### Summary
According to a report from SBI Research, the per capita income of Indians is expected to increase from Rs 2 lakh in FY23 to Rs 14.9 lakh in FY47, coinciding with India's 100 years of Independence. The report also highlights the growth in the number of taxpayers and the increase in income levels for the middle class.
### Facts
- 💰 The per capita income of Indians is projected to increase from Rs 2 lakh in FY23 to Rs 14.9 lakh in FY47.
- 📈 37% of the total formal labor force in India currently pays taxes.
- 💸 64% of income tax returns in India are below Rs 5 lakh and are exempt from paying taxes.
- 📊 The number of taxpayers in India has risen from 30 million to close to 68 million, and could reach 85-90 million with pending late returns.
- 💵 13.6% of taxpayers have moved into higher-income brackets.
- 💼 The growth in income levels represents a significant progression for India, which has become the fifth-largest economy in terms of GDP.
- 💭 The income growth should not be criticized in terms of inflation, as even after adjusting for inflation, income has more than doubled in the last 10 years.
- 📉 The Gini Coefficient Index shows that the income gap between rich and poor states in India is narrowing, indicating improved economic benefits for all states.
### Source
- [CNN News18](https://www.news18.com/news/business/income-of-indian-middle-class-expected-to-increase-to-rs-15-lakh-by-2047-sbi-research-5522439.html)
### Summary
India's finance secretary, T.V. Somanathan, believes that the slowing Chinese economy will have limited impact on India's economy, and the government will continue with its capital expenditure push.
### Facts
- 📉 The Chinese economy is experiencing a slowdown, with retail sales, industrial output, and investment data coming in lower than expected.
- 📉 Five major brokerages have reduced their growth forecasts for China this year.
- 🇮🇳 The finance secretary of India, T.V. Somanathan, stated that China's slowdown would have little negative effect on India due to the large trade deficit between the two countries.
- 🇮🇳 Somanathan assured that the government will not exceed the budget estimate of 5.9% of GDP for fiscal deficit.
- 🇮🇳 The government will continue its capital expenditure push as part of its growth strategy, with capital expenditure being a priority.
- 🇮🇳 There are no plans to shift from capital expenditure to revenue expenditure despite the impending general elections in 2024.
- 🇮🇳 The government expects robust capital spending in the April-September period, with anticipated offtake in the 50-60% range.
- 🛠️ The government's move to impose import restrictions on laptops and tablets is due to limited policy instruments available under World Trade Organization rules.
- 🛠️ Starting November 1, imports of laptops and tablets will require a license, as they fall under the high-tech ITA-1 products category.
(Source: The Economic Times)
### Summary
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that despite short-term inflation hiccups, India has achieved nearly a decade of controlled inflation, offering the lowest rates in the country's history.
### Facts
- 💰 Headline retail inflation reached a 15-month high of 7.44% in July, surpassing economists' expectations of 6.6%.
- 🌽 Vegetable prices and sustained cost pressures in staples like cereals and pulses contributed to the high Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July.
- 🍅 The government implemented various measures to curb food price rise, including distribution of discounted tomatoes and conducting e-auctions for rice and wheat.
- 💼 Commerce Minister Goyal expressed confidence in India's economy, highlighting comfortable foreign exchange reserves and high growth.
- 🌍 With a young demographic dividend, India aims to become a $35-trillion economy and one of the world's top three economies in the next 30 years.
- 📈 India is currently the fastest-growing economy and is projected to achieve a GDP growth of 6.5% for the current financial year.
- 🇮🇳 The current government inherited challenges such as unpaid oil bond debt, high interest costs, and faltering exports from the previous government.
- 🌱 Goyal emphasized the importance of sustainable and inclusive growth alongside value creation for shareholders.
### Summary
Ray Dalio, a renowned investor, believes that China's struggling economy needs a significant debt restructuring, despite economists stating that Beijing won't intervene to support the failing property sector.
### Facts
- Ray Dalio currently has approximately $3 billion invested in Chinese businesses.
- China's struggling property sector, plagued by failing property giants and sinking house prices, is causing concerns about contagion in other industries.
- Beijing is unlikely to step in and prop up developers, even though the sector is described as the "single most important" industry on a global scale.
- China's debt has nearly doubled over the past five years, reaching about 66 trillion yuan ($9.3 trillion), which is more than half the country's annual economic output.
- Dalio suggests that China should undertake a massive debt restructuring, similar to what Zhu Rongji orchestrated in the late 1990s but on a larger scale.
- Dalio believes that China's restructuring would be easier than other countries' due to the majority of debt being held in the country's own currency.
- The two levers to facilitate the "beautiful deleveraging" process in China are deflationary defaults and restructurings, combined with the inflationary measure of printing money.
- Other countries, such as Japan, the United States, and Europe, will also need to deleverage eventually, but Dalio thinks China should take the first step.
- China is currently facing various alarming issues, including intervention in the currency markets, soaring youth joblessness, and a drop in land sales.
- China Evergrande, a major property developer, has filed for bankruptcy protection, and China's largest developer, Country Garden, is on the verge of default.
### Summary
The Chinese economy has slipped into deflationary mode, with retail sales, industrial production, and exports all missing forecasts. Shrinking domestic demand and a debt-fueled housing crisis are the main causes behind this slowdown.
### Facts
- 📉 Retail sales in July grew by 2.5% year-on-year, compared to 3.1% in June.
- 🏭 Value-added industrial output expanded by 3.7% y-o-y, slowing from 4.4% growth in June.
- 📉 China's exports fell by 14.5% in July compared to the previous year, and imports dropped 12.4%.
- 💼 Overall unemployment rate rose to 5.3% in July, with youth unemployment at a record 21.3% in June.
- 📉 Consumer Price Index-based inflation dropped to (-)0.3%, indicating a deflationary situation.
- 🏢 China's debt is estimated at 282% of GDP, higher than that of the US.
### Causes of the slowdown
- The debt-fueled housing sector collapse, which contributes to 30% of China's GDP.
- Stringent zero-Covid strategy and lockdown measures that stifled the domestic economy and disrupted global supply chains.
- Geopolitical tensions and crackdowns on the tech sector, resulting in revenue losses and job cuts.
### Reaction of global markets
- The S&P 500 fell 1.2% following the grim Chinese data.
- US Treasury Secretary warns China's slowing economy is a risk factor for the US economy.
- Japanese stocks and the Indian Nifty were also impacted.
- China's central bank cut its benchmark lending rate, but investors were hoping for more significant stimulus measures.
### Global market concerns
- China's struggle to achieve the 5% growth target may impact global demand.
- China is the world's largest manufacturing economy and consumer of key commodities.
- A slowdown in China could affect global growth, with the IMF's forecast of 35% growth contribution by China seeming unlikely.
### Impact on India
- India's aim to compete with China in the global supply chain could benefit if Chinese exports decline.
- However, if China cuts back on commodity production due to slowing domestic demand, it may push commodity prices higher.
### Summary
India's economy is growing rapidly and is projected to become the third largest economy by 2031. However, there is a significant disparity in per capita income among states, with some states significantly behind the national average.
### Facts
- India is the fastest-growing large economy globally and is driving cost competitiveness.
- India's middle class is estimated to reach 61% of the population with an average income of Rs 20 lakh.
- By 2031, India's GDP is expected to cross the $10 trillion mark.
- Per capita income in India has increased from Rs 90,688 in 2013 to Rs 196,983 in April 2023.
- Telangana, Karnataka, and Haryana have the highest per capita income, while Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand have the lowest.
- The per capita income of Bihar is 17% of Telangana and one-fourth of the national average.
- There is a correlation between political stability and economic performance.
- India's per capita income ranks 141st out of 191 countries.
- India needs to shift its population from low-productivity sectors like agriculture to high-income domains and increase female workforce participation.
- The necessary interventions include investment in human infrastructure, agricultural advancements, climate resilience, land and labor reforms, planned urbanization, and more.
### Summary
Last week, Moody's warned that China's aging population will impact demand for homes, reduce the labor pool, and have an impact on competitiveness. Age dependency ratios in China are increasing, indicating a higher need for healthcare services and pension payouts.
### Facts
- Moody's warned that China's aging population will be a drag on economic potential if policy measures fail to boost the birthrate and promote productivity.
- China's aging population will impact demand for homes and reduce the labor pool, leading to higher wages and a negative impact on competitiveness.
- Demographics will support housing demand in Indonesia and Vietnam over the next decade, while China experiences the opposite trend.
- The age dependency ratio in China has been increasing, indicating a higher need for healthcare services and pension payouts.
- India's growth trajectory has not been significantly impacted by demographic factors historically, but efforts to maximize productivity and create opportunities can change that.
- Technological and institutional innovations can ameliorate the effects of population aging.
- India has an opportunity to tap into China's worsening demographic and seize the moment, potentially surpassing Vietnam and Indonesia.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
### Summary
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal believes that India will become the engine of global growth, with its economy projected to reach $35 trillion by 2047. India's young population and vibrant democracy are key factors contributing to its sustainable and inclusive growth.
### Facts
- India is expected to become the growth engine of the world, according to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
- The country's GDP is projected to reach $35 trillion by 2047, offering significant business opportunities.
- With a population of 1.4 billion people, India recently surpassed China as the world's most populous country.
- India's young population, with over 600 million people aged between 18 and 35, is expected to continue for at least the next few decades.
- India is estimated to provide 24.3% of the incremental global workforce over the next decade.
- The country's digital economy has grown rapidly, with initiatives like the Aadhaar program and the Skill India program promoting digital literacy and skills development.
- India aims to create sustainable and inclusive growth, focusing on value creation and becoming a matter of pride and envy.
🇮🇳💼🌍📈🌱
### Summary
China's fiscal revenue rose 11.5% in the first seven months of 2023, but at a slower pace than the previous six months, indicating a loss of economic momentum.
### Facts
- 💰 China's fiscal revenue increased by 11.5% in the first seven months of 2023.
- 💸 Fiscal expenditure grew by 3.3% to 15.2 trillion yuan ($2.10 trillion).
- 📉 In July, fiscal revenue only rose 1.9% year on year, slower than the previous month's increase.
- 📉 Fiscal expenditure fell 0.8% in July, narrowing the decline compared to the previous month.
- 🌍 China's economy grew at a sluggish pace in the second quarter due to weak demand domestically and internationally.
- 📉 The consumer sector in China experienced deflation in July, with analysts predicting persisting price stagnation for the next six to 12 months.
### Summary
India's total exports and imports of goods and services surpassed $800 billion in the first half of 2023, with a healthy growth in the services sector offsetting a slowdown in global demand.
### Facts
- 📈 Exports of goods and services rose by 1.5% to $385.4 billion in January-June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
- 📉 Imports declined by 5.9% to $415.5 billion during the first half of 2023, compared to January-June 2022.
- 💵 Standalone goods exports dropped by 8.1% to $218.7 billion, while imports contracted by 8.3% to $325.7 billion.
- 💼 Services exports grew by 17.7% to $166.7 billion, while imports rose by 3.7% to $89.8 billion during the six-month period.
- 💰 The depreciation of the Indian Rupee didn't prevent the decline in merchandise exports, and weak global demand and loss of competitiveness in labor-intensive sectors contributed to the modest decline.
- 🌍 Several factors, including conflicts, inflation, monetary policies, and financial uncertainty, are expected to weaken world trade in 2023.
- 🛡️ India should focus on increasing product quality and supply chain competitiveness, retain policy space in free trade agreements and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), and be prepared to respond to unilateral policy decisions.
- 📊 Among the product categories contributing to India's exports, 11 out of 29 registered positive export growth, while 18 declined during January-June 2023.
- 📱 Smartphone exports surged to $7.5 billion in the first half of 2023, up from $2.5 billion in the same period in 2022.
- 🌐 India's exports declined in 134 of the 240 countries it exports goods to, with major declines observed in the USA, UAE, China, Bangladesh, and Germany.
- 🌐 India's export promotion should focus on the 41 countries where its exports exceed $1 billion, accounting for 87% of its exports.
- 👥 The top 15 countries with which India has the highest trade deficit include China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Switzerland.
- 📉 The share of free trade agreement partners in India's merchandise exports decreased from 30.1% in the first half of 2022 to 26.8% in 2023.
- ⛽ Import of crude petroleum declined by 7.6% to $73.2 billion in January-June 2023, with Russia's share in India's import of petroleum crude increasing significantly.
- 🌍 Import growth from major suppliers like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE declined during this period.
China is facing a severe economic downturn, with record youth unemployment, a slumping housing market, stagnant spending, and deflation, which has led to a sense of despair and reluctance to spend among consumers and business owners, potentially fueling a dangerous cycle.
China's economy, which has been a model of growth for the past 40 years, is facing deep distress and its long era of rapid economic expansion may be coming to an end, marked by slow growth, unfavorable demographics, and a growing divide with the US and its allies, according to the Wall Street Journal.
China's economy has slipped into deflation for the first time in two years, raising concerns about its post-pandemic recovery and drawing comparisons to Japan's struggles with stagnant growth and deflation in the 1990s, as China faces challenges in its property sector and a need to shift towards consumer spending.
China's economy is at risk of entering a debt-deflation loop, similar to Japan's in the 1990s, but this can be avoided if policymakers keep interest rates below a crucial level to stimulate economic growth.
India's economic growth likely accelerated to 7.7% in the April-June quarter, driven by strong service sector growth, high demand, and increased government capital expenditure, according to a Reuters poll.
India aims to become a $35 trillion economy in 25 years, with a plan to add $30 trillion to its economy in the coming years, according to Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
India's economy is experiencing consistent growth, and is predicted to become the fourth-largest economy within 18 months and the third-largest by 2028, driven by strong fundamentals and infrastructure development, while successfully reducing poverty; however, further reforms in areas such as patents, judicial, administrative, and process reforms are needed to boost economic growth.
China's economy is struggling due to an imbalance between investments and consumption, resulting in increased debt and limited household spending, and without a shift towards consumption and increased policy measures, the economic slowdown may have profound consequences for China and the world.
Forecasters have decreased their growth expectations for China due to deflation, rising youth unemployment, and a property-market crisis, with GDP predicted to rise by only 5.1% in 2023 and 4.5% in 2024.
China's economy will struggle with low growth under 5% through 2024, leading to a "structural hard landing" due to tight monetary policy, disappointing economic reopening, and challenges in real estate and stock markets, according to TS Lombard strategists.
India's GDP grew at a rate of 7.8% in the April-June period, fueled by a strong services sector and government infrastructure spending.
The economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam highlights India's challenges in achieving sustained economic growth, addressing social and economic disparities, and integrating with China and ASEAN. He emphasizes the need for India to focus on education, increase exports, reform employment and land acquisition laws, and take advantage of its untapped potential.
India's GDP growth reached a four-quarter high of 7.8% in Q1FY24, with private consumption and services picking up pace, but challenges lie ahead with the sustainability of services growth and concerns over the monsoon and agriculture sector.
China's economy has faced numerous challenges in 2023, including deflation and a property crisis, but another significant threat is the increasing number of wealthy individuals leaving the country, contributing to a brain drain.
The prospect of a prolonged economic slump in China poses a serious threat to global growth, potentially changing fundamental aspects of the global economy, affecting debt markets and supply chains, and impacting emerging markets and the United States.
Forecasts for China's economic growth in 2023 and 2024 have been cut, potentially hindering the country's goal of becoming a "medium-developed country" by 2035 and surpassing the US as the world's No.1 economy.
India's economic rise is seen as inevitable due to factors such as a consumer boom, context-appropriate innovation, a green transition, a demographic dividend, access to finance, major infrastructure upgrades, policy reforms, geopolitical positioning, and a diaspora dividend, although challenges such as unbalanced growth, unrealized demographic potential, and unrealized ease-of-business and innovation potential still need to be addressed.
China's economic growth has slowed but has not collapsed, and while there are concerns about financial risks and a potential property crisis, there are also bright spots such as the growth of the new energy and technology sectors that could boost the economy.
Policymakers expect slower growth in China, potentially below 4%, as the country transitions to a consumption-driven economy, which could have a negative impact on the global economy and alleviate inflationary pressures.
The global economy is slowing down, but India and other developing countries are experiencing strong growth, while the G7 countries and China are struggling; however, the growth in developing countries is being engineered under conservative fiscal conditions, making it more sustainable, in contrast to the debt-fueled growth in the West and China. China's economic model is facing challenges, as it needs to shift from an investment-based model to a consumption-based one, but it lacks the administrative capacity to provide necessary services to its citizens. The world economy is experiencing a redistribution of power, with rising middle powers playing major powers against each other to secure concessions. While the world economy slows down, there are signs of improvement for individuals, with real wages turning positive in Western countries and labor's bargaining power increasing.
India's industrial output rose 5.7% in July, its fastest pace in five months, driven by strong mining and electricity activity, but high inflation and slowing pent-up demand may hinder future growth.
India's economic growth is estimated to be closer to 7.5%, with the country's first quarter growth at 7.8%, reflecting India's increasing stature in the world.
With the right reforms, India has the potential to become the next engine of global growth, benefiting from major economic re-alignments caused by China's slowdown and the US diversifying its supply chains. Major corporations are already investing in India, recognizing its potential. However, India needs to overcome challenges such as high tariffs, infrastructure improvements, and regional cooperation to fully realize its manufacturing potential and attract foreign investment.
India's goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy may be challenged as economists predict that nominal GDP growth may fall below the budgeted estimate of 10.5% for the current fiscal year, primarily due to subdued wholesale inflation.
The Asian Development Bank has lowered India's GDP growth forecast for FY 2023-24 to 6.3% due to the impact of extreme rainfall patterns on agriculture, while maintaining a growth projection of 6.7% for FY 2024-25, citing corporate profitability and strong bank credit as key factors. Additionally, the bank expects inflation to moderate and retail sales to be affected by food inflation, while India's external trade is expected to be affected by weak global demand. Despite these challenges, India's GDP growth outlook remains higher compared to its Asian peers.
The latest State of Working India report reveals that economic growth in India has led to a decrease in job disparities and greater upward mobility, but job creation has not kept pace with GDP growth, particularly in the manufacturing sector, and there are deep divides in pay across gender, caste, and religion. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased reliance on agriculture and self-employment, particularly among women.
India is expected to be the fastest-growing major economy this fiscal year, but the forecasted growth is still below potential and risks are skewed to the downside, with a drier than normal monsoon season and sluggish private consumption acting as restraints; however, economists predict that the Reserve Bank of India will cut rates in the second quarter of next year.
India's labor force lags behind China's, with a labor force participation rate of only 51% compared to China's 76%, and India will need a participation rate of over 70% by 2030 to match China's labor force size, according to Oxford Economics; the country's low labor rate and productivity are attributed to inadequate education and health care standards.
India's GDP growth is expected to moderate over the next few quarters, with a projected growth rate of around 7% in the second quarter and a slowdown to around 4.5-5% in the second half of the year. Factors such as the fluctuating monsoon, lower reservoir levels, cautious rural demand, and the impact of monetary tightening are likely to contribute to this moderation in growth. The writer predicts a full-year GDP expansion of 6%, with future growth depending on factors such as the outcome of the next election.
The World Bank predicts a growth rate of 5.1% for China's economy this year, but has downgraded its growth forecast for 2024 due to China's faltering post-COVID bounce, elevated debt, weakness in the property sector, and structural factors.
China's economic slowdown, driven by a real estate crisis and prolonged Covid-19 measures, is raising doubts about its status as the largest economy in the world by 2030, while India is emerging as a promising economic powerhouse and attracting significant investments.
Asia's competitive advantage has shifted from cheap labor to industrial services, including logistics, waste management, and data centers, according to a report by KKR's heads of global and Asia macro, who believe that the demand for infrastructure and logistics in countries like India, China, Japan, and others will continue to accelerate. Japan, in particular, is experiencing a capex cycle and corporate reform that is boosting shareholder returns, making it an attractive investment opportunity. Meanwhile, India is witnessing significant growth in infrastructure investment and exports, leading to increased productivity and economic growth. China's economy is undergoing a transition, with a growing digital economy and emphasis on decarbonization.
The US economy is predicted to slow down by mid next year, which will have a negative impact on global GDP, according to Neelkanth Mishra, Chief Economist for Axis Bank. Mishra also mentioned that China will grow slowly but not collapse, while India will be affected through various pathways such as a decline in services growth, goods demand, dumping of products, and financial market volatility. However, he believes that India's trajectory looks good in the next 5-7 years.
The Chinese economy is predicted to grow about 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, surpassing the 5 percent annual growth target, driven by unleashed services consumption potential, accelerated infrastructure investment, and growth in high-tech and private manufacturing investment, according to the BOC Research Institute.
India's economy needs to grow at a rate of 8% per year and focus on investment in traditional sectors in order to surpass China as the largest contributor to the global economy, according to Barclays.
