GDP Nowcast: India’s GDP growth likely to moderate in 1Q
India GDP Nowcast.
Group Research - Econs, Radhika Rao4 Mar 2026
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This week’s featured insight is our DBS GDP Nowcast, which is best viewed as an estimate of real GDP growth based on available economic data and forecasts for the current quarter. We currently produce Nowcasts for GDP growth in China, India, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Today we focus on India’s 4Q real GDP, released last week. Based on India’s rebased GDP series, real GDP rose 7.8%yoy in Oct-Dec25 (3QFY26) from 8.4% in Jul-Sep25. This quarter benefitted from indirect tax rationalization, festive demand, firmer investment activity, and improved rural farm outcomes. The rebased series also suggests a modest but meaningful firming in activity in FY26. Real GDP growth for FY26 was revised up to 7.6% from the first advance estimate of 7.4%, broadly converging toward our 7.7% forecast.

As per our Nowcast model, growth is expected to moderate to 7.2% in 1Q26. The slowdown in Q1 growth will mostly be driven by weak industrial activity, freight traffic, exports of goods and moderation in passenger and commercial vehicle sales. We expect full year growth to average 6.5% (CY26), with upside risks, from 7.8%.




Radhika Rao

Senior Economist – Eurozone, India, Indonesia
[email protected]


Daisy Sharma

Data Analytics
[email protected]




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