The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook for April 2025 projects that India will become the world’s fourth-largest economy in 2025, surpassing Japan with a nominal GDP of $4,187.017 billion.
The report also forecasts sustained growth, with India expected to reach a $5 trillion economy by 2027 and overtake Germany to become the third-largest economy globally by 2028.
India is poised to lead the global economy once again, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projecting it to remain the fastest-growing major economy over the next two years.
According to the April 2025 edition of the IMF’s World Economic Outlook, India’s economy is expected to grow by 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026, maintaining a solid lead over global and regional peers.
Fastest-Growing Large Economy
India is projected to remain the fastest-growing large economy for 2025 and 2026, reaffirming its dominance in the global economic landscape.
The country’s economy is expected to expand by 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026, outpacing many of its global counterparts.
In contrast, the IMF projects global economic growth to be much lower, at 2.8% in 2025 and 3.0% in 2026, highlighting India’s exceptional outperformance, the Indian Ministry of Finance said in a statement quoting IMF data last month.
China’s GDP growth forecast for 2025 has been downgraded to 4.0%, down from 4.6% in the January 2025 edition of the World Economic Outlook.
Similarly, the United States is expected to see a slowdown, with its growth revised downward by 90 basis points to 1.8%. Despite these revisions, India’s robust growth trajectory continues to set it apart on the global stage.
A ‘Proud Day’
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reacted to the latest IMF data and wrote on X: “A proud day for every Bharatiya! India has now officially overtaken Japan, becoming the fourth largest economy of the world with a GDP of $4.187 trillion, according to the latest IMF report.”
“This historic feat goes beyond mere statistics; it is the path we have walked together under the vision of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji. His bold decisions, strongest resolve, and belief in the capabilities of 140 crore Bharatiyas have inspired this change,” she said.
Chinese Envoy to India Xu Feihong wrote on X: ” According to the latest IMF projections, India is set to overtake Japan as the world’s 4th largest economy this year and is on track to surpass Germany as the 3rd largest economy by 2028.”
(With inputs from IBNS)
