New Delhi, March 2 -- Economists and industry leaders have termed India's 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the October-December 2025 quarter (Q3 FY26) as a sign of sustained economic momentum, even as the pace moderated from 8.4 per cent in Q2 FY26 under the new 2022-23 base year series.

Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist, ICRA, said the easing in growth to 7.8 per cent was largely on expected lines and was driven by agriculture and non-manufacturing industrial sectors, including mining, electricity and construction. However, she noted that both Q2 and Q3 numbers were healthier than anticipated.

She said "The Second Advance Estimate (SAE) for GDP for FY2026 has been pegged to expand by a robust 7.6 per cent in FY2026, up from 7.1 per cent in FY2025...