Indian Economy News & Discussion - Nov 27 2017

[Vayutuvan]

India slips to sixth-largest economy in 2025, now seen becoming third-biggest by 2031
A stronger dollar and GDP revisions offset robust nominal growth in rupee terms, pulling down India’s ranking
ISHAAN GERA APRIL 15, 2026 / 18:45 IST

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin ... 89924.html

India slipped to become the world’s sixth-largest economy in 2025, dropping one rank from the previous year, according to the latest International Monetary Fund data, even as the country continued to post one of the fastest growth rates among major economies.


The Indian economy is estimated at $3.92 trillion in 2025, placing it behind the UK ($4 trillion) and Japan ($4.44 trillion). US tops the list with a GDP of $30.8 trillion, followed by China at $19.6 trillion and Germany at $4.7 trillion.

[uddu]

^^^Don't worry. Next year we will jump two ranks and capture 4th position again based on the same IMF data. Nominal do vary based on the USD-INR. While in GDP PPP we are at 19 Trillion USD economy and U.S is 32 Trillion USD. From 6 trillion in 2014 to 20 trillion by 2027 in GDP PPP. 3X. India also doubled Nominal GDP from 2 Trillion in 2014 to 4 Trillion in 2026.2X

[Vayutuvan]

Me, worry? Absolutely not.

[Manish_Sharma]

https://x.com/md_deepesh/status/2047284 ... 30128?s=20

Dr. Deepessh Divaakaran (Dr. DD)
@md_deepesh

India was not invited to the table.
India became the table.
500 Years of capital movement now bends East.

This is not rhetoric.
This is pattern.
Follow the money.

1602.
Amsterdam built the VOC.
World’s first mega-corporation.
First stock market machine.

Private capital rose above kings.
Empires wore crowns.
Capital wore control.

1799.
VOC collapsed.
Corruption.
Bankruptcy.
Decay.

But capital never dies.
It relocates.

It moved to London.
The British East India Company waited.

1757.
Battle of Plassey.
Bengal taken.
India opened by force.

1765 to 1938.
45 trillion dollars drained from India.

Not British brilliance.
Indian extraction.

Then two World Wars broke Britain.
Debt.
Fatigue.
Decline.

1944.
Bretton Woods.
Pound moved aside.
Dollar stepped in.

America was not crowned by destiny.
America was selected by capital.

Same game.
New address.

For eighty years,
America hosted it.

Profits private.
Losses public.

Now the host is tired.

39 trillion dollars debt.
Growing by 60,000 dollars each second.

So the capital moves again.

Two options studied.

China.
Massive. Industrial. Powerful.

But the CCP controls the system.
Foreign capital enters.
Exit uncertain.

India.
Fastest-growing large economy.
Democracy. Law. Scale. Talent.

But India refused surrender.
And no media will ever report it.

No foreign boardroom writes Delhi’s script.
No outsider owns Bharat’s spine.

So, a bridge node was chosen.

GCC.

Zero tax.
Global liquidity.
English common law courts.
Long-horizon sovereign mandates.

ADIA.
PIF.
Kuwait Investment Authority.

Trillions already active.
More coming.

Now meet the New Avatar of,
“Transnational Capital.”

BlackRock
Vanguard
Fidelity Investments
State Street
JPMorgan Chase
Blackstone
KKR
Apollo Global Management

Names change.
Networks remain.

Amsterdam to London.
London to New York.
Now toward the multipolar map.

Five poles are forming.

America holds the Western Hemisphere.
China drives manufacturing.
Russia anchors energy arcs.
GCC routes capital.
India becomes the swing civilisation.

Read that again.

India is not begging for capital.
India is filtering capital.

Since 2014,
Roads accelerated.
Ports fortified.
Airports doubled.
Digital rails rose.
Defence confidence rose.
Manufacturing ambition rose.
Civilisational confidence returned.

So, money is coming through new doors.

Not only profit-taking.
Infrastructure.
Manufacturing.
Data Centres.
Semi-Conductors.
Technology.
Factories.

But hear the warning.

Every old host was built up.
Then hollowed out.

The Dutch learned it.
The British learned it.
America is learning it.

India must not repeat it.

Take the capital.
Reject the leash.

Use the money.
Never lose the mandate.

This is a once-in-civilisation opening.

Sleep now, and others will own it.
Wake now, and India will shape it.

[drnayar]

https://swarajyamag.com/economy/the-imb ... to-address

Korea's cumulative FDI in Vietnam is 13 times its stock in India. Delhi's trade deficit with Korea has tripled. Two chaebols have extracted $4.7 billion in value in twelve months.
Issues like these and more explain why the fifteen-year-old CEPA Agreement is untenable and what Delhi is now negotiating towards.

The three balance sheets, read together, explain why the Kumaran briefing took the form it did. Hyundai and LG together monetised about $4.7 billion of Indian growth, entirely for the Korean parents, in twelve months — at the precise moment India's trade deficit with Korea was widening and CEPA talks were in their longest freeze since the original agreement took effect. Samsung's royalty tripled in the same window. The Indian government's position, implicit in Kumaran's sentence, is that the current agreement has produced outcomes its architects did not anticipate, and that the review cannot be deferred further.



In Vietnam, Samsung runs six plants and one R&D centre, employs 90,000-100,000 people, and exports $54.4 billion annually — 13.4 per cent of Vietnam's entire goods exports. Samsung Display Vietnam received a fresh $1.2 billion capital-increase certificate in January 2025. More than half of Samsung's global smartphones roll out of Vietnamese factories. Vietnam runs a $31.6 billion trade deficit with Korea: a signature of manufacturing integration, because Korean subsidiaries import parents' components as inputs and add value locally before exporting onwards. The deficit looks identical to India's in structure; its composition is different.

Indonesia shows a different mechanism. Hyundai's $1.55 billion Cikarang plant, inaugurated in 2022, is Southeast Asia's largest full-scale Hyundai factory. It exists because Indonesia, the world's largest nickel reserve holder, banned nickel-ore exports in 2020, forcing Korean battery and EV firms to downstream into Indonesia or lose access to the mineral. LG Energy Solution and Hyundai then set up the $1.1 billion HLI Green Power battery cell joint venture in Karawang — Indonesia's first cell plant, operational in 2024. Jakarta offered market access. Seoul brought the supply chain.

[uddu]

The Make in India term need to be clearly seperated into three sections. Always the first priority and certain point advantage always given to Born in India-Made in India Weapons and products in all Government tenders. A certain weightage of 10 percent weightage for the same, followed by 5 percent for the Make in India option which strictly follow the 75 percent manufacturing in India by components and value. Else should be treated as Assembled in India. Majority of them are assembled in India. This will help tilt the favour of govt tenders being won by Made in India weaponary for any govt tenders forcing others to do Made in India. There should be a 10 percent incentive over the imported assembly and 5 percent advantage over Make in India for Made in India stuff. These tags should only be used correctly and any violation should bring hefty penalty and barring them from contesting in any government tenders for 5 years. Those which has 90 percent plus option should get much more advantage of 15 percent incentive be it in calculating the L1 price and 10 percent for sure in technical criteria.
These can eliminate the embarassment for ministers having to give awards to the likes of companies that import from China and tighten few screws in India. And any award whatsover should be for Born in India and Made in India products strictly. No one else should qualify. Time to tighten the screws on frauds once and forever.

Assembled in India- Imported Components with some job creation by assembling the same in India

Make in India- Where majority of components (75%) are manufactured by foreign/Indian companies in India, in Both terms of value and component wise, Increased to 80 percent by 2030 onwards.

Born in India and Made in India- IP and manufacturing of 75% or more within India, Increased to 80 percent by 2030 onwards.

[VinodTK]

India now 5th largest defence spender! Expenditure rose to $92bn in 2025 amid global Armes race

To survive in the neighbourhood the budget should be around $120bn

[drnayar]

India now 5th largest defence spender! Expenditure rose to $92bn in 2025 amid global Armes race

To survive in the neighbourhood the budget should be around $120bn

Quite right.,but it isnt just money , the ecosystem has to mature enough to absorb that amount

[VinodTK]

Foreign Exchange Reserves Rise By $2.3 Billion To Cross $703 Billion: RBI Data

Country foreign exchange reserves rose by 2.3 billion US dollars, reaching over 703 billion dollars for the week ending 17th of April. According to the Reserve Bank of India, foreign currency assets, the largest component of the reserves, increased by 1.48 billion to over 557 billion US dollars during the week. Gold reserves climbed by 790 million to over 122 billion US dollars. Special Drawing Rights rose by 78 million to 18.84 billion US dollars. Meanwhile, the central bank’s position in the International Monetary Fund edged up by 14 million to 4.87 billion US dollars.

[VinodTK]

How India’s Autorickshaw Took Over the World | The Global Rise of Three-Wheelers Explained

[bala]

‘7% GDP growth’ CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran highlights impact of West Asia crisis on India’s growth
ANI News May 2, 2026

Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, V. Anantha Nageswaran, said, "... This conflict has come at a time when we were expecting another year of 7% GDP growth. On 27 Feb, together with the Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics, we unveiled the new GDP methodology, base year, and updated numbers, predicting another year of growth above 7%. But many petrochemicals, petroleum products, and crude oil imports are now priced much higher than they were earlier in February or a year ago. Thanks to the management of the Ministry of Petroleum, this remains a price shock rather than a supply shock for India, unlike in some other countries. As we did during COVID and the Russia–Ukraine war, we are managing supply and availability. Prices, however, are internationally determined and beyond our control. The challenge now is how we handle domestic prices in response."

[bala]

India’s Autorickshaw Took Over the World

This Autorickshaw is the worst vehicle (an import from Italy) that India is perpetuating. Firstly it is inherently unstable and can flip over easily. It gives the complete 3rd world look to India compared to other nations. An outright ban of such vehicles is required to improve the image of India globally.

[drnayar]

India’s Autorickshaw Took Over the World

This Autorickshaw is the worst vehicle (an import from Italy) that India is perpetuating. Firstly it is inherently unstable and can flip over easily. It gives the complete 3rd world look to India compared to other nations. An outright ban of such vehicles is required to improve the image of India globally.

the flip over is basically in indian roads ..lol ..our penchant for "observing" traffic rules and the humongous numbers .. ever seen autos turning 360 degrees on a busy road.. surprising its still upright

[S_Madhukar]

Auto rickshaw was made by Piaggio first. Rajmata’s gift from Italia

[uddu]

Auto's are also evolving. They are part and parcel of our econmic way of transport and one of the main pillars of the affordable last mile connectivity. Even bike taxis are very useful for people to move around and also livelihood for many There is no need to copy anyone. We live and move as per our needs and our situation.
Mahindra Launch New Electric Auto with 265 km Range


Mahindra UDO Walkaround + Drive Review 2026| ये उम्मीद नहीं थी! Range, EMI & Price
Chapters : -

0:00 - Highlights
0:23 - Intro
1:07 - Walkaround, Features, Comfort, Price, EMI & All
11:08 - First Long Drive Experience, Top Speed
14:57 - Passenger Seat Comfort
16:26 - Hill Test
17:43 - Final Verdict & Conclusion

[williams]

India’s Autorickshaw Took Over the World

This Autorickshaw is the worst vehicle (an import from Italy) that India is perpetuating. Firstly it is inherently unstable and can flip over easily. It gives the complete 3rd world look to India compared to other nations. An outright ban of such vehicles is required to improve the image of India globally.

I don't know if there is a "image" problem But there are 5 million people employed to drive this vehicle and 20% of intercity transportation happens today with these vehicles. I would simply encourage changing them electric and keep them until we figure out better jobs for those auto drivers. Banning them from highways is probably a good idea.

[uddu]

I would simply encourage changing them electric and keep them until we figure out better jobs for those auto drivers. Banning them from highways is probably a good idea.

They are already banned from Expressways along with bikes. Though they could drive on service roads.Most of the Auto's are found around busstops and busstands and take people around to their last mile destination and also to villages where it's not affordable to start bus services. Rarely Auto drivers ride on highways or on long bus routes.
Electric transition will happen as it becomes much more economical and comfortable for the Autodrivers. Adding car seats to Auto's will also be better.
Economic oppurtunities do take people to move from one job to another even across generations. As long as Auto's are economical to acquire and affordable for the people to travel, until everyone has their own transport modes and more penetration of cabs, Autos will remain,
Also it is also job oppurtunity for many who make these Auto's, parts manufacturing and servicing etc.

[bala]

This is going OT btw.

Mahindra UDO is slightly better design and it is electric. When Tata Nano first came out, I thought that the small car would be the ideal to replace the dreaded 3-wheeler unstable Autorickshaw. But alas Mamta and Co caused hickups for Tata and completely tanked the project. A small electric car can be the last mile vehicle for India with say around 500 km electric range. Already Ola batteries is making the 4860 cell in India so 500 km can be the norm for small cars. As for helping out people and employment, tis possible to have govt provide very low cost loans or JanDhan subsidy if possible. With Bharat Taxi now in Delhi and spreading to other cities, the last mile can be via phone app for general janata. BTW cops/politicos are heavily involved in autorickshaws and taxis in India, the auto drivers are beholden to them. Just as hand pulled vehicles and bicycle rickshaws were phased out, India should phase out 3-wheelers completely.

[uddu]

Taking the discussion to the Auto Page
viewtopic.php?p=2679830#p2679830

[sanjaykumar]

I must say this remarkably ugly vehicle does little to enhance appreciation of India’s sophistication.

[saip]

This Autorickshaw is the worst vehicle (an import from Italy) that India is perpetuating. Firstly it is inherently unstable and can flip over easily. It gives the complete 3rd world look to India compared to other nations. An outright ban of such vehicles is required to improve the image of India globally.

I don't know if there is a "image" problem But there are 5 million people employed to drive this vehicle and 20% of intercity transportation happens today with these vehicles. I would simply encourage changing them electric and keep them until we figure out better jobs for those auto drivers. Banning them from highways is probably a good idea.

Yea, to burnish our image we could do what Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar did. Import Rolls Royces, Bentleys and Benzes and use them as taxis.

[chetak]

India has tightened FDI rules for Pakistan and all countries sharing a land border with India.

Any Pakistani citizen or company can now invest only through the GOVT APPROVAL route, with defence, space & atomic energy kept fully out of bounds.

The same approval route now applies to all land-border countries & even future ownership transfers that change beneficial control.

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin ... 06493.html

[S_Madhukar]

I must say this remarkably ugly vehicle does little to enhance appreciation of India’s sophistication.

They allow narrow lanes and gullies. Govt then doesn’t need to invest in good roads and encroachments are fine. Also a great marker of poverty!
But then before we get rid of them we need proper roads and grids and last mile bus connections

[sanjaykumar]

Utilitarian does not mean having to be homely.

I wonder how the Italians would design it.

[drnayar]

Utilitarian does not mean having to be homely.

I wonder how the Italians would design it.

https://en.futuroprossimo.it/2025/05/fi ... e-piaggio/