- India recorded a GDP growth rate of 7.8% in the April-June 2026 quarter, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed.
- Former bureaucrat Subhash Chandra Garg questioned the figure, saying, "The 7.8 per cent looks impressive on the face of it, but we should get into the reality of it."
- Garg argued that the current-price GDP for last year was revised down from ₹86 trillion to ₹80 trillion, which would make the growth only 2.6 per cent if not revised.
- Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera highlighted that the Q1 figure was originally reported at ₹86 lakh crore but was revised down to ₹80 lakh crore for calculating this year's growth.
- Piyush Goyal defended the growth, stating, "Record growth of 7.8% is something that no other country has been able to replicate... A few jobless people call themselves economists and appear on TV channels to harm the country."
- The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) clarified that the change in the Q1 estimate "does not represent a downward revision made to make the current year's growth appear higher."
- The ministry explained that Q1 FY26 GDP was initially estimated at ₹86.05 lakh crore under the 2011-12 base year in August 2025, but after the new 2022-23 base-year series was introduced in February 2026, it was revised to ₹80.32 lakh crore.
Piyush Goyal has come under fire for India's reported 7.8% GDP growth, which he defended against critics, labeling them as "jobless economists". The growth figure, celebrated by Prime Minister Modi, is under scrutiny due to significant revisions in the Q1 GDP data.5
India's GDP for the April-June 2026 quarter was initially estimated at ₹86 trillion but was revised down to ₹80 trillion. Subhash Chandra Garg pointed out that without this revision, the growth rate would have been a mere 2.6%. Critics argue that the revised figures distort the economic reality, with Pawan Khera questioning the integrity of the growth calculation.1234
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) clarified that the changes in the Q1 estimates reflect methodological updates rather than an attempt to inflate current growth figures. Goyal emphasized that India's growth is a testament to the hard work of its 1.4 billion people and dismissed the opposition's claims as attempts to portray India as a "dead economy". He stated, "Record growth of 7.8% is something that no other country has been able to replicate... India will continue to grow rapidly under the leadership of PM Modi."6
As the debate continues, the government faces pressure to provide clarity on the GDP revisions and their implications for the economy's health.
“Subhash Chandra Garg argued that without revising last year's GDP from ₹86 trillion to ₹80 trillion, growth would be only 2.6%. MoSPI clarified the change reflects methodological and data revisions, not an attempt to inflate the current year's growth.”
