IndiaAmit ShahGDPMoody'sDefence Corridor
Amit Shah Pushes Back as Moody’s Raises India’s Growth Forecast to 7%
Published: September 25, 2026
Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended India’s economic performance at the 2026 UP International Trade Show, citing Moody’s upgrade of the growth forecast to 7% and JCR’s sovereign rating rise to A‑. He pledged to continue accelerating growth by investing in the Defence Corridor’s six nodes and expanding free trade agreements to keep India on track to become the world’s leading economy by 2047.
Shah’s remarks came amid India’s 7.8% GDP growth in the last quarter, a figure that outpaced the 7% target set by the World Bank.
Moody’s recently lifted India’s growth forecast from 6% to 7% for 2026‑27, while JCR upgraded the sovereign rating from BBB+ to A‑, signalling investor confidence.
Shah highlighted how the Defence Corridor—spanning Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, Agra, Aligarh, and Kanpur—is attracting manufacturing investment, citing BrahMos missiles from UP and AK‑203 rifles from Amethi as proof.
The push for defence manufacturing has created jobs; a 35‑year‑old engineer in Kanpur says his company now produces 15,000 rifles a month, boosting the local economy.
Shah vowed to keep accelerating growth by expanding free‑trade agreements and deepening defence production, with the cabinet slated to review new trade deals in the coming weeks.