Modi govt so far: Not the feared 'disaster', not the anticipated success

Three-quarters into the 10 years that Mr Modi had sought for transforming India, the "output" numbers look impressive, but the key "outcome" numbers don't show up much, if at all, writes T N Ninan

Narendra Modi is a fortnight away from the half-way mark of his second term in office, having been sworn in on May 30, 2019; and three-quarters of the way through the 10 years he had sought to transform India. How should one assess his economic record? Since Covid’s impact was felt from late March of 2020, it would make sense to consider Mr Modi’s first six years as one group, and treat the subsequent period separately. That produces an odd coincidence: The official figures show that in his first six years GDP growth was almost exactly the same as in the