Will India Achieve a 7% GDP Growth by 2025?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Projected GDP Growth: 7% in 2025 and 6.4% in 2026.
- Leadership in Emerging Markets: India is set to lead growth in the Asia Pacific region.
- Stable Economic Outlook: Moody's maintains a stable outlook for India's economy.
- Impact of US Tariffs: Limited immediate impact, potential long-term constraints.
- Fiscal Challenges: High debt burden remains a concern despite growth.
New Delhi, Nov 28 (NationPress) As India approaches its Q2 GDP figures due to be released on Friday, Moody's Ratings has forecast that the nation is set to achieve a 7 percent GDP growth in 2025, followed by 6.4 percent in 2026, fueled by robust domestic growth and economic resilience in the face of global challenges.
The country is anticipated to spearhead growth among emerging markets as well as within the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, according to insights from the global rating agency. "India is projected to be at the forefront of growth among emerging markets and throughout the region, with GDP anticipated to grow by 7 percent in 2025 and 6.4 percent in 2026," stated Moody's Ratings in their report.
Average GDP growth for the APAC region is estimated to remain stable at 3.4 percent in 2026, in contrast to an expected growth rate of 3.6 percent in 2025.
Moody's also noted that emerging markets will be the driving force behind GDP growth in the region, with an average growth rate of 5.6 percent.
In September, Moody's reaffirmed India's long-term local and foreign-currency issuer ratings, maintaining the local-currency senior unsecured rating at Baa3. The agency also confirmed its outlook for India as stable.
According to Moody’s, the affirmation of ratings and stable outlook underscores their belief that India's existing credit strengths—such as its large, rapidly growing economy, solid external position, and reliable domestic financing for ongoing fiscal deficits—will be upheld.
While the US has imposed high tariffs on India, Moody's suggested that the immediate adverse impacts on India's economic growth will be limited. However, they cautioned that this could hinder medium to long-term growth by obstructing India’s aspirations to cultivate a higher value-added export manufacturing sector.
India's credit strength is tempered by persistent fiscal weaknesses. Despite strong GDP growth and gradual fiscal consolidation, the government's high debt burden is likely to decline only slowly. Recent fiscal measures aimed at bolstering private consumption could further deplete the government's revenue base, as per the agency's analysis.