NEW DELHI, Oct 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary TimothyGeithner said on Tuesday he was "relatively confident" thatWashington can manage its fiscal challenges.
The U.S. economy could be pitched into a new recessionbecause of substantial tax rises and government spending cuts -the so-called "fiscal cliff" - due to hit early next year unlessCongress agrees to cancel or delay them.
But Geithner sounded a cautiously upbeat note at anIndia-U.S. business forum during a visit to New Delhi.
"Now we're growing close to potential but if you lookthrough those factors, its a little more encouraging than youmight think," he said. "We are now in a much stronger positionthan what is true for any other major developed economy."
(Reporting by Manoj Kumar and Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing byJohn Chalmers)
((arup.roychoudhury@thomsonreuters.com)(+91 11 4178 1007Reuters Messaging:arup.roychoudhury.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: INDIA USA/ECONOMY