Economic Survey pegs GDP growth at 8.2% for FY24, says Indian economy consolidated post-Covid recovery

The Economic Survey 2023-2024 has pegged India’s GDP growth at 8.2 per cent for FY24.

Tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, day ahead of the presentation of the 2024 Union Budget, the Economic Survey highlighted that the Indian economy continues to expand.

“In April, we commenced a new financial year. In May, we learnt that the Indian economy is estimated to have grown 8.2 per cent in real terms in FY24. In June, a new government took office. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has returned to power with a historic mandate for a third term. His unprecedented third popular mandate signals political and policy continuity.”

Indian economy on strong wicket & stable footing

The Economic Survey 2023-24 further said that the Indian economy is on a “strong wicket and stable footing”, demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.

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“The Indian economy has consolidated its post-Covid recovery with policymakers – fiscal and monetary – ensuring economic and financial stability,” it further said.

“Nonetheless, change is the only constant for a country with high growth aspirations. For the recovery to be sustained, there has to be heavy lifting on the domestic front because the environment has become extraordinarily difficult to reach agreements on key global issues such as trade, investment and climate,” the Economic Survey report said.

What is leading to growth?

The survey highlighted that the high economic growth in FY24 came on the heels of growth rates of 9.7 per cent and 7.0 per cent, respectively, in the previous two financial years.

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It further assured that the headline inflation rate is largely under control, although the inflation rate of some specific food items is elevated.

The Economic Survey further pointed out that the trade deficit was lower in FY24 than in FY23, and the current account deficit for the year is around 0.7 per cent of GDP.

“In fact, the current account registered a surplus in the last quarter of the financial year,” it said.

India has ample foreign exchange reserves

“Foreign exchange reserves are ample,” the Economic Survey said.

“Public investment has sustained capital formation in the last several years even as the private sector shed its balance sheet blues and began investing in FY22. Now, it has to receive the baton from the public sector and sustain the investment momentum in the economy. The signs are encouraging,” the survey said.

Also, the national income data has shown show that non-financial private-sector capital formation, measured in current prices, expanded vigorously in FY22 and FY23 after a decline in FY21.

“However, investment in machinery and equipment declined for two consecutive years, FY20 and FY21, before rebounding strongly. Early corporate sector data for FY24 suggest that capital formation in the private sector continued to expand but at a slower rate,” the Economic Survey 2023-24 said.