New Delhi, Sept. 23 -- India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in FY26 could be closer to the upper-end of the 6.3-6.8% range forecast in the economic survey as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate cuts from Monday will give a "significant boost" to the economy, government's chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said, making a conservative estimate. "I think the GST 2.0 is a very significant landmark reform. It will provide a very significant boost to the domestic demand. Because, if you look at the total amount of taxes that is estimated to be foregone, is exactly the amount of savings the households are making, coming on top of direct tax relief, concessions made in the budget. And then if you, sort of, take in the multiplier effect, it will definitely add quite a bit to the GDP numbers," he said at the Network18 Reforms Reloaded 2025 summit in Delhi. Addressing the nation on the eve of Navratri on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday would mark the beginning of a "savings festival", with GST rate sharply reduced on hundreds of items. "If we add the exemption in income tax and exemption in GST, then the decisions taken in one year will save more than Rs.2.5 lakh crore for the people of the country," the PM said. The Economic Survey, tabled by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on January 31, projected India's GDP growth in the range of 6.3% and 6.8% in 2025-26. "While I should actually be looking at revising my numbers upward, given my cautious nature, I would simply say that I'm more comfortable now that the final number, which we have given a range - 6.3 to 6.8% in real terms. We will be tending towards the upper-end of this range rather than the lower-end of this range, considering what's happening on the external front," he said. Stating that he is "more relaxed and confident" about India's higher growth rate at this point, the CEA said: "Once second quarter number comes, then we will revisit the estimates." Nageswaran said that the Prime Minister's estimates are static in nature covering savings because of direct and indirect tax reductions, but its multiplier effect on the economy would be bigger than the Rs.2.5 lakh crore. He, however, added that unforeseen uncertainties may "dilute" some of the impacts. According to the CEA, the second quarter GDP number is expected to maintain the growth momentum achieved in the first quarter. India's GDP expanded by a five-quarter high of 7.8% in the first quarter FY26 (April-June 2025)....