A DSGE model-based analysis of the Indian slowdown

In this paper we take a New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model to the Indian data using Kalman filter based maximum likelihood estimation. Our model based output gap tracks the statistical Hodrick-Prescott filter based output gap well. Comparison of estimated parameters, impulse responses and forecast error variance decomposition between India and United States points to differences in the structure of the two economies and of their inflationary process. Our estimates suggest higher value of habit persistence, more volatile markup and interest rate shocks in India. Markup shocks play a much larger role in determination of Indian inflation, pointing to the importance of supply side factors. Impulse responses show a higher impact of interest rate shocks on output and inflation, and lower impact of technology shocks on output in comparison to US. The latter again suggests the presence of supply side bottlenecks. We use smoothed states obtained from the Kalman filter to create counterfactual paths of output and Inflation (during 2009 Q4 to 2013 Q2) in presence of a given shock. In the post 2011 slowdown, monetary shock imposed significant output cost and for a brief period of time made the output gap negative.