New Delhi: India has been ranked the sixth-largest economy in the world, with a nominal GDP of $3.92 trillion for 2025-26, according to data cited by the government from the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) April 2026 World Economic Outlook.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary shared the figures in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The latest IMF projections place Japan and the United Kingdom ahead of India, resulting in India moving from the fourth position it had previously occupied to sixth.
How India’s Global Ranking Changed
Chaudhary explained that the IMF’s ranking is based on nominal GDP measured at current US dollar exchange rates. He noted that rankings can change because of several factors, including movements in currency exchange rates, price levels, revisions to national accounts and changes in the growth rates of major economies.
India had overtaken the United Kingdom in 2022 to become the world’s fifth-largest economy based on nominal GDP. Later, according to the government’s year-end economic review released on December 30, 2025, India’s economy was estimated to have surpassed Japan, putting it in fourth place with a GDP of around $4.18 trillion.
The latest IMF assessment, however, puts India behind both Japan and the UK for 2025-26.
Government Outlines Plan To Boost Economic Growth
Despite the change in its global ranking, the government has outlined several measures aimed at strengthening India’s long-term economic growth.
Chaudhary said manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) remain key areas of focus. The government is also relying on initiatives such as the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, measures to ease Quality Control Orders and efforts to increase agricultural output.
Infrastructure development and improvements in logistics are another major part of the government’s strategy. Initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy are being used to improve connectivity and logistics efficiency while supporting digitalisation, innovation and research.
The government is also seeking to encourage investment through higher public capital expenditure, a more liberal foreign direct investment framework and reforms related to direct taxation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The government has maintained that these measures are intended to strengthen India’s productive capacity and create the conditions for sustained economic expansion over the coming years.
