New Delhi, Aug. 21 -- India's private sector economy expanded at its fastest pace on record in August, buoyed by a surge in new orders, according to HSBC's flash Purchasing Managers' Index survey released Thursday.

The HSBC flash India Composite Output Index, which tracks month-on-month changes in combined output across manufacturing and services, jumped to 65.2 in August from 61.1 in July.

"India's private sector economy posted its sharpest expansion since survey data were first collected in December 2005 during August," it said.

The final PMI data for August will be released early next month.

The four-point increase marked the sharpest expansion since the survey began in December 2005, said the latest flash survey.

The acceleration...