Elephant starts running: Q1 GDP growth soars to 9-quarter high of 8.2%

The services sector grew at a slightly slower pace of 7.3% in Q1FY19

Spurred by manufacturing, India’s economic growth rose to a nine-quarter high of 8.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2018-19, surpassing analysts’ expectations.

Gross domestic product (GDP) had earlier grown by 7.7 per cent in Q4FY18.

With China's growth coming down to 6.7 per cent in April-June 2018 from 6.8 per cent in January-March of the year, India remained the fastest-growing large economy in the world.

Manufacturing grew at a nine-quarter high of 13.5 per cent largely owing to a low base effect, while the services sector expanded at a slower pace.

However, economists remained sceptical of sustaining the