In the last seven years or so (i.e., since 2004) India has emerged as one of the fastest growing economy of the world. In fact, next to China, India’s growth rate since 2004 is the highest in the world. This is often referred to as India’s growth miracle.

Before Eighties of the last century India’s average growth rate stuck around 3.6 per cent per annum which Late Prof. Raj Krishna called Hindu rate of growth. In the eighties India’s average rate of economic growth rose to 5.6 per cent per annum and further in the nineteenth and up till 2002-03 (i.e. in 12 years period). India’s average growth rate went up to 6.2% per annum under liberalisation and globalisa­tion of the Indian economy.

But since 2004 to FY 2007-08 India’s average annual growth rate of GDP rose above 9 per cent per annum. In 2008-09 while the advanced developed countries were experiencing recession (i.e. negative growth), India succeeded in achieving 6.7 per cent growth in 2008-09 which further rose to 8.4 per cent in 2009-10 and 2010-11. However, for the reasons explained later, estimated rate of growth of GDP in 2011-12 fell to 6.5 per cent and for 2012-13 also India’s growth rate is again estimated by Reserve Bank of India to be 6.5 per cent.Rate of Domestic Saving and Fixed Capital FormationNow the question is how do we account for such a high growth in GDP from 2004-05 to 2010-11. Growth depends mainly on rate of saving and investment (or, in other words, on rate of capital formation), and improvement in technology or capital output ratio. In India such as other emerging economies, China, Indonesia and South Korea, it is increase in rate of saving and investment (i.e., rate of capital formation) that brought about a sharp growth in GDP since 2004.

Rates of saving and capital formation and GDP growth are given in Table 42.3 Prior to 2003-04 rate of saving in India since 1991 when economic