World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra Condemns Disputed GDP Growth Claims World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra has criticized claims that India’s economy grew by 2.6% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, calling them “ill-educated” and “egregiously wrong.” His remarks, posted on X, came amid a political dispute over the government’s reported GDP growth figures, which were contested by former Finance Secretary S. C. Garg. Mishra emphasized that the revised data, introduced in February 2026, significantly improved the methodology and credibility of GDP estimates. Mishra stated that the claims about lower growth using the original June-2025 quarter as a base were “so obviously wrong” that multiple logical rebuttals had already been made. He noted that the downward revision in the base year was known as early as March 2025 and that the new series enhanced the accuracy of real output measurements. Garg had argued that the current price GDP for the previous fiscal year was ₹86 lakh crore, which was revised down to ₹80 lakh crore, and that this adjustment would have reduced GDP growth to 2.6% instead of the reported 7.8%. Mishra rejected this argument, asserting that the revised data reflected a more accurate picture of economic performance. Mishra highlighted the robustness of economic indicators despite the base-year adjustments. He noted that the June-quarter data demonstrated strong momentum, with personal vehicle (cars, SUVs) dispatches growing 35% year-on-year in August, even as exports declined by 9%. Two-wheeler growth exceeded 20%, while commercial vehicle dispatches surged over 40%. He also pointed to a meaningful pickup in tax collection and credit growth, which surprised analysts on the upside, albeit on a low base.#india #gdp_growth #world_bank #neelkanth_mishra #s_c_garg
