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Denies PMO’s comments saying the report was the personal opinion of an employee

Moody’s Analytics has denied that its report expressing concern over what it called the belligerent provocation of various Indian minorities, was the personal opinion of an analyst employed with it.

The report warning Prime Minister Narendra Modi that unless he steps in to rein in the members of the BJP, India runs the risk of losing domestic and global credibility, was dismissed by the PMO as opinion of a Junior Associate Economist employed with Moody’s Analytics.

"The report was published by and is the view of Moody’s Analytics as part of its economic outlook series. The report included a section observing political developments in the context of their potential economic impact, and did not advocate any political agenda or perspective,” a spokesperson from Moody’s Analytics said in an email response to The Hindu.

The clarification from Moody’s Analytics, which provides economic research and analysis and is a separate company from Moody’s Investors Service, the ratings agency, is in response to the Wednesday’s statement from Prime Minister Modi’s Office on Wednesday that called the Moody’s Analytics report the “personal opinion of a Junior Associate Economist” employed with it.

“Opinion of a Junior Associate Economist employed with Moody’s Analytics has been splashed all across implying it as the opinion of Moody’s Analytics,” the PMO said. The PMO’s statement also sought to blame the media for passing off as commentary on India the personal opinion of a junior analyst “to buttress the narrative it wants to portray”.

Sources confirmed that the PMO issued the statement without consulting Moody’s Analytics.

Moody’s Shared Services India had shared the report titled, India Outlook: Searching for Potential, with reporters on Friday through email as it does all notes from Moody’s Analytics and Moody’s Investors Service Inc. The email stated that the publication was produced by Moody’s Analytics and “if sourcing or referencing any contents from this publication please quote Moody’s Analytics.”