India’s GDP to Surpass Germany, Japan by 2027: NITI Aayog CEO

India's economy is poised to become the third-largest in the world within the next three years, overtaking Germany and Japan, according to NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam. Speaking at an event on Thursday, he projected that by 2047, India could emerge as the world’s second-largest economy with a GDP of $30 trillion.

“Currently, the Indian economy is the fifth largest in the world. By the end of next year, we will be fourth, and the year after that, third,” Subrahmanyam stated, citing the latest data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which pegs India’s current GDP at $4.3 trillion.

Highlighting India’s potential as a global education hub, Subrahmanyam emphasized the country’s democratic framework as its biggest asset. “Keeping everything else aside, democracy is India’s biggest advantage,” he said.

He also underscored the evolving nature of India's economic challenges, noting that as a middle-income country, India must focus on becoming a knowledge-driven economy. “It’s no longer about feeding the poor or clothing the naked. The challenge now is about becoming a knowledge economy,” he explained.

Subrahmanyam further called on Indian companies—including legal and accounting firms—to set their sights on global leadership.

On demographic trends, he pointed out that India stands out as a steady source of working-age talent in a world grappling with shrinking populations. “Japan is taking 15,000 Indian nurses, Germany is taking 20,000 healthcare workers. Their populations are declining, and family systems have broken down,” he said. “India will be a stable supplier of working-age people across the world—this is going to be our single biggest strength.”

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