NITI Aayog CEO says 6.5% GDP growth not enough to become ‘Viksit Bharat’

NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said on Thursday that India would need to sustain an annual GDP growth rate of 8%—rather than 6.5%—to meet its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, The Indian Express reported.

Speaking at a meeting of statistical advisers from various ministries and departments, he stressed the critical role of reliable data in shaping policy.

According to the newspaper, Subrahmanyam noted that while the difference between 6.5% and 8% growth might seem small, over time it would have a huge impact. He said that achieving “Viksit Bharat” depended on hitting the higher target, warning that the gap, though appearing minimal now, would be significant by 2047, Scroll.in reported.

In March, NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani had estimated that India would only need to maintain an average real GDP growth rate of 6% to 6.2% to achieve developed-economy status by 2047, when the country marks 100 years of independence, Moneycontrol reported.

NITI Aayog serves as the Union government’s primary public policy think tank. Provisional figures released on May 30 showed India’s real GDP growth for 2024–25 at 6.5%—the slowest pace since the Covid-hit year of 2020–21. In comparison, growth in 2023–24 was 9.2%.

Subrahmanyam’s comments come against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty. U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries, including a 25% duty on Indian goods over delays in finalising trade agreements with Washington.

On August 6, he announced that these levies on imports from India would be doubled to 50% in response to the country’s purchase of Russian fuel.