Rahul Gandhi Advocates for a New Growth Model During Germany Visit
Gandhi Discusses Global Mobility Changes
On Tuesday, the Congress party released a video featuring Rahul Gandhi's visit to a BMW factory in Germany. In the footage, he emphasized the need for a new growth model focused on global changes in mobility, India's manufacturing capabilities, and job creation.
In the video shared on X, Gandhi highlighted the challenges faced by the automobile industry as it transitions from internal combustion engines to electric mobility. He noted that this shift is reshaping industries worldwide. By pointing out China's advancements in electric vehicles, he stated that this transformation has given Beijing a significant competitive edge. He remarked that countries like India, which still need to develop substantial infrastructure, have a unique opportunity to take a different path.
Concerns Over Current Manufacturing Policies
Gandhi criticized the central government led by the BJP, claiming that current policies have discouraged manufacturing and concentrated economic power in the hands of a few large corporate groups. He stressed that the only way to create mass employment in a country like India is through manufacturing. He further accused major corporations of focusing more on trading than production, leading to increased reliance on imported goods, particularly from China.
While addressing an assembly at the Hertie School in Berlin, he stated, "For a country like India, the only way to generate large-scale employment is through manufacturing. The BJP has completely discouraged manufacturing. When power is concentrated in the hands of a few industrialists like Ambani and Adani, they are not interested in manufacturing; they are trading companies, not production companies. Most of them are selling Chinese products in India."
Call for a Democratic Production Model
He urged listeners to observe their surroundings, noting that nearly everything they use is manufactured in China, which poses a significant issue for a country like India. He asserted that India possesses the necessary population, capacity, and cost structure to become a major manufacturing hub. Gandhi proposed a new growth model that balances production with democratic values, environmental responsibility, and social inclusion.
He concluded, "We have the capacity for production, the population for production, and the cost structure for production. What should the next model of Indian growth look like? It must include production, right? It should be production that occurs in a democratic environment. It should have a vision for the environment and for the marginalized sections of society, while also generating prosperity."