The Numbers
Where the nation stands, in figures that survive checking — dated, sourced to at least two outlets, and where a number is disputed, both readings are on the chart.
Sources: Reuters, Jun 2026 · DW/IMF
Unemployment, measured three ways
The divergence is the finding: what counts as "employed" differs by survey. Contested
View as table
| Series | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| PLFS annual headline | ~3.2% | counts unpaid family/informal work as employment |
| PLFS monthly, Mar–May 2026 | 5.1–5.5% | new monthly official series |
| CMIE | 7–8% | independent panel, stricter "employed" definition |
Sources: MoSPI PLFS · CMIE, divergence explained
Foundational learning — recovery, not arrival
Rural India, ASER surveys. Improvement is real; the floor is still low. Documented
View as table
| Skill (rural, Class 3) | Earlier | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Reads a Class 2 text | 16.3% (2022) | 23.4% |
| Basic subtraction | 28.1% (2018) | 33.7% |
Source: ASER 2024 National Findings
The tariff arc, 2025–26
US tariff rate on Indian goods — the six-month 50% window hit textiles, gems and shrimp exporters hard. Documented
View as table
| Date | US tariff rate | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-2025 | 25% | reciprocal rate |
| Aug 2025 | 50% | +25% penalty tied to Russian-oil purchases |
| 2 Feb 2026 | ~18% | bilateral framework; India curbs Russian-oil imports |
Sources: Reuters, Feb 2026 · Thompson Hine
Press-freedom rank — a disputed metric, shown disputed
RSF World Press Freedom Index, rank out of 180 — lower is better. The government disputes RSF's methodology; RSF cites ownership concentration. Both readings belong here. Contested
View as table
| Year | Rank / 180 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 159 |
| 2025 | 151 |
| 2026 | 157 (score 31.96) |
Sources: RSF · The Diplomat, Jun 2026 — methodology disputed by GoI
This archive, audited
All 39 claims in the Claims Ledger, by evidence tag — the site scoring itself.
An archive that quantifies where its own argument is weakest — that is the point.