GDP numbers strong, good momentum in economic activities to continue in Q4: Chief Economic Advisor

01 Mar 2024 Evaluate

Expressing optimism over India’s growth prospects, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has said the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers are “strong” and good momentum in economic activities is likely to continue in the fourth quarter (Q4). He also said that the agriculture sector, which recorded a decline of 0.8 per cent in the third quarter, will rebound in the next financial year. India's economic growth accelerated to 8.4 per cent in the October-December quarter of this fiscal, mainly due to double-digit growth in manufacturing and good showing by mining and quarrying and construction sectors.

Nageswaran said ‘So the actual performance of the economy has continued to defy expectations and do better than what many had projected underscoring the fact that a structural transformation of the economy is indeed underway, both in terms of physical infrastructure and digital infrastructure as well as inclusion agenda, boosting the purchasing power of Indian households...’. On the agriculture sector, he said prospects of healthy rabi harvesting, and expectations of the fading away of El Nino and the forecast of a normal monsoon bodes well for a better-than-normal kharif sowing.

He further said that improvement in household consumption, bright prospects for capital formation owing to an upturn in the private capex cycle, improved business sentiments, healthy balance sheets of corporates, and the government’s continued thrust on capital expenditure will drive growth. He also noted that while growth prospects appear bright external factors pose a downside risk. He further said that uncertainty prevails over merchandise trade, with WTO slashing its projection for world trade growth in 2023 by half to 0.8 per cent from its earlier estimate of 1.7 per cent in April. He added prolonged geo-political uncertainty and tightened financial conditions also pose a challenge to the growth outlook.

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