The signs of recovery were off-kilter as the coronavirus kept a firm stranglehold over India, its people and its economy. The country has barely come out of a deadly second wave of Covid-19 this summer and the spectre of a third hangs still. There is unease about the impact of the spread of the virus’s delta variant. And yet, there is optimism among industry and experts that India can realise a 9-9.5 per cent GDP growth if a severe health crisis—like the one during April-May—is averted and 70 per cent of the adult population is fully vaccinated by the year-end. This growth will be from a low base, thereby recovering some lost ground the following year.