India GDP grows 7.8% in Q1, beating forecasts

India's economy expanded at a faster-than-expected 7.8 percent in the April-June quarter, demonstrating resilience despite global headwinds from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The growth rate, announced by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on August 31, 2026, comfortably beat the Reserve Bank of India's forecast of 7 percent and a Reuters poll expectation of 7.1 percent. It marks a slowdown from the 8.6 percent expansion recorded in the previous quarter but remains significantly higher than the 6.9 percent growth in the same period last year. The data confirms India's position as the world's fastest-growing major economy.