India’s real GDP grew 8.2% year-on-year in the September quarter of FY26, sharply above the 7.3% expansion projected in a Reuters poll. Strong 9.1% growth in manufacturing and a steady 3.5% rise in agriculture underpinned the beat, signalling resilient domestic demand despite global trade headwinds and higher external tariffs.
India’s economy accelerated in the July–September quarter, with real GDP expanding 8.2% year-on-year, compared with 5.6% in the same quarter a year earlier and 7.8% in the previous quarter. The outcome comfortably topped the 7.3% median forecast of economists polled by Reuters, highlighting stronger-than-expected momentum even amid higher tariffs on Indian exports and uneven global demand.
On the supply side, the secondary sector posted robust gains, with manufacturing growing 9.1% and construction 7.2%, reflecting healthy factory output, infrastructure activity and policy support. Agriculture and allied activities grew 3.5%, providing a moderate but positive rural underpinning despite weather and price uncertainties. Services remained a key pillar, as financial, real estate and professional services recorded double‑digit growth, while overall consumption demand, measured by private final consumption expenditure, rose 7.9%.
Key highlights
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Real GDP growth in Q2 FY26: 8.2% year-on-year vs 5.6% a year ago and 7.8% in Q1.
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Manufacturing GVA up 9.1%; construction up 7.2%, boosting the secondary sector’s 8.1% expansion.
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Agriculture and allied sectors grow 3.5%, supporting rural incomes despite global and climatic risks.
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Services sector robust, with financial, real estate and professional services growing about 10.2%.
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GDP print beats Reuters poll estimate of 7.3%, reinforcing India’s position as one of the fastest‑growing major economies.
Sources: Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MOSPI) press note; Press Information Bureau; Hindustan Times