Sharp slowdown in India weakens GDP of South Asia: WB

Sharp slowdown in the Indian economy has weakened the growth rate of South Asia, the World Bank has said in a report.

According the Global Economic Prospects 2013, released on Tuesday, economic growth in the region dropped to an estimated 5.4% in 2012 from 7.4% the previous year.

This is mainly due to a sharp slowdown in India, where GDP growth is forecast at 5.4% in the fiscal year ending March 2013, the bank said.

It added that weak global demand exacerbated region- specific factors, including subdued investment growth, electricity shortages, policy uncertainties, and a weak monsoon.

"Regional GDP is projected to grow by 5.7% in the 2013 calendar year, and by 6.4 and 6.7% in 2014 and 2015, respectively, driven by policy reforms in India, stronger investment activity, normal agricultural production, and improvement in export demand.

Growth in India (at factor cost) is projected at 6.4% in the 2013 fiscal year, rising to 7.3% by 2015," the report said.

According to the report, in India, the region's largest economy, growth measured in factor cost terms is projected to decelerate to 5.4% in the 2012 fiscal year (ending in March 2013) from 6.5% in the 2011 fiscal year.

"Growth in Pakistan, the second largest economy in the region, remained broadly stable at a projected 3.8% in the 2012-13 fiscal year compared with 3.7% in 2011-12.

Bangladesh's growth is projected to slow to 5.8% in 2012-13 (6.3% in 2011-12) and Nepal's growth to 3.8% in 2012-13 (4.6% in 2011-12)," it said.

Sri Lanka's GDP growth slowed to an estimated 6.1% in 2012 (8.3% in 2011).

In contrast, Afghanistan's economy grew robustly by about 11 percent mostly due to a good harvest, the report said.