Asia Regional Integration Center

In fiscal year 2017, economic growth rose to 6.8% in 2017 from stronger agriculture, growth in exports, robust private consumption, with investment continuing to soften. Inflation eased to 5.3% while the current account surplus widened to 5.0% of GDP. With continued economic reform, growth should be sustained this year and accelerate to 7.2% in 2019. Estimates see inflation up to 6.2% and the current account deficit widening further to 5.4% of GDP in 2018. By pursuing reform to improve the business environment, policy makers can sustain the sizable foreign direct investment needed over the medium term to finance the current account deficit.