India has recorded the most optimistic growth outlook among the economies assessed in the World Economic Forum’s September 2026 Chief Economists’ Outlook, with expectations for the country improving significantly from earlier this year. Around 74 per cent of chief economists surveyed said they anticipate strong or very strong growth in India over the next 12 months. This marks a notable increase from the 52 per cent who held the same view in the May edition of the survey.
The broader assessment is even more positive. As many as 98 per cent of respondents expect India to post moderate or stronger growth over the coming year. The report also noted that India’s growth forecast for 2026-27 was raised to 6.7 per cent in August.
“Of chief economists surveyed, 98 per cent expect moderate or stronger growth over the next 12 months, including 74 per cent who anticipate strong or very strong growth, compared with 52 per cent in May,” the report noted.
The stronger outlook has been linked to continued resilience in domestic demand. At the same time, elevated energy prices remain a factor weighing on the economic outlook.
India Ahead Of Other Major Economies
The survey places India at the top of the growth expectations among the economies and regions covered. South-East Asia was close behind, with 73 per cent of economists expecting strong or very strong growth over the next year.
The picture is considerably more mixed for other major economies. In China, 31 per cent of respondents anticipate weak growth. Europe recorded the most subdued outlook, with 61 per cent of surveyed economists expecting weak or very weak growth.
The findings underline the different trajectories emerging across major regions as businesses and policymakers continue to navigate geopolitical tensions, energy-market pressures and changes in global trade and technology.
Global Economic Pessimism Eases
The September survey also indicates that concerns about a deterioration in the global economy have moderated considerably compared with May.
Only 45 per cent of chief economists now expect global economic conditions to weaken over the next 12 months. That is a substantial decline from the 89 per cent recorded in the May survey.
Meanwhile, 56 per cent expect global economic conditions to either remain unchanged or improve. Inflation expectations have also cooled. Half of the respondents expect global inflation to increase, compared with 94 per cent in May.
Despite the improved assessment, the report highlights that the global economy continues to face substantial risks.
Geopolitical Conflicts Remain Key Risk
Geopolitical conflicts emerged as the most widely identified source of uncertainty, with 97 per cent of chief economists pointing to them as a major risk over the next year.
Asset price corrections were the second-largest concern, cited by 58 per cent of respondents. At the same time, only 25 per cent believe the global economy will become more resilient over the next 12 months.
The report suggests that resilience will increasingly depend on how effectively economies adjust to structural changes rather than relying solely on traditional policy support.
Economic diversification and flexible supply chains were identified by 78 per cent of respondents as important sources of resilience. Technological acceleration and innovation followed at 67 per cent, while 61 per cent pointed to adaptation to changing energy markets.
Fiscal Support Takes A Back Seat
The role of fiscal support appears to be diminishing in the forward-looking assessment. Fiscal support had been identified as the leading source of economic resilience since 2020, with 69 per cent of respondents citing it previously.
That share has now fallen to 28 per cent as governments face growing fiscal constraints and potentially have less room to rely on large-scale financial support.
The World Economic Forum described the global economy as having been “remarkably resilient” despite a series of shocks. However, the report cautioned that maintaining that resilience will require economies to adapt to continuing geopolitical, energy and technological pressures.