India today stands out as one of the fastest growing large economies in the world. On the surface, the headline GDP numbers inspire confidence and global admiration.

Yet recently, the International Monetary Fund has raised a red flag, assigning what can best be described as a C grade to the reliability of India's national statistics.

They have not criticised India's growth story. Not yet. They caution about how exactly that growth story is being measured.

First, the base year problem. India is still calculating GDP using 2011-12 as the reference year. In economic terms, that is a lifetime ago. The structure of the economy has changed dramatically since then. Digital platforms, fintech, startups, services, consumption patterns and even employment dynamics look nothing like they did fifteen years ago. Measuring a 2026 economy with a 2011 framework inevitably creates distortions.

Second, the informal economy. A large part of India's economic activity happens outside formal records. Small businesses, cash driven services and informal labour continue to power growth at the grassroots. If this segment is only partially captured, the numbers may look neat but the real economic pulse remains incomplete.

Third, the missing census. India has not conducted a population census since 2011. That has serious implications for per capita income and productivity calculations. When population data becomes outdated, even accurate GDP figures can produce misleading conclusions about individual prosperity and welfare.

Fourth, methodology concerns. The IMF has pointed out that India needs more contemporary methods to account for inflation and price changes while calculating real GDP. Without this, growth may appear stronger or weaker than it truly is.

Which brings me to a more uncomfortable but necessary point. Beyond technical debates on data quality, I would also question the 'growth story' being presented to us. As an Indian citizen, I do not see this economic growth manifesting around me. What I see instead is unemployed youth, visible hunger and malnutrition, farmers under persistent distress, and small and medium businesses struggling to survive. When lived reality diverges so sharply from headline numbers, it naturally raises doubts. While the IMF is not questioning India's growth potential or long term trajectory, it is questioning statistical credibility. I am. Because as citizens, we deserve to clearly understand how we are growing, where that growth is coming from, and who it is truly benefiting. Right now, that connection between numbers and everyday life feels missing.