Current Affairs - Economy

India’s retail inflation rose marginally to 4.45% in July 2026, compared with 4.38% in June 2026. The increase was mainly driven by higher food prices, with Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) inflation rising to 5.52% from 5.32% in June. The July figures were based on the revised Consumer Price Index (CPI), which uses 2024 as its base year. Rural retail inflation stood higher at 4.84%, while urban inflation was 3.96%. Among major states, Telangana recorded the highest inflation at 6.32% in July.

The Government of India’s debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 58.2% in FY26, according to data presented in Parliament. This was 210 basis points higher than the government’s target of 56.1% for the year. The Union government’s outstanding liabilities had declined from 61.5% of GDP in FY21 to 58.2% in FY26. For FY27, the government has set a lower debt-to-GDP target of 55.6%, requiring a reduction of around 260 basis points. The ratio is an important indicator of fiscal sustainability, as a lower debt burden provides greater flexibility for government borrowing during economic downturns or emergencies.

The RBI’s 101st Survey of Professional Forecasters, conducted in July 2026, projected India’s real GDP growth for FY27 at 6.6%. This was an upward revision from the earlier estimate of 6.5%, reflecting expectations of continued support from domestic demand, manufacturing, services, and exports. The survey also projected FY27 retail inflation at 5%, merchandise export growth at 7%, and a current account deficit of 1.4% of GDP. The RBI itself later raised its FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.7%, which was 0.1 percentage point higher than the SPF estimate.

GoodWorks Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) on August 09, 2026, to attract ₹5,000 crore in Global Capability Centre (GCC) investments to Karnataka over the next five years. The partnership aims to establish 50 new GCCs and expand existing centres, creating more than 62,500 direct and indirect jobs. It is also expected to generate an annual salary inflow of around ₹2,250 crore and increase demand for 1.25 million sq. ft of commercial real estate. Target markets include North America, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and West Asia.

Andhra Pradesh announced a development plan on August 6, 2026, to attract ₹9.3 lakh crore in total investment through the Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER) project. The state government is expected to contribute ₹3.5 lakh crore to ₹4 lakh crore, while the private sector target is ₹5.3 lakh crore. The ‘Bay City’ project will serve as the primary anchor for regional development. The project extends from Mulapeta Port to the Akhanda Godavari project in Rajahmundry and focuses on AI data centres, hydrogen, clean technology, renewable energy, port-related industries and tourism. The initiative aims to accelerate economic growth across the region.