India driving South Asia as world's brightest growth spot: WEF survey
- IBEF
- January 19, 2026
A survey of chief economists at the World Economic Forum has pegged India as the driver of South Asia's growth outlook, painting the region as the brightest growth spot among emerging markets in the world amid continued uncertainty. The Chief Economist's Outlook, released ahead of Davos, indicates that although almost half of the economists interviewed expect weaker global conditions next year, there is still optimism for South Asia, powered by India's good growth trajectory and reform agenda. South Asia tops regional growth forecasts, with many respondents foreseeing strong or very strong expansion-a leap in confidence from previous quarters. India's progress-high GDP growth and a rise in investment in cutting-edge technologies like AI-finders prominence in this, with many economists foreseeing these advances as bases for a better performance in the future.
The report mentioned that India leads the South Asian outlook because of its resilience, built on structural reforms, digital adoption, and strong domestic demand. Chief economists see India as anchoring regional growth amidst headwinds from trade tensions and shifting global monetary policy. As external uncertainty persisted, ongoing growth in India was expected to sustain not only economic optimism in South Asia but also notch up its lead in global forecasts ahead of 2026.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
Partners
