New Delhi: Global rating agency Moody’s Ratings on Friday said that the Indian economy is in a sweet spot and projected a 7.2 per cent gross domestic product or GDP growth for India in 2024 with the mix of solid growth and moderating inflation. However, it flagged concern over rising prices, saying that inflation risks may prompt the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to retain a relatively tight monetary policy this year.
The retail inflation jumped to a 14-month high of 6.21, breaching the RBI's upper tolerance limit, on a sharp jump in vegetable prices. “Despite the near-term uptick, retail inflation should moderate toward the RBI's target in the coming months as food prices ease amid higher sowing and adequate food grain buffer stocks. The agency said sporadic food price pressures continue to inject volatility in the disinflation trajectory,” Moody's also said.
It further added that potential risks to inflation from heightened geopolitical tensions and extreme weather events underscore the RBI’s cautious approach to policy easing. The RBI's interest rate-setting monetary policy committee is scheduled to meet next month, and with inflation ruling high, it is unlikely that the RBI would cut benchmark interest rates.
“Although the central bank shifted its monetary policy stance to neutral while keeping the repo rate steady at 6.5 per cent in October, it will likely retain relatively tight monetary policy settings into next year, given the fairly healthy growth dynamics and inflation risks,” Moody’s added.
In its Global Macro Outlook 2025-26, the US-based rating agency said that household consumption is poised to grow, fuelled by increased spending during the ongoing festive season and a sustained pickup in rural demand. “Additionally, rising capacity utilisation, upbeat business sentiment and the government's continued thrust on infrastructure spending should support private investment,” the rating agency said.
India's real GDP expanded 6.7 per cent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2024, driven by a revival in household consumption, robust investment and strong manufacturing activity. There are indications of a steady economic momentum in the July-September quarter as well. “... From a macroeconomic perspective, the Indian economy is in a sweet spot, with the mix of solid growth and moderating inflation. We forecast 7.2 per cent growth for calendar year 2024, followed by 6.6 per cent in 2025 and 6.5 per cent in 2026,” Moody's said.
It also said sound economic fundamentals, including healthy corporate and bank balance sheets, a stronger external position, and ample foreign exchange reserves also bode well for the growth outlook. The global economy has shown remarkable resilience in bouncing back from supply chain disruptions during the pandemic, an energy and food crisis after the Russia-Ukraine war began, high inflation and consequent monetary policy tightening,” the agency said.
“Most G-20 economies will experience steady growth and continue to benefit from policy easing and supportive commodity prices. However, post-election changes in US domestic and international policies could potentially accelerate global economic fragmentation, complicating ongoing stabilization,” said Madhavi Bokil, senior vice president at Moody's Ratings and author of the report.
Moody’s further said that trade tensions and geopolitical stresses, particularly between the US and China, are primary risks to the global macroeconomic outlook. “Potential long-term geo-economic fragmentation could complicate global trade," Moody’s said.
"Increasing trade protectionism, together with a push in several large economies to strengthen their domestic industries, make external demand a less reliable source of growth,” it said, adding economies with robust domestic drivers of growth will experience greater resilience and stability.
