MoSPI drives evidence-based policy via surveys, indices: Rajya Sabha
Synopsis
India's statistics ministry is quietly overhauling the country's data architecture — from launching the first-ever Index of Services Production to leveraging GST data for real-time economic tracking. With services accounting for 53% of GVA and no dedicated monthly measure until now, the ISP fills a long-standing gap that policymakers and the RBI have had to work around.
Key Takeaways
MoSPI produces GDP estimates , the monthly CPI , and IIP , and conducts household surveys on labour, health, and education.
Minister Rao Inderjit Singh made the statement in the Rajya Sabha on 20 July .
India's first Index of Services Production (ISP) trial monthly series was released on 14 July , addressing a key gap in economic measurement.
The services sector contributes nearly 53% of India's Gross Value Added (GVA) .
GST data now provides monthly supply-side information from millions of businesses, strengthening official statistics.
MoSPI is the nodal ministry for monitoring India's National Indicator Framework for SDGs , covering health, education, gender equality, and environment.
The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) compiles critical economic and social indices and conducts large-scale household surveys that directly inform government policy on quality of life, Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Rao Inderjit Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Monday, 20 July.
What MoSPI Produces
MoSPI is responsible for generating Estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI), and the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). The ministry also disseminates a wide range of official statistics through regular household surveys covering labour force, social consumption, health, and education.
'These surveys provide evidence on various dimensions of social and economic development that are relevant to assessing the quality of life,' Singh said in his statement to the upper house.
SDG Monitoring and Policy Linkage
MoSPI also serves as the nodal ministry for monitoring the National Indicator Framework for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which tracks indicators spanning health, education, gender equality, and environmental sustainability.
'These indicators, along with data generated through various official statistical surveys, support evidence-based policy formulation and enable assessment of progress towards improving the overall well-being of citizens,' Singh added.
India's First Index of Services Production
In a significant statistical development, MoSPI has finalised the framework for India's first Index of Services Production (ISP), with a trial monthly series released on 14 July. The ISP is designed to provide a comprehensive monthly measure of short-term movements in India's formal services sector, complementing the existing IIP.
This is notable given that the services sector contributes nearly 53% of India's Gross Value Added (GVA), generates substantial employment, and has emerged as a primary driver of economic growth, investment, and exports. The absence of a dedicated services production index had long been flagged as a gap in India's statistical architecture.
GST Data Strengthening Statistical Systems
The availability of Goods and Services Tax (GST) data has significantly enhanced India's statistical infrastructure by providing monthly information on outward supplies reported by millions of businesses. This administrative data stream has allowed MoSPI to cross-validate survey findings and improve the timeliness and granularity of economic measurement.
Broader Significance
Taken together, these developments represent a sustained push to modernise India's official statistics ecosystem — from GDP estimation to SDG tracking to a new services index. As the economy's services-led character deepens, the ISP in particular could become a key instrument for policymakers and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in calibrating monetary and fiscal responses. The full monthly ISP series is expected to be operationalised following the trial run.
Point of View
Which now drives more than half of GVA, simply did not exist. The ISP launch addresses that, but the trial phase will test whether the methodology can handle the heterogeneity of India's formal services — from IT exports to financial services to logistics. The integration of GST data is the more quietly consequential development; it gives MoSPI an administrative data backbone that surveys alone cannot provide. The real accountability question is whether these improved statistics will translate into faster, better-targeted policy responses — or remain confined to technical publications.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is India's Index of Services Production (ISP)?
The ISP is India's first dedicated monthly index measuring short-term movements in the formal services sector. Its trial series was released on 14 July, and it is designed to complement the existing IIP, which covers industry but not services. The services sector accounts for nearly 53% of India's Gross Value Added.
Why does the ISP matter for India's economy?
Until now, India lacked a comprehensive monthly measure for its services sector despite it contributing nearly 53% of GVA and being a major source of employment and exports. The ISP fills this gap, giving policymakers and the RBI a more complete and timely picture of economic activity.
How is GST data improving Indian statistics?
GST data provides MoSPI with monthly information on outward supplies reported by millions of businesses, significantly enhancing the timeliness and coverage of official statistics. This allows for better cross-validation of survey data and more granular economic tracking.
What is the National Indicator Framework for SDGs?
It is a monitoring framework for which MoSPI is the nodal ministry, tracking India's progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The framework includes indicators covering health, education, gender equality, and environmental sustainability, and feeds directly into policy assessment.
