Piyush Goyal hits back at Oppn., former Finance Secretary over remarks on Q1 GDP growth
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal defended India's 7.8% GDP growth rate against criticism from opposition leaders and former officials. He dismissed claims of economic mismanagement, citing strong job demand in sectors like textiles.
Why it matters
The debate over GDP calculation methods and job creation is central to the current political discourse on India's economic health.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday (September 2, 2026) criticised Opposition parties and former Finance Secretary Subhash Garg over his remarks on the 7.8% GDP growth, saying he did not know how to 'compare apples with apples' and was trying to misguide the people of India.
India's economy grew 7.8% in real terms in the first quarter of fiscal 2026-27, according to the revised GDP series.
Mr. Goyal said that in this global world of turmoil, India is an oasis in the desert and the country continued to be the fastest-growing amongst large economies of the world.
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