New Delhi - The Indian economy was expected to grow at a fast pace despite the global economic slowdown, thanks to demand from its more than 1 billion people and reform policies, President Pratibha Patil said Thursday.

"Even in the prevailing adverse global environment, our economy, it is hoped, would still register a relatively high growth rate," Patil said in an address to a joint session of Parliament.

Indian officials this week forecast that growth in India's gross domestic product for the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, would be 7 per cent, down from the
9-per-cent growth of the previous three fiscal years but far better than the contractions already suffered by some of the world's other largest economies.

Parliament was meeting for a short session to pass an interim budget before general elections are held in April or May.

The five-year term of the governing United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government ends in May.

After the elections, a new government would present an annual budget for the next fiscal year and the new Parliament would vote on it.

The "calibrated and prudent" economic reforms pursued by the UPA government had helped the country to weather the global economic crisis, Patil said.

"India's domestic demand can inject fresh momentum to our economy," Patil said, adding that the fundamentals of the economy were strong.

Patil also charged that the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India's financial hub, in November were deliberately planned to retard India's economic progress.

India has claimed elements based in neighbouring Pakistan were behind the attacks, which left more than 170 people dead. (dpa)