India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal did not mince his words when addressing the Opposition’s remarks that the GDP estimate was revised downwards to make economic growth in the first quarter of FY27 appear stronger.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hailed the figure. 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.”
India recorded a GDP growth rate of 7.8% in the April-June 2026 quarter, the government said on Tuesday.
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…
Govt defends the number
However, the data was questioned by former finance secretary of the Government of India, Subhash Chandra Garg, who, in an interview with a TV news channel, argued that GDP at current prices had been revised, making the latest growth numbers look better. “The current-price GDP last year was ₹ 86 trillion. This has been revised down to ₹ 80 trillion… If you had not revised last year’s GDP, the growth in current prices would have been only 2.6 per cent,” Subhash Chandra Garg told NDTV. The ministry said Q1 FY26 GDP was initially estimated at ₹ 86.05 lakh crore under the 2011-12 base year in August 2025. After the new 2022-23 base-year series was introduced in February 2026, it was revised to ₹ 80.32 lakh crore.
“The 7.8 per cent looks impressive on the face of it, but we should get into the reality of it,” Garg said. Goyal said ministers of the concerned ministry do not manufacture the data and that those with a negative mindset are only diminishing themselves. He asked the Opposition and critics to stop “betraying” people by distorting the truth.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Wednesday rejected claims that last year’s GDP estimate was revised down to make Q1 FY27 growth appear stronger, saying the change resulted from a new base year, improved data sources and updated methodology.
