Washington: Legendary investor and Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett is bullish on India. Presiding over the company's annual meeting on Sunday, the nonagenarian investor said there are loads of opportunities in India.
To a question on whether his company Berkshire was actively looking for opportunities in India, Buffett, without getting into specifics, said there are unexplored or unattended to opportunities and areas in India.
Berkshire Hathaway's business and investment model is focused on acquiring and managing businesses across multiple industries. "In India, I am sure that there are loads of opportunities in a place like India, and the question is do we have any advantage, in either insights into those businesses or contacts that will make possible for some transactions that participants in India would particularly want us to participate," the nonagenarian investor said.
"I would say that's something that more energetic management at Berkshire could pursue because we do have a reputation now and is known around the world and our Japanese experience has been fascinating. In that respect, so there may be an unexplored or unattended to opportunities and area (in India)," he added.
Hinting at a foray in India, he said it would not take much time before it pursues opportunities in the country He added Berkshire's new management will decide on investments in India.
"We will see how the next management plays the game out at Berkshire and fortunately you don't have too long to wait on that generally," he said. Firm GDP growth forecasts, inflation at manageable levels, political stability at the central government level, and appreciable central bank monetary policy, have all contributed to painting a bright picture for the Indian economy in recent quarters.
India's GDP grew at a massive 8.4 per cent during the October-December quarter of the current financial year 2023-24, and the country continued to remain the fastest-growing major economy and is poised to maintain its growth trajectory going ahead.
India is set to remain the fastest-growing among major economies in 2024, according to latest International Monetary Fund's latest World Economic Outlook. IMF, in its latest outlook, raised India's growth projections for 2024 from 6.5 per cent to 6.8 per cent.
India's economy grew 7.2 per cent in 2022-23 and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22, respectively. India's GDP is currently ranked 5th, after the US, China, Germany, and Japan, and is projected to become the third in a few years.
Why the billionaire is interested in India?
Unaware of the possibilities India now provides for global investors and global conglomerates, Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of global investment major Berkshire Hathaway, needs to have a fresh look at a country which is set to become the third-largest economy in the world with a GDP of $5 trillion.
In the last 10 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has progressed well across all economic parameters and is now the fifth-largest nation with a GDP of around $3.7 trillion (estimate FY24). A decade ago, the country was the 10th largest economy, with a GDP of $1.9 trillion (current market prices).
According to the Finance Ministry, "This 10-year journey is marked by several reforms, both substantive and incremental, which have significantly contributed to the country's economic progress”. Buffett said, "In India, I am sure that there are loads of opportunities” and the question is “do we have any advantage, in either insight into those businesses or contacts that will make possible for some transactions that participants in India would particularly want us to participate”.
As Buffett looks for a possible entry into the country, India’s GDP growth is set to attain a new peak, sectors like manufacturing and automobiles have started looking up again, and the GST collections are gaining new highs. According to the latest RBI data, India’s GDP growth has early signs of rising above 7 per cent -- recorded during the 2020s before the pandemic.
The latest IMF data shows that in 2004, India's per capita GDP was $635. The country's per capita GDP in 2024 has shot up to $2,850, which works out to 42 per cent of the $6,770 for its peer countries. According to an HSBC survey released earlier this month, India's manufacturing sector continued to grow at a robust pace in April, on the back of strong demand. Moreover, the country remains the third largest tech startup ecosystem globally, with over one lakh startups and more than 100 unicorns, despite global challenges.
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