Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 12: The Centre on Tuesday announced a revision in the release schedule for India’s provisional annual GDP estimates and fourth-quarter GDP data, shifting the publication date from the last working day of May to June 7 every year, or the preceding working day if June 7 falls on a holiday.
The move, according to the government, is aimed at improving the quality, coverage, and reliability of economic data used in national accounts compilation and aligns with international statistical best practices.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) said the revised timeline was finalised after consultations with the Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS).
Officials stated that the change was necessary because several critical datasets required for GDP calculations become available only after a delay of nearly two months.
The government explained that listed companies are legally allowed up to 60 days after the financial year-end to submit audited fourth-quarter and annual financial results, leading to many firms filing data close to the May 31 deadline.
Similarly, important fiscal figures related to the Central government—including revenue expenditure, capital expenditure, taxes, subsidies, and interest payments for March—are finalised only after a two-month gap.
As a result, the provisional GDP estimates for FY 2025–26 and the GDP figures for the January–March quarter of 2025–26 are now scheduled to be released on June 5, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month projected India’s real GDP growth at 7.6 per cent for FY26 under the revised GDP series, while cautioning about emerging global risks linked to geopolitical tensions.
For FY27, the RBI has forecast growth at 6.9 per cent, signalling a moderation amid rising external uncertainties and increasing cost pressures.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said after the Monetary Policy Committee meeting that growth projections for the first two quarters of FY27 had also been revised downward.
The central bank reduced its Q1 FY27 growth estimate to 6.8 per cent from 6.9 per cent earlier, while the Q2 projection was lowered to 6.7 per cent from 7 per cent, citing global economic headwinds and geopolitical instability linked to the Iran conflict.