Rahul expressed concerns about the presence of Chinese troops in Indian territory and questioned how any government could consider that situation to be well-managed.”We’ve got Chinese troops occupying land the size of Delhi in Ladakh, and I think that’s a disaster. The media doesn’t like to write about it. How would America react if a neighbour occupied 4,000 square kilometers of its territory? Would any president be able to get away with saying he’s handled that well? So, I don’t think Mr Modi has handled China well at all. I see no reason why Chinese troops should be sitting in our territory,” he said.
The border standoff between India and China has been ongoing since May 2020 when Chinese troops attempted to alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The conflict escalated with a violent clash between the two sides in the Galwan Valley. Since then, Indian forces have been stationed in forward positions, with more than 50,000 soldiers deployed along the LAC to prevent further Chinese incursions.
Gandhi also addressed broader issues of economic development and emphasized the need for a decentralized, democratic vision of production in contrast to China’s centralized manufacturing model. He criticised India’s current over-reliance on a services-based economy, arguing that the country cannot generate enough employment without a strong manufacturing base.
“We don’t want to do it like the Chinese are doing it. We don’t want to do it in an environment which is non-democratic, which is not liberal. So the real question for the 21st century, the Chinese have placed a production vision on the table. It’s a non-democratic production vision. Can the United States and India answer that by placing a vision for production in a democratic free society? And I think that’s where a lot of answers lie,” he said.
LIVE: Shri Rahul Gandhi interacts with the media at the National Press Club, Washington DC, USA.
“For a country like India to simply say that we’re going to ignore manufacturing and only run a services-based economy means you cannot give employment to people,” Gandhi stated. He called for a vision that embraces production in a democratic and liberal society, highlighting that both India and the United States have an opportunity to reclaim their roles as global producers.
Gandhi advocated for supporting small and medium-sized businesses and reviving traditional industries across India. “Each area in India has its own specialty of production. For example, Ballari in Karnataka has a deep textile industry that has been destroyed. We are looking at these pockets of excellence and trying to bring modern technology and financial support to build them,” he explained.
He said that not manufacturing enough means, not enough employment can be generated. Rahul further added that there is a huge opportunity for both India and the US to regain the ability to produce.
“Here in the United States that the West, America, Europe, and India, the West used to be the producer of the world. If you wanted to buy a car, in the 60s, you bought an American car, washing machine, refrigerator…You guys were at the forefront of that. And then somewhere along the line, America decided, India decided, and the West decided that we’re just going to stop. And we handed the whole thing to the Chinese. Now for a country like India, to simply say that we’re going to ignore manufacturing, and only run a services-based economy, it means you cannot give employment to people,” said Rahul Gandhi.
“I am more interested in the act of production- also called manufacturing. Look at what most American, Indian and European countries do. They organize consumption. Uber organizes consumption. Organizing consumption is easy. Organizing production is a completely different ballgame, much more complicated. You have to deal with things when you organize production that you simply don’t have to deal with when you organize production. So to me, there’s a huge opportunity for India and the United States to regain that ability to produce,” he further added.
In contrast to China’s model of large, centralized factories, Gandhi proposed a more decentralised production system, where small and medium businesses are empowered with modern technology. His party is already testing some of these ideas in the Congress-governed states of Karnataka and Telangana, focusing on revitalizing traditional industries like textiles.
Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the Modi government extended to domestic economic policies as well, particularly the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few large business conglomerates. He pointed out that the current economic model was monopolizing Indian industries and harming the country’s productivity.
During his interaction, Gandhi also addressed his role as the Leader of the Opposition and the ideological battle between the INDIA alliance and the BJP-RSS. He vowed to defend India’s institutions and protect the rights of marginalized communities, including lower castes, tribals, and minorities.
Rahul’s US visit included interactions with the Indian diaspora, students, faculty, and US lawmakers, marking his first trip to the US since becoming the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
