Indian economic growth returns to the fast lane

Pressure mounts on central bank to hike interest rates

NEW DELHI - India's economy probably grew at the quickest pace in more than two years, increasing pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates even as Europe's sovereign-debt crunch threatens to undermine the global recovery.

Gross domestic product rose 8.6 percent in the three months ended March 31 from a year earlier, the most since the December quarter of 2007, according to the median of 19 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey. The Central Statistical Organisation is due to announce the data on May 31 in New Delhi.