India FM Calls Economy Strong, Dismisses Crisis Claim

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted on Sunday that India's economy remains robust and dismissed warnings of an impending crisis from opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. Speaking at a Bharatiya Janata Party event in Bengaluru, Sitharaman said the country continues to be the world's fastest-growing major economy despite global challenges.

Sitharaman accused Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, of repeatedly undermining India's achievements and creating a false perception of economic trouble. She stated that Gandhi often predicts imminent disaster, but maintained that no such crisis awaits the nation. The minister pointed to consistent GDP growth and assessments by international institutions like the International Monetary Fund to support her position.

The Finance Minister's remarks came at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sammelan, an event marking 12 years of BJP governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She highlighted the government's record on development and welfare, citing a reduction in multidimensional poverty, expanded sanitation coverage, and the rollout of digital and social infrastructure.

According to Sitharaman, approximately 25 crore people...