‘Indian manufacturing is declining’: Rahul Gandhi’s remark in Germany's BMW plant sparks row

After touring a BMW automobile plant, Gandhi shared a video on Instagram in which he criticised what he described as the declining state of manufacturing in India.

“Manufacturing is the backbone of strong economies. Sadly, in India, manufacturing is declining. For us to accelerate growth, we need to produce more, build meaningful manufacturing ecosystems, and create high-quality jobs at scale,” Gandhi said in the video.

The comments triggered a sharp response from the BJP, which accused Gandhi of misrepresenting facts while speaking abroad.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari dismissed the claims as “fake news,” citing government data to argue that India’s manufacturing sector has seen significant growth under the Modi government.

In a post on X, Bhandari claimed that electronics manufacturing has grown by 495 percent over the past decade, while exports have surged by 760 percent.

He also highlighted growth in the automotive sector, stating that vehicle production has risen from 2 million units in 1991 to 28 million units in 2024—an increase of nearly 1,300 percent.

According to the BJP, India aims to produce 50 million vehicles by 2030 and rank among the world’s top two automobile manufacturers by 2047.

“This is manufacturing-led growth backed by data, not slogans,” Bhandari said, adding that India has moved from import dependence to export dominance.

Despite the criticism, Gandhi also praised Indian engineering during his visit. He highlighted TVS Motor’s 450cc motorcycle developed in collaboration with BMW, calling it a proud example of Indian innovation.

Gandhi’s remarks during foreign visits have frequently sparked controversy back home. In 2023, while speaking at Cambridge University, he said that democracy in India was under strain, alleging constraints on institutions such as Parliament, the judiciary, and the free press.

A year earlier, he had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of promoting a vision of India that he said was not inclusive.