Addressing a high level debate on `State of the World Economy and Finance in 2012` at the United Nations General Assembly here yesterday, Ahluwalia said the Indian economy grew at an average rate of 9 per cent in the five years prior to the financial crisis of 2008.
The growth slowed down to just over 7 per cent following the crisis. "We believe India has the potential to grow at rates between 8 or 9 per cent for the next twenty years and to do so in an inclusive manner," Ahluwalia said.
"There are many challenges we have to face domestically to achieve this target but we believe we can do so," he added. Ahluwalia said India would be greatly helped if the global environment is supportive, and "we are willing to work with others to make it so".
While the financial crisis slowed growth in developing nations, he said, it was satisfying to note that growth rates have remained more robust than many would have expected, particularly when expansion in the developed countries has been hit hard by the financial crisis.
"This `growth resilience` reflects the fact that large numbers of developing countries now have stronger human and institutional capacities to grow. These economies are not delinked from industrialised countries; the links are strong, but they operate on a higher underlying growth potential," he said.