Rahul Gandhi is taking a swing at the government, saying that China’s aggressive moves at the border are tied to the failure of the Make in India initiative. He’s criticizing the BJP for not doing enough to boost manufacturing and defense, claiming that China’s boldness comes from its stronger industrial base.
During a speech in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi stirred things up by suggesting that the government sent Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to the US just to get an invite for Prime Minister Modi to attend Trump’s inauguration. Jaishankar shot back, saying Gandhi was spreading falsehoods that could harm the country.
Gandhi pointed out that while the PM denies it, the army is still talking to the Chinese, and the Chief of Staff has said they’re on our land. He emphasized that wars aren’t just about armies and weapons; they’re about industrial power, and right now, China has the upper hand. “China is sitting inside our territory because Make in India has failed,” he said.
His comments about China and the US led to a lot of noise from the ruling party, with demands for him to back up his claims. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla even had to step in and ask Gandhi to provide proof.
In his nearly 45-minute speech, Gandhi also shared a vision for what the President’s address could have focused on, like boosting manufacturing and involving young people in tech and energy, instead of just listing government achievements. He admitted that both the UPA and NDA governments have struggled to tackle unemployment and provide clear answers for the youth.
He pointed out that China is ahead of India in making electric motors, robots, batteries, and optics. “We can’t let the Chinese lead the production revolution. They’re sitting on 4,000 sq. km of our land,” he said. “If we ever go to war with China, we’ll be up against their advanced tech. We need to step up our production game for the future of our kids.”
Gandhi didn’t put all the blame on the PM, saying it wouldn’t be fair to say he didn’t try. “Make in India was a good idea, but it’s clear it hasn’t worked out,” he said. “I’m worried we’re going to let this production revolution slip away to the Chinese again.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju challenged Gandhi, saying he shouldn’t make baseless claims that could hurt the country. Birla also told Gandhi to back up his statements.
These comments come as India and China have been trying to ease tensions after a standoff that’s been going on for almost five years. The situation got really tense after a clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops. Since then, both countries have been working on ways to resolve their border issues and improve relations.
Recently, the foreign and defense ministers of both countries have met at various multilateral events, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval even visited Beijing for talks. They’ve also agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and are looking to restart direct flights.
On January 13, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi mentioned that there’s still some tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, but the situation is stable. He ruled out reducing troop levels in the area for now.
Dwivedi’s comments came after the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA resumed patrolling in Depsang and Demchok after a long break. The disengagement in these areas started on October 23, 2024, following a breakthrough in negotiations to resolve the standoff.
In the past, the Congress party and its allies have pushed for discussions in the House about China. Gandhi has also questioned the PM’s tough-guy image, pointing out his silence on the China issue and calling it a failure in foreign policy.
