India: Home to the World’s Fastest Growing Cities

An Oxford Economics study surveyed 780 cities worldwide looking for the major urban economies of the future. Across the globe, the study found that the urban centers with the fastest projected GDP growth are all located in India. Surat in Gujarat, known for diamond cutting and polishing, tops the list with a growth rate of almost 9.2 percent projected between 2019 and 2035. Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, follows and the Silicon Valley and IT capital of the country – Bangalore - comes in third place.

Of the cities listed, Bangalore had the highest GDP in 2018 with 70.8 billion U.S. dollars. Hyderabad, another southern tech-hub producing 50.6 billion dollars in GDP, followed in second place.

Phnom Penh was the highest listed city outside of India with a growth rate projected at 8.1 percent, ahead of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania with 7.8 percent.

With India dominating fastest growth and China leading projected GDP in 2035 with four of its cities, experts argue that the economic pendulum of the world might swing from West to East.