Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, in his reply to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha on Monday, outlined a roadmap to address India’s unemployment crisis, while criticizing successive governments for failing to tackle the issue effectively.
Referring to the decline in the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP, Rahul highlighted, “In 2014, manufacturing accounted for 15.3% of the GDP. Today, it has dropped to 12.6%, the lowest in 60 years. I’m not blaming the Prime Minister. It’s not fair to say he didn’t try—he tried but failed,” he said, referencing Narendra Modi’s Make in India initiative.
Acknowledging the universal challenge of unemployment, Rahul stated, “Neither the UPA government nor the NDA government has provided a satisfactory solution to this problem. Make in India was a good idea. We saw statues, grand events, and promises of investments, but the results are evident today.”
Rahul criticized the lack of robust production and consumption data in India, emphasizing that both are crucial for economic growth. “India doesn’t have reliable data on production or consumption. What’s worse, we’ve handed over our consumption data to foreign companies like Google, Facebook, and X, while production data is controlled by China,” he added.
Highlighting India’s dependence on foreign manufacturing, Rahul raised his cell phone during the speech and said, “Every component of this phone comes from China and is merely assembled in India. We need to build a production network here. China already has a decade-long lead in critical areas like batteries, motors, and optics. We must identify such sectors and focus on capacity building.”
Rahul expressed concerns about focusing solely on consumption, warning that it could lead to fiscal deficits and increased inequality. “The world is undergoing a mobility revolution, transitioning from internal combustion engines to electric motors, from petrol to batteries, and towards wind, solar, and nuclear power. This transformation will reshape the world, and we must position ourselves to benefit from it.”
Drawing parallels to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Rahul described it as a battle between outdated and modern technologies. “The conflict represents a shift from tanks to drones, with tanks being destroyed by the thousands. This underscores the importance of industrial systems in modern warfare,” he explained.
Rahul criticized India’s reliance on Chinese and American companies for production and consumption, arguing it has weakened India’s global position. He added, “When we have the production strength, we won’t need to seek invitations. Leaders like the US President will come to us instead.”
Rahul also accused the government of failing to safeguard Indian territory, claiming that 4,000 sq km is under Chinese occupation. “The Prime Minister denies it, but the army confirms it by continuously engaging with China. Wars are fought between industrial systems, not just armies. China’s stronger industrial base gives it the confidence to intrude into our land,” he said, sparking loud protests from treasury benches in Prime Minister Modi’s presence.
Addressing India’s strategic partnership with the US, Rahul emphasized collaboration in building industrial systems. “Our conversations with the US should focus on how we can jointly build an industrial ecosystem. The US cannot achieve this without India,” he asserted.
In response, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar refuted Rahul’s claim that his visit to the US in December 2024 was to secure an invitation for the Prime Minister. “I visited the US to meet with the Secretary of State, the NSA, and to chair a gathering of our Consuls General. At no point was the PM’s invitation discussed,” Jaishankar clarified in a post on X.
Rahul’s remarks came at a time of heightened global trade tensions, with former US President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, significantly impacting the global trade system.
Concluding his speech, Rahul called for greater inclusion of socially and economically marginalized communities in India’s progress. He praised the caste census conducted by the Congress-led Telangana government, suggesting that combining caste data with artificial intelligence could enable India to challenge China’s dominance. “We must leverage this data to create an equitable and prosperous new-age India,” he said.
