India tops global growth outlook, slips to 4th in business environment for MNCs: WEF survey

India stands out with strongest growth outlook globally, slips to fourth place in terms of favourable business environment for multinational companies

India has emerged with the strongest growth outlook among economies covered in the World Economic Forum's latest survey of chief economists, even as it slipped to fourth place among the most attractive business environments for multinational companies.

India was ranked second in the previous quarterly Chief Economists' Outlook survey published by the World Economic Forum in May this year.

According to the September edition, 98% of surveyed chief economists expect India's economy to record moderate or stronger growth over the next 12 months, while 74% foresee strong or very strong growth.

India's growth outlook was the strongest among the geographies covered in the survey, marginally ahead of Southeast Asia, where 73% of respondents expected strong or very strong growth.

The survey showed 44% of respondents expecting such growth in Central Asia, while the corresponding share for the US was 31%.

The latest survey found that a majority (56%) of chief economists surveyed expect the global outlook to remain stable or improve, a sharp improvement from May when 89% expected conditions to weaken.

India's growth forecast for 2026-27 was raised to 6.7% in August, with resilient domestic demand supporting the outlook.

"Growth is expected to remain supported by resilient domestic demand, although higher energy prices continue to weigh on the outlook," it said.

However, India's strong growth prospects have not translated into a higher position in the survey's assessment of business environments for multinational enterprises (MNEs).

The United States topped the MNE business environment assessment, with 77% of respondents including it among their top three destinations.

Southeast Asia followed with 57%, while Europe rose to third place with 49%.

India fell from second place in the previous outlook to fourth, with 40% of respondents including it among their top three destinations, down from 56%. China was fifth at 31%.

The WEF said the assessment reflects where chief economists expect multinational enterprises to find the strongest combination of scale, infrastructure, policy capacity and strategic opportunity over the next year.

The survey was conducted among leading chief economists from the public and private sectors between August 4 and 20, 2026.