“Don’t see any red flags…” IMF top official praises India’s growth trajectory under PM Modi’s regime

International Monetary Fund Asia & Pacific Director Krishna Srinivasan on April 20 praised India’s growth trajectory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime. Speaking to ANI, he said, “India has successfully navigated multiple shocks we’ve seen in the recent past, starting from the pandemic to the war in Ukraine and then the recent tensions in the Gulf. Growth at 6.8 per cent in 2024-25 is a very impressive number. And this is largely led by private consumption and public investment. I don’t see any red flags in the near term, but I would highlight one important aspect. Now, India has a young, growing population. India is likely to add about 15 million people to the labor force every year. Now, if you want to benefit from this demographic change, you will need lots of reforms. I think in particular, I would emphasize the need for significant investment in education and healthcare so that this growing labor force can contribute productively to the economy.”