Assertion: During the first eight plans, India followed a policy of protection whereby restrictions were placed on imports.

Reasoning: There was a fear of foreign exchange being spent on import of luxury goods if no restrictions were placed on imports.

Assertion (A) is not true but Reasoning (R) is correct.

In the first seven plans, trade was characterised by what is commonly called an inward looking trade strategy. Technically, this strategy is called import substitution. This policy aimed at replacing or substituting imports with domestic production. For example, instead of importing vehicles made in a foreign country, industries would be encouraged to produce them in India itself. In this policy the government protected the domestic industries from foreign competition

The policy of protection was based on the notion that industries of developing countries were not in a position to compete against the goods produced by more developed economies. It was assumed that if the domestic industries were protected they would learn to compete in the course of time. Our planners also feared the possibility of foreign exchange being spent on import of luxury goods if no restrictions were placed on imports. Nor was any serious thought given to promote exports until the mid-1980s.