Global shocks could weigh on India's economic performance in the first quarter of financial year 2026-27, but the country's long-term growth trajectory remains intact, Abhishek Rara, Partner at Price Waterhouse LLP, told ANI on 11 July 2026. Speaking on the sidelines of an industry discussion on corporate governance and financial reporting, Rara was direct about the uncertainty but unambiguous on the bigger picture. "We do have certain uncertainty," he said. "But if you see this quarter's performance and look at the long-term growth, and with all the projections coming out from various agencies, it's clear that India will continue to grow north of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent on a sustainable basis over a period of time."
That headline number matters to working professionals because sustained GDP growth at that pace tends to translate into hiring, wage movement, and expansion of the sectors where most urban Indians work. The Asian Development Bank projects India's GDP to grow 6.9 per cent in FY2026, moderating slightly from 7.6 per cent the previous year, before picking up again to 7.3 per cent in FY2027. Goldman Sachs Research puts its own FY2026 forecast at 6.9 per cent, citing the new US-India trade deal and easier financial conditions as potential tailwinds for private investment.
For people in white-collar roles, the more immediate story is where the jobs and pay growth are heading. Services, which drove much of recent growth, saw financial and real estate services expand at 9.9 per cent in FY26. Manufacturing accelerated to 7 per cent in the same period. The ADB expects services to keep growing, supported by global capability centres and demand for high-value business work. Separately, industry observers note a widening digital premium in salaries, where workers with genuine AI, data, and cloud skills are seeing stronger pay movement than those without, regardless of years of experience.
The risks are real and worth naming. The OECD projects slightly lower growth of 6.3 per cent for FY2026-27 and flags that employment growth and labour market participation could weaken if energy prices stay high and inflation picks up. The near term may feel bumpier than the headline numbers suggest. But if the consensus holds, the structural case for India adding jobs and creating opportunities in technology-driven work remains one of the more durable bets professionals can plan around.
