India Overtakes Japan to Become World’s 4th Largest Economy — A New Era Begins

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India has hit a significant milestone by surpassing Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, as announced by Policy Commission CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam on Saturday. According to the latest figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India’s GDP is projected to reach around ₹346 lakh crore (approximately 4.187 trillion USD at an exchange rate of ₹83 per USD) by 2026, just edging out Japan’s estimated GDP of about ₹346 lakh crore (4.186 trillion USD).

India was the fifth-largest economy in the world until 2024. The IMF’s World Economic Outlook predicts India will grow at 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026, significantly higher than the global growth rates of 2.8% and 3% respectively.

At the 10th Governing Council meeting of the Policy Commission, discussions focused on India’s vision to become a developed nation by 2047. Key sectors such as manufacturing, services, rural and urban non-agriculture, informal economy, and green and circular economy were reviewed. The Policy Commission CEO said, “India is at a take-off stage, with its economy poised for rapid growth.”