Congress Party questions India’s 7.8 percent Q1 GDP growth

The Congress Party has challenged India’s reported 7.8 percent GDP growth for the first quarter of the 2026-27 fiscal year, describing the figures as an ‘extremely distorted picture’ of the economy.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that the reported growth fails to reflect weak private investment sentiment in both domestic and foreign sectors. He noted that consumer confidence has reached its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic and has been declining since November 2025.

Additional economic concerns raised by the party include rising prices for essential domestic goods, alarming unemployment rates among educated youth, and a growing trade deficit with China. Ramesh also highlighted a significant wealth gap, claiming the assets of India’s five wealthiest families increased by 400 percent while real wages for salaried employees declined. Furthermore, he pointed to falling domestic savings rates and record-high debt levels.