India's star shines bright: IMF chief Christine Lagarde

Appreciating continuing reform process in the country, IMF chief Christine Lagarde Saturday said "India's star shines bright" amid global economic challenges and can deliver nearly two-thirds of the worldwide growth over the next four years despite a slowing momentum.

The world's fastest-growing large economy, she said, is on the verge of having the largest and youngest-ever workforce and, in a decade, set to become the world's most populous country.

"So, India stands at a crucial moment in its history—with an unprecedented opportunity for transformation. Important reforms are already under way," the IMF Managing Director said at a conference on 'Advancing Asia: Investing for the Future' in New Delhi.

"Think, for example, of Make-in-India and Digital India. And with the promise of even more reforms to come, India's star shines bright."

The conference is being organised by the Ministry of Finance and International Monetary Fund (IMF), which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Recalling that India and IMF go back a long way together— India was a founding member of the Fund more than 70 years ago — Lagarde said Asia is the world's most dynamic region and today accounts for 40% of the global economy.

"Over the next four years, even with a slightly declining momentum, it stands to deliver nearly two-thirds of global growth," she added.

Lagarde, who got reelected for the second term as chief of the Washington-headquartered IMF, pointed to the global economy facing many challenges.

These challenges, she said, include volatile markets and capital flows, economic transitions and financial tightening in many countries, the large drop in commodity prices, including oil and escalated geo-political tension.