This trend indicates that emerging economies like India are becoming key players in the global manufacturing landscape. "Manufacturing production is also increasingly shifting toward emerging market economies—in particular, China and India—as advanced economies lose competitiveness," said the IMF in its report.
The IMF report also noted that there is also a broader shift in consumer behavior from goods to services. This shift is fueling growth in the services sector in both advanced and emerging markets. However, it is simultaneously also leading to a slowdown in manufacturing activity. The
The IMF added that this rebalancing is tending to boost activity in the services sector in advanced and emerging markets but is dampening manufacturing. For India, the IMF projects
On the global front, the IMF pointed out that there has been little change in the overall growth outlook since its April 2024 report. Following the strong post-pandemic rebound, global GDP growth has been hovering around 3% in both the short and medium term.
It said "the global projection for GDP growth has been hovering at about 3%, both in the short and the medium term."
The IMF cautioned that this weak growth is likely to persist, extending beyond the current disinflation period, suggesting that the pandemic may have caused a long-term reduction in potential growth across the global economy. The report also noted the challenges faced by advanced economies while highlighting the opportunities for emerging markets like India and China to strengthen their positions in global manufacturing.