Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised serious concerns over the effectiveness of the PM Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, arguing that India continues to rely on imports while merely assembling products like mobile phones without developing true manufacturing capabilities. In a conversation with local technicians in Delhi’s Nehru Place market, Rahul Gandhi said that this approach benefits countries like China, and fails to generate the scale of employment India desperately needs.
‘We Assemble, We Import, But We Don’t Build’
In a video interaction with technicians Shivam and Saif, which he later posted on X (formerly Twitter), Rahul Gandhi highlighted a sharp disconnect between the ‘Make in India’ narrative and the ground reality. According to him, while the government claimed the campaign would bring a manufacturing revolution, the country is stuck in an “assemble-only” mode. Rahul Gandhi said, “Make in India promised a factory boom. So why is manufacturing at record lows, youth unemployment at record highs, and why have imports from China more than doubled?”
He argued that India mostly imports electronic components and then assembles them into finished products. “We assemble, we import, but we don’t build. China profits,” he said, adding that such a structure only strengthens the grip of global supply chains dominated by foreign producers, especially China.
‘India Needs to Truly Manufacture, Not Just Assemble’
Highlighting Apple’s assembly operations in India, which began in 2017 and now include three plants, Rahul Gandhi said such initiatives don’t represent actual manufacturing. “Assemble as many iPhones as you want, all you are doing is giving money to the big oligopolies of India,” he said.
He added that the widespread confusion between ‘made in India’ and ‘assembled in India’ was damaging India’s future. According to Rahul Gandhi, true economic independence will only come when India begins producing key components and products domestically, not merely packaging foreign-made parts.
Citing data, he claimed that the manufacturing sector has shrunk to just 14% of the Indian economy since 2014. “PM Modi has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions,” he said. “With no new ideas, PM Modi has surrendered,” Rahul Gandhi remarked, calling for a major policy rethink.
He further warned that without genuine efforts to boost manufacturing, India would remain a consumer market for other countries’ goods, continuing to lose economic ground in critical industries like electronics.
Call for Honest Reforms and Producer Support
Rahul Gandhi concluded his critique by calling for a “fundamental shift” in India’s economic priorities. He advocated for honest reforms and meaningful financial support to the lakhs of small and mid-level producers across the country.
“India needs a fundamental shift—one that empowers lakhs of producers through honest reforms and financial support,” he wrote on X. “We must stop being a market for others. If we don’t build here, we’ll keep buying from those who do. The clock is ticking.”
His remarks come as unemployment and economic disparity remain key concerns in India’s post-pandemic recovery, with manufacturing lagging behind sectors like services. Rahul Gandhi’s statements signal that the Congress party is likely to keep the focus on economic performance and employment in its broader political strategy.
