‘The Power India Has Acquired…’: Sitharaman Cites Elon Musk’s Put up, Slams Opposition On GDP | India Information

Final Up to date:February 02, 2026, 09:02 IST

Nirmala Sitharaman cited a put up by Elon Musk on IMF projections to argue that India’s rising share in international GDP enlargement displays newfound financial power.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday focused the Opposition over India’s financial standing, citing a social media put up by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk that highlighted the rising function of India and China in driving international development, and preserving each nations above the USA of America.

Sitharaman made the remarks throughout an interplay with college college students in Parliament after presenting the Union Price range 2026-27.

The session was held in New Delhi, the place she met round 30 college students who had watched the price range proceedings from the gallery of the Lok Sabha.

Referring to Musk’s repost on X of a chart primarily based on projections from the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF), Sitharaman defined that the numbers underlined the power India has acquired within the international economic system.

“I’m positive lots of you might be very energetic in social media, you’ll have seen. I’m simply quoting this identify, not as a result of there’s a selected purpose. Elon Musk takes the IMF knowledge to say, ‘wow, is that this true?’ , that sort. I don’t bear in mind what precisely he stated. Wow, he stated, or one thing else he stated,” she instructed the scholars.

She then cited the figures highlighted within the broadly circulated graphic.

“China contributes 26 per cent of the expansion in international GDP. India contributes 17 per cent. Collectively, 43 per cent of worldwide GDP development comes from these two economies. Did any of you see that tweet? What does that convey?” she requested.

Turning to the home political debate, the Finance Minister stated the opposition ought to be aware of India’s rising profile.

“I’ll say this from my aspect within the Parliament, however India’s Opposition also needs to perceive that that is the sort of power that India has acquired now. Subsequent solely to China. The hole could also be large, 26 and 17. We’ll bridge it,” she stated.

Stressing confidence within the nation’s trajectory, Sitharaman added, “We should always have the arrogance that along with an enormous economic system, which is simply subsequent door, we contribute 43 per cent of worldwide GDP development. And we live in that India.”

Musk had reposted the chart, initially shared by World of Statistics, and commented that “the steadiness of energy is altering”.

The IMF’s January 2026 international outlook tasks worldwide development at 3.3 per cent in 2026 and three.2 per cent in 2027, noting that know-how funding, fiscal and financial help, accommodative monetary situations and private-sector adaptability are serving to offset commerce coverage shifts.

The fund additionally flagged dangers from geopolitical tensions, commerce uncertainty, potential corrections linked to synthetic intelligence funding, and rising public debt, whereas saying that quicker AI adoption might raise productiveness and help longer-term enlargement.

Earlier on Sunday, Sitharaman had offered her ninth consecutive Union Price range within the Lok Sabha, outlining proposals together with new high-speed rail corridors, freight routes, nationwide waterways and initiatives linked to sustainable tourism, as a part of what she described as a youth-driven and duty-focused roadmap for the approaching years.

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