India's GDP to grow at 7.3 per cent in 2018-19: World Bank

Washington, Jan 9: India's GDP is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent in the fiscal year 2018-19, and 7.5 per cent in the following two years, the World Bank has forecast, attributing it to an upswing in consumption and investment.

The World Bank said India will continue to be the fastest growing major economy in the world.

China's economic growth is projected to slow down to 6.2 per cent each in 2019 and 2020 and 6 per cent in 2021, according to the January 2019 Global Economic Prospects report released by the World Bank on Tuesday.

In 2018, the Chinese economy is estimated to have grown by 6.5 per cent as against India's 7.3 per cent. In 2017, China with 6.9 per cent growth was marginally ahead of India's 6.7 per cent, mainly because of the slowdown in the Indian economy due to demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the report said.

"India's growth outlook is still robust. India is still the fastest-growing major economy," World Bank Prospects Group Director Ayhan Kose told PTI in an interview.

"With investment picking up and consumption remaining strong, we expect India to grow 7.3 per cent in the fiscal year 2018-2019, and average 7.5 per cent in 2019 and 2020. India registered quite a bit of pick up in doing business ranking. The growth momentum is there (in India)," Mr Kose told PTI.

In India, the growth has accelerated, driven by an upswing in consumption, and investment growth has firmed as the effects of temporary factors wane, the World Bank said in its latest report.

Domestic demand has strengthened as the benefits of structural reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) harmonisation and bank recapitalisation take effect.

"India's growth accelerated to an estimated 7.3 per cent in FY2018/19 (April to March) as economic activity continued to recover with strong domestic demand. While investment continued to strengthen amid the GST harmonisation and a rebound of credit growth, consumption remained the major contributor to growth," the World Bank said.

PTI