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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
International Outsourcing in China and India: A Sectoral Comparison Using Input-Output Analysis
1
Economics, Sirnak University, Turkey
2
Department of Management Information Systems, Şırnak University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Science, Turkey
3
Department of Accounting and Taxation, Çukurova University, Pozanti Vocational School, Turkey
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2025-10-03
Final revision date: 2025-12-09
Acceptance date: 2025-12-11
Online publication date: 2026-05-05
Publication date: 2026-05-05
Corresponding author
Ömer Demir
Economics, Sirnak University, ŞIRNAK ÜNİVERSİTESİ MEHMET EMİN ACAR KAMPÜSÜ. LİSA, 73000, Merkez, Turkey
Economics, Sirnak University, ŞIRNAK ÜNİVERSİTESİ MEHMET EMİN ACAR KAMPÜSÜ. LİSA, 73000, Merkez, Turkey
Economic and Regional Studies 2026;19(1):22-41
KEYWORDS
JEL CLASSIFICATION CODES
F10
F15
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Subject and purpose of work: This study examines the extent of international outsourcing in China and India across the total economy and selected sectors, including industry, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and technology. Materials and methods: The analysis uses Input–Output Tables from the OECD database for the years 1995, 2008, 2009, and 2018, applying established outsourcing indices to measure import dependency at sectoral and technological levels. Results: Results indicate that outsourcing in India increased steadily until 2008/2009, while in China it followed a more fluctuating pattern. In both countries, outsourcing intensity is highest in the manufacturing sector. Technological classification reveals that China relies more on high-tech sectors, whereas India shows higher dependency in medium-high-tech and medium-low-tech sectors. The findings also suggest that during periods of economic crisis, outsourcing dependency may expose production processes to vulnerabilities. Conclusions: The study contributes to the literature by providing a comparative sectoral and technological assessment of international outsourcing in China and India using Input–Output data.
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