Daily Current Affairs for UPSC
Moody’s Downgrade of the US Credit Rating
Syllabus- Economy [GS Paper-3]

Image Credit: Getty Images
Context
The recent Moody’s downgrade of the US Credit rating marks a quiet but significant shift signaling the cease of the U.S. financial dominance, driven by rising country wide debt and political paralysis.
Key Highlights
- The downgrade displays declining self belief in the U.S. political and economic stability, shaking the inspiration of global agreement in the U.S. Treasury bonds.
- Historically, U.S. Treasury bonds symbolized security and trust, sponsored by America’s strong institutions and political stability.
- However, growing national debt—now over 120% of GDP—and chronic reliance on deficit spending when you consider that 2008 has weakened that trust.
- Political polarization has stalled fiscal discipline, undermining confidence and leading Moody’s to sooner or later withdraw its unquestioning faith in the U.S. creditworthiness.
Impact: Globally
- The Moody’s downgrade shows a deeper global shift as self assurance in the U.S. Dollar’s dominance quietly wanes.
- Central banks are diversifying faraway from the U.S. Treasuries, turning to gold, the euro, and digital currencies.
- This exchange displays a sluggish but tremendous recalibration of acceptance as true within the international financial system, not an instantaneous crisis.
- The world hasn’t deserted the dollar but however is more and more exploring alternatives.
- This second marks a new generation of economic realism with extensive implications, especially for countries like India that depend on American financial balance, highlighting the need to reassess economic strategies in a changing global landscape.
- India should view the U.S. Credit downgrade as a warning and a reflection reflecting its own economic vulnerabilities.
- With debt nearing 80% of GDP and rising global interest rates, India remains uncovered to capital flight and inflation risks.
- Beyond external pressures, India faces a deeper risk of economic populism—excessive election-time spending and freebies—that lines budgets and crowds out effective funding.
- There is a need to recognize long-term investments in infrastructure, skills, and resilient systems.
Source: The Hindu