ARS Insights, March 2026. Practical research thinking for business owners, in plain language.
1. India moved to a new GDP series
On 27 February 2026 the statistics ministry released national accounts on a new base year, 2022-23, replacing 2011-12. Under the new series, GDP grew 7.8% in October to December 2025 and growth for the current year is put at 7.6%, against 7.4% in the January advance estimate. Earlier quarters were revised: July to September from 8.2% to 8.4%, and April to June from 7.8% to 6.7%. The new series adds GST data, e-Vahan vehicle registrations and household services information.
2. The lesson for your own tracking
Why it matters: Even a national statistic gets revised when the method improves. If you track your own sales, customer satisfaction or brand awareness, a change in the way you measure can look like a change in the market.
What to measure: write down how each of your key numbers is counted, and keep the method the same from year to year. If you must change it, run the old and new method side by side for a period.
3. One question for your business this month
Which of your key numbers would change if you counted it differently, and does anyone in your team know exactly how it is counted?
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ARS Market Research Services Pvt. Ltd., Chennai. arsmrs.in
Sources: The Week, 27 February 2026, on the new GDP series.