Will India Continue to Lead as the Fastest Growing Economy in FY26?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India projected to grow at 6.7% in FY26.
- Growth driven by private consumption and government spending.
- Investment supported by falling borrowing costs.
- Need for public-private partnerships to enhance infrastructure.
- Global growth forecast indicates underlying fragilities.
New Delhi, Dec 2 (NationPress) India is set to maintain its position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy with a projected growth rate of 6.7 percent for the fiscal year 2025-26. This growth is primarily fueled by increased private consumption and robust government spending on infrastructure projects, as detailed in the economic outlook report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released on Tuesday.
The report indicates that India’s real GDP is expected to expand by 6.7 percent in FY 2025-26, followed by 6.2 percent in 2026-27 and 6.4 percent in 2027-28. While higher tariffs from the United States may impact exports, the rise in real incomes, supported by low inflation and decreasing consumption taxes, will bolster private consumption.
Investment is anticipated to remain strong due to falling borrowing costs and significant public capital expenditure. Current low inflation rates are projected to gradually align with the 4 percent target. Risks are generally balanced; negotiations with the US could reduce tariffs and enhance exports and investment, while rising oil import prices might exert inflationary pressures, the report further elaborated.
The report highlighted that the current fiscal strategy is designed to support growth amidst global trade challenges while simultaneously addressing the need to strengthen fiscal buffers and guide public debt to a more responsible trajectory. Promoting sustained public investment and fostering private sector involvement through improved public-private partnerships could expedite infrastructure development and alleviate ongoing challenges.
As the RBI’s monetary policy committee prepares for its review meeting on December 3-5, the OECD report notes that India’s monetary policy has seen easing since the start of the year. With inflation below targets and growth trailing behind trends, there remains potential for further reductions in the policy rate.
India’s growth jumped to 8.2 percent in the second quarter of FY26, prompting economists to revise their forecasts to over 7 percent for the fiscal year.
The OECD's analysis also points out that the global economy has shown resilience this year, although underlying weaknesses persist. It forecasts a slowdown in global growth, from 3.2 percent in 2025 to 2.9 percent in 2026, before recovering to 3.1 percent in 2027.
In the US, GDP growth is expected to decrease from 2.0 percent in 2025 to 1.7 percent in 2026 and 1.9 percent in 2027. The Euro area is anticipated to see growth of 1.3 percent in 2025, 1.2 percent in 2026, and 1.4 percent in 2027. China's growth is projected to decline from 5 percent in 2025 to 4.4 percent in 2026 and 4.3 percent in 2027.