New Delhi:
The latest GDP growth numbers have exposed the “echo of lies being spread all around”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a video statement from Kyrgyzstan where he is attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
Data released on Monday showed that India’s economy grew at a faster-than-expected 7.8 per cent in the April-June quarter, showing resilience in the face of concerns that the war in Iran and resulting global uncertainty could weigh on domestic economic momentum.
“Many congratulations to the people of the country. 7.8 per cent growth, the country is filled with happiness. But I congratulate citizens for their power of resolve, for their hard work; this is a reflection of collective power. The world is drowned in war. There is news of war all around. The world is surrounded by crises. The supply chain is completely disturbed. From the Covid era in 2020 till today, stability is not visible anywhere. Despite that, India is progressing at a fast pace,” PM Modi said.
“On the other hand, inside India too, people drowned in the depths of despair are spreading jhooth ki goonj (echo of lies) all around. Despite all these things, cutting through all those talks, the country has achieved 7.8 per cent growth. We have to maintain this pace,” PM Modi said.
The “jhooth ki goonj” remarks alluded to criticism against Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign by the political satirical group ‘Jhooth Ki Goonj’ last week. The BJP had also used the same words to make holes in Rahul Gandhi’s campaign and pointed out that of the 40 statements made by him at four separate events linked to the Congress campaign, at least 29 were “false” and 11 were “misleading.”
#WATCH | ‘Strong numbers, even strong confidence’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hails India’s 7.8 per cent GDP growth in Q1 #Narendramodi #GDP pic.twitter.com/up7RMAqT1q
— NDTV (@ndtv) September 1, 2026
PM Modi appealed to citizens to work towards an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) with the “mantra of Swadeshi and Vocal for Local” as the guiding principles.
“If you go on holiday, go to a place in India. Wedding destinations can be in India. We should live the mantra of ‘wed in India’. And if there is no need, then even gold shouldn’t be bought. The more we emphasise swadeshi, the more we emphasize self-reliance. I have full faith that when we reach 100 years of independence, we will hand over a developed India to our youth,” PM Modi said.
Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 slowed from 8.6 per cent in the previous quarter, but remained well above expectations when the Middle East conflict erupted and disrupted energy markets. The pace that keeps India as the world’s fastest growing major economy also exceeded the Reserve Bank of India’s forecast of 7 per cent for the quarter.
