Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has raised concerns over India's failure to organize production effectively, emphasizing the country's heavy reliance on China for manufacturing. Speaking at a public event, Gandhi highlighted the distinction between assembling products in India and truly manufacturing them domestically.

"Any country basically organizes two things: consumption and production. The modern way of organizing consumption is through services, while production is organized through manufacturing. However, there is more to production than just manufacturing," Gandhi stated. He pointed out that India has excelled in organizing consumption but has fallen short in organizing production.

Gandhi criticized the current state of India's production ecosystem, stating, "We have as a country failed in organizing production. We have excellent companies that try to organize production, but essentially, what we have done is handed over the organization of production to the Chinese." He used the example of mobile phones to illustrate his point, noting that while India claims to manufacture phones domestically, the reality is that they are only assembled in India, with most components being imported from China.

"This mobile phone, even though we are saying we make this mobile phone in India, that is not a fact. This phone is not made in India. This phone is assembled in India. All the components of this phone are made in China...we are paying a tax to China," Gandhi remarked.

His comments come amid ongoing debates about India's manufacturing capabilities and its dependence on Chinese imports, particularly in the electronics and technology sectors. Gandhi's remarks underscore the need for India to strengthen its domestic manufacturing base and reduce reliance on foreign countries for critical components.

The Congress leader's critique aligns with broader discussions about India's "Make in India" initiative, which aims to boost domestic manufacturing. However, critics argue that the initiative has not yet achieved its full potential, as the country continues to rely heavily on imports for key industries.

Gandhi's statement is likely to reignite debates about India's economic policies and its position in the global supply chain, particularly in the context of rising geopolitical tensions and the need for self-reliance in critical sectors.