Davos/KLosters: Addressing an audience of international policymakers, investors and industry leaders at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said India’s rapid and broad-based economic expansion has put it on a trajectory to become the world’s third-largest economy very soon.
He said the country’s growth momentum is gaining strength across manufacturing, services and structural reforms, helping propel it up the global economic rankings.
Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, Yadav — whose appearance is part of a wider push by Indian states to showcase investment potential globally — said India is expected to shift from the **fourth to the third spot in global GDP rankings within the next 12–18 months, reflecting both strong domestic demand and international confidence in its growth model.
“Our progress across all sectors underscores the trust global investors are placing in India’s economic future,” Yadav told delegates, adding that states like Madhya Pradesh are actively aligning with national growth strategies to attract capital and drive job-creating investments.
The optimism echoed broader discussions at Davos, where Indian leaders and global analysts highlighted recent IMF and other forecasts that project sustained growth rates above global averages, underpinning predictions that India could surpass Germany’s economy to take third place in the coming few years.
India’s ascent up the global economic ladder — from the 10th largest economy a decade ago to the fourth today — reflects structural reforms, robust consumption demand and increasing integration into global value chains. Economists at Davos emphasised that while headline rankings are important, long-term growth will depend on translating aggregate GDP gains into rising per-capita incomes and productivity.
As states like Madhya Pradesh press for deeper global engagement and investment partnerships, India’s message at WEF 2026 was clear: the question is no longer if India will become a top-three economy, but how quickly it can translate this milestone into widespread prosperity and structural competitiveness.