Recent GDP numbers out of India caught analysts off guard. Malhotra flagged that the latest headline figure was "surprising"—signaling a notable miss from expectations. The RBI, which had publicly projected 7% year-over-year growth for the July-September quarter back in July, now faces pressure to recalibrate its forecasting models. The central bank acknowledged the need to "improve our forecasting" given the divergence between their projection and actual outcomes. This kind of policy recalibration matters for the broader financial ecosystem, as shifting growth expectations typically influence capital flows and market sentiment across multiple asset classes.