Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday (September 2, 2026) criticised Opposition parties and former Finance Secretary Subhash Garg over his remarks on the 7.8% GDP growth, saying he did not know how to ‘compare apples with apples’ and was trying to misguide the people of India.
Mr. India’s economy grew 7.8% in real terms in the first quarter of fiscal 2026-27, according to the revised GDP series.
Goyal said that in this global world of turmoil, India is an oasis in the desert and the country continued to be the fastest-growing amongst large economies of the world.
When I see on television some of the opposition leaders, even possibly you can throw in along with them a former finance secretary or a former Reserve Bank governor, both of whom could not complete their time in India or in the government and for the right reasons. They don’t even know to compare apples with apples. They are trying to misguide the people of India, comparing growth rate [based on an] old series with a new series where the base year itself has changed.”
“The naysayers can say what they want, but 7.8 per cent growth is a reality.
Earlier reporting noted: “Ministers do not manufacture this data,” Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says on questions over 7.8 per cent GDP growth; suggests critics should “compare apples with apples” “Ministers do not manufacture this data,” Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says on questions over 7.8 per cent GDP growth; suggests critics should “compare apples with apples” Earlier reporting noted: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday hit out at Opposition leaders and former officials questioning India’s 7.8% GDP growth figure for the April-June 2026 quarter, accusing them of comparing an old data series with a new one and describing them as “the only jobless people left”. Earlier reporting noted: Speaking at the annual session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) in Delhi, Goyal said, “I see on TV some of the Opposition leaders, even possibly a former finance secretary or a former RBI (Reserve Bank of India) governor, both of whom could not complete their tenure in India…
Mr. “We politicians, ministers and MPs do not manufacture these figures. When you (referring to Opposition leaders) come forward with such a negative mindset, you are, in a way, belittling yourself,” Mr.
He added that critics were trying to find shortcomings in the growth figures by asking, “Okay, there is 7.8 per cent growth, but where are the jobs? Garg has said that GDP growth would have been about 2.6 per cent in current prices if last year’s GDP had not been revised down from roughly ₹86 lakh crore to ₹80 lakh crore.
He said the demand for workers was strong, particularly in the textile sector, citing requests from industry in Tiruppur for more workers. “Send me 100,000 people in Tiruppur, we will fill and provide them a job,” he said. He said that the naysayers somehow are not able to digest that they themselves are the “only jobless people left”. He also said that truth cannot be hidden, and the system that records what happens every month and every quarter has been in place for years. Goyal said.
