Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said India’s expanding middle class has become the “engine of growth”, with household consumption playing a key role in supporting the country’s post-pandemic economic momentum. Speaking at a session on “How to promote the rise of a new middle class?” at Les Rencontres Economiques d’Aix-en-Provence 2026 in France, Sitharaman said India’s growth story was being powered not just by investment and reforms, but also by the spending strength of its middle class.