India's economy: Growing fast, not "dead," says FM Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pushed back against criticism, saying India is actually one of the world's fastest-growing economies—responding obliquely to US President Trump's suggestion that India is a "dead" economy.
She told Parliament, "Global growth today stands at 3.2%. India, on the other hand, grew by 8.2% in the last quarter."
What's behind the numbers?
Sitharaman addressed concerns about the IMF giving India a "C" grade for its national accounts.
She explained this is due to an outdated base year and stated, "It is a technical issue, not a reflection of India's growth strength."
According to her, years of reforms and steady investment have helped make growth more broad-based.
Where's all that government money going?
Parliament just approved over ₹41,500 crore in extra spending—mostly for fertilizer subsidies and helping oil companies cover LPG losses.
The total additional spend tops ₹1.32 lakh crore, but most of it comes from savings elsewhere.
The government says it's still on track to keep the fiscal deficit at 4.4% of GDP.