'Shocking': Former World Bank economist on manipulation of Doing Business ranking

The World Bank Group on September 16 said it ended publication of its Doing Business report, after an investigation cited "undue pressure" by top bank officials.

Economist Kaushik Basu dubbed reports of manipulation of the World Bank's Doing Business ranking as "shocking". Basu was Chief Economist of the World Bank from October 2012 to October 2016.

He said that when the Doing Business report was under his charge, the organisation never gave in to pressure from governments.

He also clarified that the World Bank never faced pressure from the current or previous Indian government, led by Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh respectively.

"The news of manipulation of World Bank's Doing Business Ranking is shocking. DB was under my charge from 2012 to 2016. There was pressure from govts. We NEVER gave in. Sad that this changed. I may add, to India's credit, I never had pressure from India's govt—current or previous," Basu tweeted.