India is projected to emerge as the most resilient economy among the world's 10 leading economies during 2026-30, with a score of 71 out of 100, followed by China at 66, according to an ASSOCHAM report. Japan and Russia jointly ranked third with 60 points each, followed by Germany (59), Italy and Brazil (53 each), the UK (52), France (40) and the US (36), the report titled ''India's Economic Edge in the Top Ten Economies'' said.
The assessment by the industry lobby is based on 10 macroeconomic indicators, including real GDP growth, export growth, current account balance, government debt, fiscal balances, real GDP per capita growth, gross national savings and gross capital formation.
Using data from the International Monetary Fund''s World Economic Outlook database, the industry lobby ranked the 10 economies on each indicator, with the best-performing country receiving the top rank. These rankings were converted into marks and aggregated to arrive at the overall score.
The analysis covers 2021-25 as the retrospective period and 2026-30 as the forward-looking period, with 2025 and 2026 also assessed as individual years.
India secured the top position for 2026-30 on the back of its first rank in real GDP growth and real GDP per capita growth. It ranked second in gross savings and gross capital formation, third in export growth and debt-to-GDP ratio, fifth in primary fiscal balance, seventh in current account balance and structural fiscal balance, and eighth in overall fiscal balance.
China, which ranked second overall, secured the first position in export growth, gross savings and gross capital formation, and second in real GDP growth and real GDP per capita growth.
"India's economic performance reflects the contributions of its policymakers, businesses and workforce. Sustaining reforms, boosting private investment, expanding manufacturing and exports, and developing a globally competitive workforce will be key to the country's continued progress," said S P Sharma, Chief Economist, ASSOCHAM.
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Stressing the need to reduce costs, Sharma said, "Policy should now take ease of doing business to the ground level, with more visibility for MSMEs.
Cutting the cost of capital, power, compliance, logistics and labour will level the playing field at home and keep India the most resilient of the leading economies."
During 2021-25, India scored 66 out of 100 and ranked third among the 10 economies, behind Russia (74) and China (71). Germany scored 59, Japan 57, Italy 52, France 50, Brazil 49, the UK 40 and the US 32.
India's position has thus improved from third in 2021-25 to first in the 2026-30 assessment, with its score rising from 66 to 71, the report said.