Sitharaman Fires Back at Trump's 'Dead Economy' Remark, Citing India's Economic Surge

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responded to US President Donald Trump's controversial comment describing India as a 'dead economy' in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Sitharaman emphasized the importance of relying on credible data rather than individual opinions, regardless of their status. 'We should not depend on individual comments, but rely on data available within the country and also data coming from elsewhere,' she said. Sitharaman highlighted key economic indicators, including India's 8.2% economic growth and sovereign rating upgrades by global agencies, to counter Trump's remark. She pointed out that India remains the fastest-growing major economy, with a sustained economic growth over the years. The finance minister also noted that the country has transitioned from a phase of 'external vulnerability to external resilience' over the past decade. India's economic growth has been recognized by the IMF, and the country has received credit rating upgrades from DBRS, S&P, and R&I. The Reserve Bank of India recently revised its GDP growth projection for FY26 upward to 7.3% from an earlier estimate of 6.8%. Sitharaman also highlighted the expansion of manufacturing in India, with the number of mobile phone manufacturing units rising from just two in 2014-15 to about 300 in 2024-25. India has emerged as a net exporter in key sectors such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and defence. 'When you are a net exporter, you are exporting more than what you are importing,' Sitharaman said, countering the notion that India is a 'dead economy'.