ADB cuts India growth forecast to 5.6%

Asian Development Bank (ADB) today lowered India's growth forecast for the current fiscal to 5.6 per cent, from 7 per cent projected earlier, citing falling global demand and impact of delayed monsoon on agricultural production.

India, however, can reverse the trend of falling growth by promoting economic reforms and taking steps to improve investment climate, said the ADB's Asian Development Outlook 2012 Update.

For the Asian region as a whole, the ADB Update expects the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate to drop to 6.1 per cent in 2012 from 7.2 per cent in 2011. The growth rate for the region has been projected at 6.7 per cent in 2013.

"The deceleration of the region's two giants - the People's Republic of China and India ¿ in tandem with the global slowdown, is tempering earlier optimism," ADB said.

As for India, it said that growth rate will decelerate to from 6.5 per cent in 2011-12 to 5.6 per cent in the current fiscal. ADB had earlier projected the country's growth rate at 7 per cent for 2012-13.

The growth rate for 2013-14, according to the ADB Update, has now been estimated at 6.7 per cent, down from 7.5 per cent projected earlier.

Falling global demand and a delayed monsoon curtailing agricultural growth have exacerbated India's recent economic slowdown, and have led to reduced growth forecasts by the ADB for fiscal years 2012 and 2013, ADB said.

"India can start reversing this trend by improving its investment climate and expediting reforms," ADB Chief Economist Changyong Rhee said.

The delayed monsoon and weaknesses in the agricultural supply chains, coupled with rising costs of fertilisers and irrigation, are likely to result in subdued farm growth and sustain pressure on food prices.

Moreover, industrial output is expected to remain subdued in 2012-13, while weak demand from industrialised countries continues to take its toll on exports, ADB said.

... contd.

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