Fitch upgrades India’s outlook to stable citing ‘rapid’ recovery
- Credit rating firm pares FY23 growth forecast to 7.8%, sees inflation at 6.9%
Stable from Negative rating
- Fitch Ratings raised India’s rating outlook to ‘stable’ from ‘negative’.
- Citing fading downside risks to medium-term growth on account of rapid economic recovery and easing of weaknesses in the financial sector.
- It lowered GDP growth forecast for 2022-23 from 8.5% projected in March to 7.8% due to the impact of inflation.
- Despite near-term headwinds from the global commodity price shock
- Robust growth for India but the country’s public finances remain a credit weakness with the debt ratio broadly stabilising.
- The firm affirmed India’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating at ‘BBB-’ while revising the outlook.
- On account of adequate buffer of forex reserve.
- A BBB rating reflects low expectations of default risk with adequate capacity for payment of financial commitments.
- While high nominal GDP growth has facilitated a near-term reduction in India’s debt-to-GDP ratio.
- The higher subsidies this year and the excise duty cuts on fuel to offset the surge in consumer prices would cost about 0.8% of GDP.
- This would push the fiscal deficit to 6.8% from the Budget target of 6.4%, despite robust revenues.
Prelims Takeaway
- Credit agencies - Indian And International