Piyush Goyal Hits Back at Opposition Over GDP Debate, Says 7.8% Growth Is ‘A Reality’

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday hit out at the Opposition over its criticism of India’s latest economic growth figures, saying attempts to question the data were misleading the public.

Addressing the 66th Annual Session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Goyal said India had maintained its economic momentum despite significant global uncertainty.

Describing India as an “oasis in the desert” amid worldwide economic turbulence, the minister said the country’s 7.8% real GDP growth in the April-June quarter of FY2026-27 was a reality and should not be dismissed by political critics.

Goyal accused the Opposition of attempting to find flaws in the government’s economic data by comparing figures calculated under different GDP series.

“They are trying to misguide the people of India,” Goyal said, arguing that comparisons between the old and new GDP series were inappropriate because the base year and methodology had changed.

His remarks come amid a growing debate over India’s latest GDP estimates. The economy recorded 7.8% growth in the first quarter, exceeding the Reserve Bank of India’s earlier 7% projection and economists’ expectations. The figures have nevertheless faced scrutiny after revisions to earlier quarterly growth numbers under the new GDP series.

The government has rejected allegations that the revisions were manipulated to artificially increase the latest growth rate. Statistics Secretary Saurabh Garg said the changes resulted from updated data sources and methodological improvements, including the use of more detailed price information.

Goyal also highlighted signs of strong demand for workers across the economy. He said companies in several sectors were finding it difficult to recruit enough employees, citing labour requirements in industries such as textiles and engineering.

The minister argued that the employment demand was another indication of economic activity remaining strong despite uncertainty in the global economy.

Goyal later said ministers do not manufacture official economic statistics and maintained that the latest growth figure demonstrated India’s economic strength. He also described the country as the fastest-growing major economy.

The GDP debate has intensified as Opposition leaders have questioned whether revisions to previous data and changes in methodology have influenced the headline growth number. The Centre, however, maintains that the revised estimates follow established statistical practices and international standards.

Goyal’s comments came at an ACMA gathering where he also discussed India’s manufacturing ambitions, resilient supply chains and efforts to deepen cooperation with global partners. He said India was exploring dedicated industrial parks for auto-component manufacturers and partnerships with countries including the US to strengthen critical-mineral supply chains.

The minister’s latest remarks underline the government’s effort to defend the 7.8% GDP figure as the political and economic debate over India’s growth data continues.