New Delhi: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the declining state of manufacturing in India, rising youth unemployment, and the growing dependence on Chinese imports — all under the shadow of the much-hyped “Make in India” initiative.
Sharing a video on social media platform X, Gandhi questioned the credibility of the Prime Minister’s promises. “’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 wrote. “Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions.”
According to Gandhi, manufacturing now accounts for just 14% of India’s economy, despite over a decade of policy focus. He argued that instead of building a self-reliant industrial base, India continues to import more and produce less.
In a heartfelt note, Gandhi also shared his experience of meeting two young men — Shivam and Saif — in Delhi’s Nehru Place. “They are bright, skilled, and full of promise — yet they remain unemployed and underutilized. This is not their failure; it’s the failure of this government’s economic vision,” he said.
He sharply criticised what he described as a “collapsed model of growth,” stating, “We assemble, we import, but we don’t build. China profits while India watches.”
Gandhi further revealed that even the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme — touted as a game-changer for domestic manufacturing — is allegedly being rolled back without fanfare. “With no new ideas, Modi ji has surrendered. Even the much-hyped PLI scheme is now being quietly rolled back,” he claimed.
Calling for a complete transformation of India’s industrial policy, Gandhi urged for bold reforms that genuinely support lakhs of producers and entrepreneurs. “India needs a fundamental shift — honest reforms, real financial support, and a commitment to build here. If we don’t act now, we will forever remain a market for others,” he warned.
