India needs more stimulus to battle Covid impact: IMF

The impact of Covid-19 pandemic is significant on Indias development and the immediate priority is a coordinated policy response, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

“Given the unprecedented shock, the immediate priority is a coordinated policy response to fight the virus,” said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice at a press briefing here on Thursday (local time).

He said the IMF supports the governments responses to the pandemic, including fiscal stimulus with a focus on low-income workers and households.

“We support the monetary easing and liquidity and regulatory measures for the financial sector for borrowers that have taken place. And maybe just to add, in this context, we believe further fiscal stimulus is warranted — especially expenditures on health, food and income support for vulnerable households, and support for businesses.”

The preliminary GDP estimate for 2020 second-quarter performance in India came in weaker than expected at around minus 23.9 per cent year-on-year, reflecting the severe impact of the pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns, he said.