{
  "id": 5225810,
  "title": "Goyal hits back at critics over 7.8% Q1 GDP growth",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/goyal-hits-back-at-critics-over-7-8-q1-gdp-growth",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-02T18:35:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/we-politicians-ministers-and-mps-do-not-manufacture-these-figures-goyal-hits-back-at-critics-over-7-8-q1-gdp-growth/articleshow/133718529.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal dismissed opposition criticism of India's 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2026-27. Goyal asserted the reported growth figure is accurate and represents India as the world's fastest-growing major economy amidst global economic uncertainty. He argued that some opposition figures, including a former finance secretary and a former Reserve Bank governor, are unable to accurately compare GDP growth rates from disparate series due to changes in base years. Goyal also took issue with those questioning the data's translation into job opportunities, specifically citing the textile sector's demand for workers. He dismissed critics' inability to accept India's rapid economic growth and suggested they were the only jobless individuals left, resorting to attempting arguments on television panels. Former finance secretary Subhash Garg argued that GDP growth could have been around 2.6% if the previous year's GDP had not been revised downward. Goyal responded that policymakers do not determine GDP figures, emphasizing that politicians, ministers, and MPs do not create these statistics.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}