SumanSpeaks Independent Capital Markets & Geopolitical Intelligence Macro & Statistics · GDP Data Debate 7.8% Growth, Or A 7.8% Illusion? Inside India's GDP Data Wars A former Finance Secretary says the real number is 2.6%. The government says 7.8%. Both, on closer inspection, are telling only part of the story — and the part they're both skipping is where the real questions live: the deflator, the jobs data, and a GDP series that still can't properly see India's unorganised economy. 1 The Number That Started The Fight In February 2026, India moved its GDP base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23. This was the first such shift in over a decade, and it came with new data sources, a more detailed price index, and a shift to double deflation across sectors. When Q1FY27 GDP data came out showing 7.8% growth, former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg objecte...