New delhi: The Indian economy achieved growth exceeding expectations during the third quarter of 2025, reaching 8.2 percent, its fastest rate in over a year. The Indian Ministry of Statistics reported Friday that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose by 8.2 percent year-on-year in the period from July to September, compared to 7.8 percent in the previous quarter, surpassing analysts' forecasts of 7.4 percent.
According to Qatar News Agency, the ministry attributed this growth to increased consumer demand, strong growth in the manufacturing sector, and other statistical factors. The ministry explained that these indicators confirm India's position as one of the fastest-growing major economies and provide strong support for efforts to address the weakness of the rupee, decline exports, and reduce imports of Russian oil.
In his initial reaction to the data, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the figure as "very encouraging," praising his government's "growth-supporting policies and reforms" in a post on the X platform. Conversely, several experts predicted that the Indian economy would lose momentum in the coming quarters, with growth slowing due to the potential negative impact of US tariffs and the country's limited government spending power.
Despite Indian media reports of an imminent trade agreement with the United States, neither side has officially announced any progress on the matter. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently lowered its forecast for India's growth in the next fiscal year from 6.4 percent to 6.2 percent, noting that its estimate is based on "the underlying assumption that US tariffs will remain in place at 50 percent."
The administration of US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of 50 percent on most Indian products in response to New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, which it said were helping to finance the Russian war machine in Ukraine. However, Indian exports were largely unaffected between April and August of last year as exporters rushed to ship goods before the tariffs took effect. But the impact may unfold as total exports fall by 11.8 percent year-on-year in October 2025.