DOMINION Bond Rating Service (DBRS), the Canada based credit rating agency, has for the first time, upgraded the trend of India’s Long Term foreign and local currency debt ratings from BBB (low) Negative to stable outlook. DBRS, an international sovereign credit rating agency, has been rating India’s debt since June 2007. Elaborating on the upgrade in the credit rating trend for India, DBRS has appreciated the efforts of the Government of India stating that there is “evidence of a stronger commitment to fiscal deficit reduction [in the] 2011-12 Budget”.

It notes that “Government is addressing the country’s infrastructure deficit by spending USD 514 billion, or 9% of GDP, on infrastructure between 2007-2012, and an additional USD 1 trillion from 2013-2017, approximately one-half of which may come from the private sector and public-private partnerships”. It has also highlighted the possibility of the new direct tax code (DTC) contributing to improved tax efficiency and the national identification card increasing labour market formality, raising tax compliance and streamlining subsidies and social security expenditures.

DBRS has pointed out that “India’s fiscal and monetary policy response to the global credit crisis helped restore the economy to a path of higher growth. The economy has weathered the global credit crisis relatively well, and a strong private sector-led recovery has returned India’s growth rates to pre-crisis levels.” It has recognised that India has adopted a more responsible medium-term fiscal policy and commitment to debt reduction which bodes well for the ratings.