In a recent exchange, Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP's National Information & Technology Department, strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi's remarks concerning India's manufacturing sector, presenting data to counter what he described as misinformed claims. The core of the disagreement stems from Gandhi's assertions that the "Make in India" initiative has been a failure, leading to a decline in manufacturing's contribution to India's GDP. Malviya, however, has presented a different perspective, citing substantial growth in various aspects of the manufacturing and electronics sectors.
Gandhi had stated that Prime Minister Modi has mastered the "art of slogans" but has not provided real solutions, further alleging that the manufacturing sector has hit record lows despite the "Make in India" push, reducing the country to a mere market for others. He emphasized the necessity of a fundamental shift in India's economic strategy, advocating for the empowerment of small producers through genuine reforms and financial support. Gandhi also laid out a vision for reviving India's manufacturing sector, emphasizing the need to focus on emerging technologies like electric motors, batteries, optics, and AI.
Malviya responded by accusing Gandhi of spreading false narratives and undermining the country's progress. He asserted that India has evolved from being an importer to a global manufacturing powerhouse. Malviya presented data indicating a significant increase in mobile phone production, stating that India has grown from having merely two manufacturing units in 2014 to over 300 in 2025, becoming the world's second-largest mobile phone producer. He noted that 99.2% of mobile phones sold in India are now made in India, a significant increase from just 26% in 2014-15.
Malviya also highlighted the surge in exports, which have reportedly reached over Rs 3.9 lakh crore. Furthermore, he pointed to the dramatic increase in the value of electronic production, which has risen from Rs 18,900 crore in 2014 to Rs 4.22 lakh crore in 2024-25. Mobile phone exports have also witnessed a 77-fold increase, climbing from Rs 1,566 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1.2 lakh crore in 2023-24.
The BJP leader defended the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, stating it has attracted investments of Rs 10,905 crore and generated total production worth Rs 7.15 lakh crore. He also noted that the government has sanctioned landmark semiconductor projects worth Rs 1.52 lakh crore and projected the overall value of electronics production to reach USD 300 billion by 2026.
Malviya also pointed to employment data, asserting that manufacturing sector job creation has significantly outpaced the Congress era. He stated that, according to RBI KLEMS data, employment in the manufacturing sector grew at twice the pace in the last decade compared to the UPA era, with an additional 17.9 crore jobs created from 2014 to 2024, compared to just 2.9 crore from 2004 to 2014.
In addition to economic data, Malviya has also attacked Gandhi on other fronts, accusing him of misrepresenting India on foreign soil and showing "affection for China". He has also criticized Gandhi for questioning the use of Indian forces and spreading misinformation.
