Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday urged Indians to shed cynicism and speak more confidently about the economy, saying the country’s resilient growth, strong fundamentals, robust GST collections and stable leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi warranted greater optimism despite global challenges. “India needs a lot of optimism. India needs a lot of conversing with optimism. India needs reduction in cynicism. India needs to voice that we believe in ourselves,” Sitharaman said, appealing to businesses and experts to recognise the strength of the broader economy rather than remain apprehensive about its future.