Bishkek/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, hailed India’s 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter of FY27.
PM Modi also took an apparent swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition over what he described as a campaign of pessimism and “jhooth ki goonj” (echo of lies), in a video message posted on X.
In his message, the Prime Minister congratulated Indians for the robust economic performance despite a turbulent global environment marked by wars and supply chain disruptions.
India’s growth trajectory had continued despite challenges, while some within the country were attempting to spread disappointment, he said.
“A growth rate of 7.8% – the nation is filled with joy. I congratulate the people of this country for their resolve and their industrious spirit; this reflects our collective strength. The world is mired in conflict; news of war is coming from all directions, and the globe is beset by crises. Supply chains are severely disrupted. Since the COVID era of 2020, stability has been elusive everywhere. Yet, India continues to progress rapidly. Meanwhile, within the country, there are those mired in the abyss of pessimism, echoing falsehoods and spreading despair. Rising above all this and cutting through these obstacles, the nation has achieved a growth rate of 7.8%. We must maintain this momentum. We must keep moving forward, and for that, becoming Atmanirbhar Bharat is essential,” he said.
Immediately after this, BJP leaders took aim at Rahul and the Opposition’s criticism of the government’s economic policies.
“Those whose only agenda is to spread negativity through JHOOT KI GUNJ…,” BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari wrote on X.
PM Modi had “slammed Rahul Gandhi & the negativity campaign” while highlighting India’s economic growth, he said.
The Prime Minister also used his address to renew his pitch for self-reliance, urging people to prioritise Indian products and reduce unnecessary foreign expenditure, as reported by News18.
“The mantra of Swadeshi, Vocal for Local: foreign trips, if you go for sightseeing, should not be done. If you do weddings abroad, it should not be done. One should live the mantra of ‘Wed in India’. And if it’s not necessary, then gold should not be bought either,” he said, calling for greater emphasis on domestic products and local consumption.
“The more we emphasize ‘Swadeshi’ and self-reliance, the more confident I am that by the time we mark 100 years of independence, we will hand over a ‘Viksit Bharat’ to our youth. Through our hard work today, we will surely realize the dreams of our younger generation. Let us spare no effort in our endeavors. Our policies are sound, and our intentions are pure. The combined strength of 1.4 billion Indians is uniting to take the nation to new heights. Let us celebrate, make a firm resolve, and march forward together to turn that resolve into reality,” PM Modi added.
His remarks came after official data showed India’s economy grew by 7.8% in real terms during the April-June quarter of FY27.
Real GDP stood at Rs 81.36 lakh crore in the first quarter, compared with Rs 75.46 lakh crore during the corresponding period of the previous financial year, data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation revealed.
This growth rate surpassed the Reserve Bank of India’s earlier estimate of 7% for the quarter.
Nominal GDP grew 10.3% to Rs 88.27 lakh crore, while real gross value added, or GVA, expanded by 8.2% to Rs 73.82 lakh crore.
The RBI has projected India’s real GDP growth for the full FY27 at 6.7%, revised marginally upwards from its earlier forecast of 6.6%.
The latest figures were also welcomed by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who welcomed them and credited Indians for the economy’s strong performance.
“Estimated growth of real GDP in Q1 of FY 2026-27 is 7.8 per cent. Nominal GDP in Q1 of FY 2026-27 is estimated to have grown by 10.3 per cent, while Real GVA has recorded growth of 8.2 per cent,” Sitharaman said in a social media post.
