MoSPI Expands Digital Reforms to Strengthen India’s Data System

MoSPI has modernised the National Sample Survey by introducing digital platforms that make data collection more accurate and efficient.

India's Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is accelerating the modernisation of the country's statistical system with a series of digital reforms, updated data standards and faster survey methods designed to deliver more reliable and timely information for policymaking. The initiatives include technology-driven surveys, improved economic indicators, stronger quality standards and new tools for monitoring national infrastructure projects.

MoSPI has modernised the National Sample Survey by introducing digital platforms that make data collection more accurate and efficient. Survey teams now use the Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) system integrated with the e-Sigma platform, which includes built-in validation checks, multilingual support and an AI-powered chatbot to improve the quality and consistency of information collected from respondents.

The ministry has also introduced short-duration surveys to generate high-frequency socio-economic indicators, allowing policymakers to respond more quickly to changing economic and social conditions. Administrative datasets have been integrated into survey sampling processes, improving efficiency while helping produce official statistics more quickly.

Major Economic Indicators Receive Fresh Updates

The ministry has undertaken significant reforms in macroeconomic statistics through revisions to the base years of key indicators, including the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP). These revisions are intended to ensure that official data better reflects the current structure of India's economy.

MoSPI has also strengthened data harmonisation by adopting the National Metadata Structure (NMDS 2.0), introducing the Statistical Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) and aligning national classifications with internationally accepted standards. The ministry continues to review global statistical practices and adapts them to suit India's policy needs while maintaining greater transparency, credibility and accuracy in official statistics.

Global Standards Shape India's Statistical Framework

The ministry follows internationally recognised statistical principles in several areas. It adopted the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics in 2016 to promote professional ethics and improve the production and dissemination of official data. India's latest Consumer Price Index, released in February 2026 with 2024 as the new base year, follows the Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose (COICOP) 2018 framework, while the National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2025 has been aligned with the International Standard Industrial Classification Revision 5.

The Statistical Quality Assessment Framework introduced by MoSPI is based on the United Nations National Quality Assurance Framework 2019, strengthening accountability and consistency in statistical processes. National Accounts continue to follow the United Nations System of National Accounts 2008, while GDP and CPI are compiled in line with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standards.

New Dashboard Tracks Infrastructure Performance

MoSPI has also strengthened infrastructure monitoring through PAIMANA (Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building), which has replaced the earlier Online Computerized Monitoring System (OCMS-2006) for tracking Central Sector infrastructure projects.

To support evidence-based policymaking, the ministry launched a Performance Monitoring Dashboard on April 16, 2026. The dashboard provides standardised indicators to monitor the performance of key infrastructure sectors, offering policymakers a clearer picture of progress across major national projects.

The information was shared by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation, Planning and Culture, Rao Inderjit Singh, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.