India’s long-term growth outlook remains firmly anchored in strong macroeconomic fundamentals, continued reforms, and a forward-looking innovation strategy, senior government officials said at a high-level industry roundtable in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
Insurance, pension funds to support infra push
Thakur also pointed to major headroom in India’s insurance sector, especially in expanding coverage across underserved segments such as MSMEs, agriculture, and services.
“India’s insurance sector presents a significant opportunity not only in expanding coverage across underserved segments such as MSMEs, agriculture, and services, but also in mobilising long-term, patient capital,” she said.
She added that the government is working to enable insurance and pension funds to play a larger role in financing infrastructure, including through a dedicated committee examining optimal deployment of such capital.
Frameworks such as the National Monetisation Pipeline and public-private partnership projects are also being used to provide visibility and attract private investment, she said.
“Even as we advance reforms across sectors, our focus on the medium- and long-term vision of a developed India by 2047 remains unwavering,” Thakur said.
Growth backed by demand, and infrastructure
Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran said that India’s growth momentum is being driven by domestic demand, infrastructure expansion, and deeper integration with global markets.
India is actively exposing its firms to global competition. That exposure is critical to driving productivity, research, innovation, and global benchmarking,” he said.
He further emphasised that infrastructure investment across highways, railways, ports, airports, and logistics is improving efficiency and lowering transaction costs.
“This is not just about headline numbers. It is visible on the ground, better highways, modern airports, expanded railway networks, improved ports and inland waterways, and enhanced power infrastructure,” he said.
Shift towards innovation-led economy
Nageswaran said India is transitioning from a services-led model to an innovation-driven economy, supported by a growing network of Global Capability Centres.
“India today is no longer the back office of the world; it is increasingly becoming the global laboratory of the world,” he said.
He stressed that resilience, diversification, and sustained reforms will remain central to India’s economic strategy.
Strong investor interest across sectors
Atul Keshap of the US-India Business Council said that the strengthening economic partnership between India and the United States, driven by business and innovation-led collaboration.
“It is part of the genius of both America and India that our free peoples collaborate through the power of business and innovation. India today offers stability and opportunity at a time of global transformation,” he said.
The discussion, held on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings and convened by the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) in partnership with the US-India Business Council, brought together policymakers and global industry leaders to assess India’s economic trajectory and investment potential.
Anuradha Thakur, Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, said India continues to stand out as a reliable and rapidly expanding economic partner.
