India's industrial output surged at its strongest pace in almost 20 years in December, official data showed Friday, as the economic recovery picked up steam due to hefty stimulus measures.
Production by the country's mines, factories and utilities rose 16.8 percent in December from a year earlier, the best rise since March 1990 and outstripping analysts' forecasts of 12 percent.
The strong numbers were expected to boost arguments for the government to start rolling back the stimulus measures that helped shield the economy from the worst of the global downturn in the budget due at the end of the month.
Industrial output in Asia's third-largest economy was now robust, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said a day before the figures were released.
Output "is sustaining" and "most of the sectors which had demonstrated their resilience and capacity to grow have further improved", Sharma said.
