India’s Q2 GDP Growth Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Data Manipulation
Doubts have emerged over India's reported 7.8% economic growth in the June quarter after a former government official, Subhash Chandra Garg, claimed that the figure is inflated by reducing last year's GDP value. The Indian government defended its data, attributing revisions to a new statistical framework adopted earlier this year. This shift involved changing the base financial year and methodology for calculating GDP figures. India’s robust growth contrasts with slowing economies in major global markets like the U.S., China, and Japan due to trade tensions, geopolitical risks, and high energy prices. The controversy has drawn political attention as well; India's opposition party criticized the government over what it called significant downward revisions of past GDP data. Experts have weighed in on both sides—some dismissing Garg’s claims as flawed comparisons between different base years while others highlight ongoing concerns about the accuracy of Indian economic statistics. The International Monetary Fund previously expressed skepticism, giving India a
Topics: economic growth government data integrity India statistical methodology