New Delhi: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy on Monday welcomed India’s 7.8 per cent real GDP growth recorded in the first quarter of the financial year 2026-27, describing the strong economic performance as a reflection of the resilience of the Indian economy and the effectiveness of the policy measures pursued by the Narendra Modi government. India’s real GDP growth rose from 6.9 per cent in the corresponding quarter of FY 2025-26 to 7.8 per cent in Q1 of FY 2026-27, even as the global economy continues to face uncertainties, fluctuations in crude oil prices and disruptions across supply chains.
Reddy said the latest GDP numbers underline the underlying strength of India’s economic fundamentals and reflect the confidence generated by the government’s policy decisions and reform measures. He said the performance demonstrates that the Indian economy has retained its momentum despite the challenging international economic environment.
“A 7.8% growth rate in the first quarter is a remarkable achievement. It reflects the confidence generated by the decisive policies and the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. Despite global headwinds, India continues to move forward with confidence and determination,” Reddy said.
The Union Minister pointed to the broad-based nature of India’s economic expansion, noting that growth has been recorded across the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Agriculture and allied activities registered a growth of 3.6 per cent, contributing to positive growth in the primary sector. The secondary sector expanded by an impressive 8.6 per cent, while the tertiary sector recorded a 10 per cent growth during the quarter.
Within the services segment, the Financial, Real Estate, IT and Professional Services sector emerged as one of the key drivers of growth, registering a robust expansion of 12.1 per cent. Reddy said the performance of the services sector, coupled with the growth recorded in manufacturing and agriculture, demonstrates the broad-based character of the country’s current economic expansion.
Reddy particularly highlighted the performance of the agriculture sector, saying its growth was encouraging despite weather-related challenges during the period, including concerns associated with El Nino conditions. He said the favourable pace of sowing and continued progress in agricultural operations provide a strong foundation for the sector to perform better in the second and third quarters of the financial year.
According to Reddy, stronger agricultural activity in the coming quarters could provide additional support to India’s overall economic momentum and further strengthen the growth trajectory. He said the performance of the sector demonstrates the resilience of the rural economy despite weather-related and other challenges.
The Union Minister attributed India’s latest economic performance to the government’s sustained emphasis on infrastructure development, manufacturing, agriculture, services, investment, digitalisation and improving the overall ease of doing business. He said the government’s continued policy focus across these areas has helped create conditions for sustained economic expansion and stronger domestic economic activity.
“Prime Minister Modi ji rightly described this 7.8% growth as a herculean feat. The collective strength of our people has ensured that India has continued to grow even amid global uncertainties. The doomsayers were doomed and India bloomed yet again,” he said.
Reddy also took a political swipe at critics of the Modi government, arguing that the latest GDP figures provide a strong counter to attempts to portray India’s economic performance in a negative light. He maintained that the latest growth numbers demonstrate the resilience of the Indian economy and show that the country’s economic progress cannot be undermined by political criticism or pessimistic narratives.
“Numbers speak louder than political narratives. A 7.8% growth rate is a tight slap on the face of those who seek to belittle India’s progress and question the credibility of the Modi Government. While some continue to spread negativity, India is delivering growth, creating opportunities and strengthening its position in the global economy,” Reddy said.
The minister expressed confidence that India would be able to maintain its high-growth trajectory in the coming quarters, provided the country continues with structural reforms, sustains strong domestic demand, accelerates infrastructure creation and benefits from improving agricultural performance. He said the combination of these factors would help maintain economic momentum despite uncertainties in the global environment.
Reddy further emphasised that the latest GDP figures should not be viewed simply as an achievement confined to a single quarter. Instead, he said, the performance represents another important milestone in the government’s longer-term economic vision and its objective of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047.
“This is not merely the achievement of one quarter. It is another strong step towards Prime Minister Modi ji’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. India is growing, India is confident and India is moving forward with unstoppable resolve,” Reddy said.
