India Surpasses Japan To Become World’s 4th Largest Economy With $4 Trillion GDP, Says NITI Aayog CEO

India has officially overtaken Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the world, according to BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog.

Citing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Subrahmanyam announced the milestone during a press conference at the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting held on the theme ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat 2047’.

“We are the fourth largest economy as I speak. We are a $4 trillion economy as I speak, and this is not my data. This is IMF data. India today is larger than Japan. It's only the United States, China, and Germany which are larger,” Subrahmanyam said.

IMF Forecasts Reinforce India’s Rise
The development is backed by the IMF’s April 2025 edition of the World Economic Outlook report, which projects India’s nominal GDP for FY26 to reach approximately $4,187 billion—slightly ahead of Japan’s estimated $4,186 billion. Until 2024, India was ranked fifth globally.

The IMF further estimates that India will grow at 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026, maintaining its position as the fastest-growing large economy. In contrast, global economic growth is expected to be significantly lower, at 2.8% and 3.0% for the same years respectively.

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India at a Turning Point, Says NITI Aayog CEO
Subrahmanyam emphasised that India is at a pivotal stage in its economic journey. “If we stick to what is being planned, what is being thought through, it's a matter of another 2, 2.5 to 3 years; we would become the third largest economy,” he said.
 

He also shared key takeaways from the Council Meeting, noting that discussions revolved around major sectors including manufacturing, services, rural and non-farm development, urban transformation, informal sector challenges, and priorities like the green and circular economy.

Subrahmanyam highlighted the presence of sub-themes such as manufacturing services, rural and non-farm sectors, urban development, informal economy, and the green economy, including the circular economy.

(With Inputs From ANI)