The regional economy is expected to grow 4.9% this year, compared with a previous forecast of 4.7% in September, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) December 2023,. The outlook for next year is maintained at 4.8%, the statement added.
The PRC’s economy is projected to expand by 5.2% this year, compared with a previous forecast of 4.9%, after household consumption and public investment boosted growth in the third quarter. The growth outlook for India has been raised to 6.7% from 6.3% following faster-than-expected expansion in July-September, driven by double-digit growth in industry. The upgrades for the PRC and India more than offset a lowering of the forecast for Southeast Asia, caused by lackluster performance in the manufacturing sector.
“Developing Asia continues to grow at a robust pace, despite a challenging global environment,” said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park. “Inflation in the region is also gradually coming under control. Still, risks remain, from elevated global interest rates to climate events such as El Niño. Governments in Asia and the Pacific need to remain vigilant to ensure that their economies are resilient, and that growth is sustainable.”
The region’s inflation outlook for this year has been lowered to 3.5% from an earlier projection of 3.6%, according to ADO December 2023. For next year, inflation is expected to edge up to 3.6%, compared with a previous forecast of 3.5%.
The growth outlook for Southeast Asia this year has been lowered to 4.3% from 4.6%, amid weak demand for manufacturing exports. The outlook for economies in the Caucasus and Central Asia has been raised slightly, while projections for Pacific economies are unchanged.
India and China could resume direct passenger flights as early as September, with an announcement expected during Narendra Modi’s late-August visit to China.
In a world where geography often determines economic destiny, Uzbekistan — one of the world’s few double landlocked countries — is proving that location constraints are not a verdict. On the contrary, Uzbekistan is transforming its Central Asian position into a strategic advantage, opening doors to international business, building platforms for B2B interaction, and attracting billions of dollars in investment.