Shafaqna English- According to an IMF official, India’s economic expansion in fiscal 2026/27 is threatened by two major external shocks: the escalation of conflict across the Middle East—which is pushing crude prices higher—and the disruption of seasonal rainfall patterns due to El Nino, both of which could significantly dent growth prospects. India, which ranks as Asia’s third-largest economy, sources about four-fifths of its petroleum requirements from abroad, rendering it acutely susceptible to external supply disruptions that can undermine industrial output and fuel broader inflationary trends. www.shafaqna.com