‘I Was Shocked’: Neelkanth Mishra Hits Back at ‘Egregiously Wrong’ Claims on India’s GDP Growth
Neelkanth Mishra says robust vehicle sales, tax collections and credit growth show India’s economy is strengthening despite criticism of revised GDP data.
- World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra on Thursday dismissed claims that India's 7.8% GDP growth in the April-June quarter was inflated, calling such arguments "ill-educated and egregiously wrong."
- The debate intensified after the national accounts series revised the previous year's GDP estimate from about ₹86 to ₹80 lakh crore, prompting Finance Secretary Garg to claim growth would have been only 2.6 per cent without the revision.
- Mishra pointed to commercial vehicle dispatches growing more than 40%, personal vehicle dispatches including SUVs rising 35 per cent in August, and meaningful tax collection growth as hard-to-manipulate indicators of economic activity.
- With fading fiscal headwinds and accelerating credit growth, the economy should register 7.5 per cent growth under neutral policy, Mishra said, adding "clear evidence of investments" should silence concerns about weak private sector investment.
- Defending the new GDP series introduced in Feb-2026, Mishra stated it "cleaned up the data" and improved methodology, noting the downward revision was known in March and increased credibility of real output estimates.
12 Articles
12 Articles
World Bank Executive Director Rejects Questions on GDP Numbers, Says Growth Backed by Strong Indicators
Get latest articles and stories on Business at LatestLY. India’s economic growth can remain at around 7.5 per cent even with neutral fiscal and monetary policy, as accelerating credit growth and strong economic activity are supporting the recovery, Neelkanth Mishra, Executive Director, World Bank for India, said in a social media post. Business News | World Bank Executive Director Rejects Questions on GDP Numbers, Says Growth Backed by Strong In…
World Bank's Neelkanth Mishra backs strong GDP momentum, calls critics ill-educated
Neelkanth Mishra defended India's latest GDP numbers and rejected criticism over the revised base. He said credit, vehicle sales, tax collections and construction point to broader economic strength.
‘Ill-educated’, ‘egregiously wrong claims’: World Bank’s Neelkanth Mishra shuts down debate around India’s GDP data
Personal vehicle dispatches, including cars and SUVs, grew 35% year-on-year in August, while two-wheeler growth exceeded 20% and commercial vehicle dispatches grew more than 40%, Mishra said.
‘Ill-educated, egregiously wrong’: World Bank ED Neelkanth Mishra on row over GDP data - The Tribune
World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra has termed 'ill-educated' and 'egregiously wrong' the claims that India's economy grew by 2.6 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal as against the 7.8 per cent.
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