New Delhi, May 26 -- A wave of excitement spread across social media following reports that India had "officially" surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy. These reports were based on a recent statement by Niti Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam, who cited data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, the same IMF data suggests these celebrations may be somewhat premature.

According to the IMF's April 2025 World Economic Outlook, India's GDP is projected to have touched $3.94 trillion during FY25, while Japan's GDP for calendar year 2024 is estimated at $4.026 trillion. By these numbers, India remains the world's fifth-largest economy-for now.

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