‘Ill-educated, egregiously wrong’: World Bank ED Mishra on row over GDP data
World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra has dismissed claims that India's GDP growth was miscalculated as 'ill-educated.' He defended the government's new data series, citing improved methodology and robust economic indicators.
Why it matters
The debate over GDP data accuracy impacts investor confidence and the credibility of national economic reporting.
World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra has termed the claims that India’s economy grew by 2.6% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, as against 7.8% as “ill-educated” and “egregiously wrong”.
Mr. Mishra’s statement on X came amid a political row over the growth figures released by the government, which were contested by former Finance Secretary, S. C. Garg.
“... I was shocked to see the ill-educated and egregiously wrong claims made by some that if the 'original' base of June-2025 quarter was used, growth in the June-2026 quarter would be much lower,” Mr. Mishra said.
Mr. Garg claimed that the current price GDP last year was ₹86 lakh crore, which was revised down to ₹80 lakh crore, and that had that not been done, the GDP growth would have been only 2.6%.
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