Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday mounted a strong defence of India's latest GDP numbers, dismissing criticism from Opposition leaders and former policymakers as misleading and politically motivated.

Speaking at the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association's annual gathering in Delhi, Goyal took aim at those questioning the country's reported 7.8% economic growth for the April-June quarter of 2026.

Without directly naming them, the minister referred to former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan and former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, both of whom have raised concerns over the methodology and interpretation of the latest GDP data.

Goyal accused critics of comparing figures calculated under different base-year series.

He argued that such comparisons were fundamentally flawed, saying economic data must be evaluated on a like-for-like basis. According to him, critics were attempting to confuse people by placing numbers from the older GDP series alongside those calculated under the revised framework.

Rajan, Garg Question Growth Numbers

The criticism of the GDP data emerged soon after the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reported 7.8% growth for the first quarter of the financial year.

Raghuram Rajan questioned whether the headline number accurately reflected conditions in the broader economy. Speaking to PTI, he pointed to concerns surrounding employment generation and private investment, asking why stronger growth had not translated into more good-quality jobs and greater investment activity.

Subhash Chandra Garg also questioned the impact of the revised GDP base year. In comments to NDTV, the former finance secretary argued that the impressive-looking growth figure required closer examination because changes in the underlying GDP series affected comparisons with the previous year.

‘Only Jobless People Left’

Responding to questions about employment, Goyal launched his sharpest attack yet.

He said critics appeared unable to accept India's economic performance and sarcastically suggested that those repeatedly questioning the government's record were themselves the country's "only jobless people left".

According to the minister, appearing on television panels to challenge government data had become their primary occupation.

Goyal insisted that ministers do not manufacture economic statistics and said attempts to cast doubt on official figures reflected a negative approach towards India's progress.

He also accused critics of discouraging citizens and distorting the facts to undermine confidence in the economy.

Goyal Credits Modi For Growth

Calling the 7.8% expansion an exceptional achievement, Goyal credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the collective efforts of India's population.

He said India's growth performance had helped position the country as a trusted global economic partner and argued that few economies had been able to match such expansion.

The BJP leader also targeted Opposition politicians who, he said, were invested in portraying India's economy negatively.

He referred to the "dead economy" description previously used by US President Donald Trump in 2025, which Rahul Gandhi had echoed while criticising the government's economic record.

Goyal said those predicting India's economic decline had repeatedly been proven wrong and maintained that the country would continue to expand rapidly.

Congress Calls GDP A ‘Distorted Picture’

The Congress, however, has continued to challenge the government's interpretation of the numbers.

Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh described the data as presenting a "Greatly Distorted Picture" of the economy, arguing that public relations exercises could improve perceptions but could not alter underlying economic realities.

The GDP figures, released on Monday by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, showed the economy expanding by 7.8% during the April-June quarter, outperforming the Reserve Bank of India's earlier forecast of 7%.

Prime Minister Modi hailed the number as a major achievement.

Government Rejects Base-Year Manipulation Claim

The debate intensified after Garg pointed to differences between GDP estimates under the old and revised statistical series.

On Wednesday, the statistics ministry issued a detailed six-point clarification, rejecting suggestions that the previous year's GDP had been deliberately revised downward to make the latest growth rate appear stronger.

The ministry said the figure of ₹86.05 lakh crore cited by critics belonged to the older GDP series based on the 2011-12 base year and could not be directly compared with estimates calculated under the new 2022-23 series.

It said treating the difference between the two series as evidence of manipulation was statistically incorrect.

The dispute has now turned into a broader political and economic debate over how India's growth should be measured — and whether the headline GDP figure accurately captures the experience of jobs, investment and economic activity on the ground.