SME Times News Bureau | 13 Apr, 2021
The restrictions and partial lockdowns in several states and
cities amid rising Covid-19 cases are likely to impact economic activities in
the current quarter (April-June), according to a Goldman Sachs report.
Another report by Moody’s, however, said that Impact on
India's economic activity is expected to be less severe than that seen in 2020
due to the focus on "micro-containment zones" to deal with the
current wave of Covid infections as opposed to a nationwide lockdown.
The Goldman Sachs report said that the
containment restrictions are likely to be more targeted with impact on specific
services such as food and beverages, leisure and recreation, and transport, but
with limited spillovers into other sectors such as construction and
manufacturing.
"While these restrictions are likely to hit activity in Q2, we think
activity is likely to rebound sharply from Q3 onwards as containment policies
normalise," it said.
"Consequently, our economists have revised down their overall CY21 real
GDP growth forecast to 10.5 per cent (from 10.9 per cent previously) but remain
above the consensus forecast of 9.4 per cent."
It also said that the domestic fiscal policy and government spending are likely
to continue supporting growth in the coming months.
Globally, Goldman Sachs' economists remain optimistic about a rebound in the
global economy and expect very strong GDP growth in 2021. A strong recovery in
global growth provides a supportive backdrop for India's macro and cyclical
recovery too, it said.
In its report, Moody's Investors Service viewed
India's very low coronavirus death count and "relatively very young
population" also help mitigate risks.
"GDP is still likely to grow in the double digits in 2021 given the low
level of activity in 2020," said Moody's Investors Service.
"Vaccination will be a key element in managing the second wave as the
authorities balance virus management against maintaining economic activity.
India began its vaccination drive in mid-January and had administered 100
million doses of the coronavirus vaccine as of April 10, becoming the fastest
country to reach that threshold so far."
However, a shortage of vaccines and India's nearly 1.4 billion person
population, which includes many people living in rural, more remote locations,
could slow progress of the vaccine rollout, it said.
As of early April, around 7 per cent of the population had been inoculated. The
vaccination drive was expanded to all citizens aged 45 years and above - about
25 per cent of the population as of 2019 - from April 1.
Furthermore, workplace vaccination centres were also launched on April 11,
which the government expects to facilitate inoculation among workers, while
minimising risk.
"India has prioritised domestic vaccine distribution, delaying exports,
amid the resurgence in coronavirus infections," it said.
"On April 11, the government also placed a temporary prohibition on the
export of remdesivir, which is used in the treatment of coronavirus
patients."
India has been experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections since
March.
Daily new reported cases for the month totalled 1.1 million, jumping from the
0.4 million cases reported in February, which was the lowest since the
country's 2.6 million peak in September 2020 during the first wave.
"The state of Maharashtra, the epicentre of the second surge, accounted
for close to 50 per cent of the active case load as of April 12.
"Other states and territories including Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi
and Karnataka have also reported a sharp rise in daily cases."
In addition, several states announced curfews and weekend lockdowns as India's
daily new cases crossed the 100,000 mark for the first time on April 4.
"On April 5, the state of Maharashtra imposed fresh emergency measures,
effectively placing one of the country's most populous states and centers of
economic activity back into a partial lockdown, with the closure of nonessential
businesses, a curfew and capacity restrictions."