Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at critics questioning India’s recent economic performance, saying those who once pushed the country into the “Fragile Five” category are now finding it difficult to accept its strong growth. 

Speaking at the centenary celebrations of Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Modi contrasted India’s economic position in 2013 with its current performance. He said the country had moved from an era of “policy paralysis” to “policy dynamism” and highlighted the latest 7.8% GDP growth amid global economic uncertainty. 

The Prime Minister argued that India’s transformation over the past decade demonstrates the resilience of its economy. He recalled the period when India was grouped with the “Fragile Five” economies and said that the country is now being recognised as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies. 

His remarks came amid a debate over the latest GDP numbers. While the government has defended the official figures, some economists and former officials have raised questions about revisions to the GDP base and whether headline growth is translating sufficiently into jobs and private investment. 

Modi maintained that India’s economic progress reflects the efforts of its people and expressed confidence that the country can become a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047.