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”.
“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”
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. Ministers do not manufacture this data… When you have such a negative mindset, in a way, you are diminishing yourself. When you attempt to demotivate people by distorting the truth, you betray the people. Do not fall for this. India will continue to grow rapidly under the leadership of PM Modi.
Due to this, India has emerged as a global trusted partner. “Record growth of 7.8% is something that no other country has been able to replicate. This is the capability, hard work, and joint effort of 140 crore people in the country. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the first-quarter data on Monday, putting growth at 7.8%, above the Reserve Bank of India’s 7% forecast. The ministry on Wednesday issued a six-point rebuttal without naming Garg, saying the Rs 86.05 lakh crore figure belonged to the old 2011-12 base-year series and could not be compared with the new 2022-23 series.
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… Defending the data, the minister said: “Truth cannot be hidden… Goyal said the growth rate was without parallel and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi has led the country with farsightedness,” he said, adding, “A few jobless people call themselves economists and appear on TV channels to harm the country. The BJP leader also attacked Opposition leaders “who want to see India as ‘a dead economy'”. He said, “They will fail once again, just like they have failed again and again. US President Donald Trump described India as a “dead economy” in 2025 while criticising its trade barriers and its energy trade with Russia – a characterisation Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had backed. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Monday that the figures presented a “GDP, Greatly Distorted Picture, of the economy”. He also said in a post on X, “The Modi government must understand: PR can polish the picture of GDP, but not the economy itself. The PM called the figure a “herculean feat”. “It is therefore incorrect to interpret the difference as a deliberate downward revision of last year’s GDP to mechanically increase the current year’s growth rate,” the ministry said.
