Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Why India’s 7.8 Percent Growth Does Not Feel Broad-Based
India says its economy grew by 7.8 percent in the latest quarter.
The author says that number may be correct but does not show the whole picture.
When an economy grows strongly, people would normally expect better jobs and higher incomes.
Instead, more workers have moved into agriculture, which can be a sign that better jobs are scarce.
Wages have grown slowly while company profits have risen quickly.
Families are saving less and borrowing more for consumption.
Sales of affordable two-wheelers have grown much more slowly than they did before 2014.
The author wants to see private investment, wages, jobs and household purchasing power improve before concluding that growth is widely benefiting people.
India’s latest first-quarter GDP growth was reported at 7.8 percent, prompting both praise and skepticism.
The article argues that strong growth should also produce better jobs, rising real wages, stronger household savings and broader consumption.
Agricultural employment has increased, while the share of workers leaving farming appears to have reversed, raising concerns about job quality.
Corporate profits rose sharply in FY2023-24, but employment at examined firms increased only about 1.5 percent.
Investment has recovered to about 34 percent of GDP, but public spending has led the rebound while private investment and net foreign investment remain weaker.
- Who
- The Indian government, economists, policy experts, households, workers and businesses are discussed; Prime Minister Narendra Modi is referenced as congratulating the result on Instagram.
- What
- India reported 7.8 percent first-quarter GDP growth, while the article questions whether the headline figure reflects broad-based economic improvement.
- When
- The discussion concerns the latest first-quarter GDP report and compares it with trends from 2003-04 to 2025-26.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- The author argues that employment quality, real wages, household savings, consumption and private investment do not yet show the broad-based boom implied by the GDP figure.
Critical View
Government View
Meaning of GDP growth
Critical View
The 7.8 percent figure may be accurate but does not necessarily show that households are broadly better off.
Government View
The reported 7.8 percent growth is presented as a significant economic achievement and is supported by the government’s national-account data.
Employment trends
Critical View
Rising agricultural employment may reflect rural distress and limited access to better jobs rather than healthy development.
Government View
The government cites rising labour-force participation and increased agricultural employment as evidence of improved employment performance.
Investment and business activity
Critical View
Private corporate investment and net foreign investment remain weaker than expected, while public capital expenditure has driven much of the recovery.
Government View
The recovery of the investment rate to about 34 percent of GDP and strong corporate profitability are cited as signs of economic momentum.
- Reported growth
- First-quarter GDP growth was 7.8 percent.
- Household savings
- Net household financial savings fell from an average above 11 percent of GDP in 2003-04 to 2007-08 to 6.2 percent in 2025-26.
- Corporate profits
- Corporate profits rose by more than 22 percent in FY2023-24, while employment at the firms examined increased by about 1.5 percent.
- Investment rate
- The investment rate recovered to about 34 percent of GDP, below its near-39 percent peak in 2008.
- Two-wheeler growth
- Annual two-wheeler growth fell from nearly 11 percent before 2014 to under 2 percent in the following decade and was barely above 3 percent through 2025-26.
- Household borrowing
- Nearly half of household borrowing goes toward consumption, while about one-third goes toward asset creation and less than one-fifth toward productive purposes.