India's 7.8% Q1 GDP Growth Backed by High-Frequency Data, World Bank Official Says

India's 7.8% GDP growth for the first quarter is accurate and supported by high-frequency data, according to World Bank Executive Director Neelkanth Mishra, who dismissed doubts about the figure. Mishra cited vehicle sales, tax collections, and credit growth as consistent with the expansion pace, stating the data is "unfudgeable." He said the new GDP series, introduced in February 2026, improved methodology and that economic activity strengthened further after the June quarter. Mishra noted personal vehicle dispatches rose 35% year-on-year in August, with strong construction activity indicating robust investment. However, he acknowledged weak real-wage growth suggests economic slack, which could take several quarters of above-trend growth to tighten.