Why India’s 7.8% GDP growth isn’t enough to celebrate

The key challenge is not simply achieving a high GDP number, but turning economic expansion into broader productivity gains, better jobs, higher incomes and improved living standards.(iStockphoto)SummaryIndia has been recording 7% plus growth in the post-pandemic years, but it is not enough to meaningfully improve the lives of the country's population.

Here’s why:Gift this articleCheck your portfolioThis is a Mint Premium article gifted to you.Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Pragya is the Editor of Plain Facts, the specialized data journalism vertical at Mint, where she leads a team dedicated to uncovering the stories hidden within complex datasets.

Since taking the helm of the section in 2025, she has leveraged over a decade of journalistic expertise to bridge the gap between abstract numbers and storytelling. Pragya has distinguished herself through rigorous data work on India’s most critical economic and social indicators in the last eight years.

Her portfolio includes deep dives into the complexities of India’s GDP calculations, nuanced critiques of government datasets and surveys, and in-depth analysis of the Time-Use Survey. The latter notably highlighted the profound ways in which marriage reshapes the lives and labour of Indian women.

Pragya started her journey as a copy editor and a reporter at the Press Trust of India (PTI) in 2016. Her interest in data analysis led her to The Financial Express and Cogencis, where she got opportunities to examine India's public statistics through a rigorous lens.

This was further cemented when she joined Plain Facts in 2021. She maintains that while data and charts drive the narrative, they must remain anchored in rigorous journalism—providing the essential context and relevance needed to influence both public policy and everyday lives.

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