation systems, and cultural-economic interactions
- Borderland development and national security - Regional inequality, frontier economies, migration, and strategic development issues
- Inclusive growth and development - Poverty, inequality, intergenerational mobility, gender, labour, and sustainable development
- Demography and health - Population dynamics, health economics, social protection, and human development
- Applied development analytics - Policy evaluation, behavioural responses, institutional analysis, and evidence-based development interventions
Researchers in Innovation, Culture and Development Economics:
The department aims to strengthen interdisciplinary collaborations across IIT Jodhpur and beyond by connecting economics with engineering, data science, sustainability, public policy, and innovation systems. Research initiatives are aligned with national priorities and seek to contribute to scalable solutions for local development, industry engagement, and evidence-based policymaking.
