New Delhi, Nov. 18 -- The Indian economy is likely to end the ongoing financial year on a far stronger note than what was anticipated at its beginning.

An average growth rate of 7.6% in the first half of the financial year has sent economic forecasters back to their spreadsheets and statistical models. Economic growth is now forecast to be close to 7%, or perhaps even higher, unless the six months from October see a sharp slowdown.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India expects consumer price inflation to be 2.6% over the entire year ending in March 2026, or 1.4% lower than what economists at the central bank had forecast in April.

And the current account deficit is likely to be less than 1% of gross domestic product (GDP), though weak i...