New Delhi, July 19:
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday delivered a pointed critique of India’s manufacturing strategy, calling for a fundamental shift at the ground level to transform the country into a genuine manufacturing power. He alleged that under the banner of “Make in India,” the country is largely limited to assembling imported components rather than producing them domestically.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi wrote:
“Do you know that 80% of the components used in TVs made in India come from China? In the name of ‘Make in India’, we are merely assembling – not truly manufacturing. From iPhones to TVs, parts are sourced from abroad. We just put them together.”
“Small Entrepreneurs Are Ready, But the System Isn’t”
Gandhi pointed to systemic roadblocks that are holding back indigenous manufacturing.
“Small entrepreneurs want to manufacture, but there is no policy support. Instead, they face heavy taxation and a market captured by a few monopolistic corporates,” he said, hinting at an environment where a handful of industrial players dominate at the expense of broad-based industrial growth.
“Jobs, Growth, and Self-Reliance Can’t Come from Just Assembly Lines”
He emphasized that the country must move beyond the superficial metrics of assembly to achieve true economic progress.
“Unless we become self-reliant in manufacturing, the talk of jobs, growth, and ‘Make in India’ will remain empty speeches,” Gandhi asserted.
“India needs a ground-level transformation to shift from being an assembly hub to a manufacturing powerhouse that can compete with China on equal terms.”
Manufacturing Share in GDP Declining
Backing his argument with government data, Gandhi had earlier stated that the share of manufacturing in India’s GDP has steadily declined despite the “Make in India” push.
“In 2014, manufacturing contributed 15.3% to the GDP. Today, it’s down to 12.6% — the lowest in 60 years,” he had noted.
“China Is a Decade Ahead”
Gandhi warned that India risks falling further behind in the global industrial race.
“China has spent the last ten years developing expertise in batteries, robotics, electric motors, and optics. They now have a ten-year lead over us in these critical sectors,” he said, urging for swift and visionary reforms.
“India Needs a New Vision for the Future”
As the world stands at the edge of a new technological revolution, Gandhi called for a national economic vision that directly addresses India’s twin challenges: massive unemployment and the lack of economic opportunity for the vast majority.
“Jobs come from production — something that ‘Make in India’ has failed to revive. But the energy and mobility revolution presents a historic opportunity.”
“If India focuses on renewable energy, battery tech, electric motors, optics, and artificial intelligence, we can play a central role in this transformation. That’s the only way to offer hope to our youth,” he concluded.
