logo
Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticises 'Make in India'

Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticises 'Make in India'

Time of Indiaa day ago

Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that despite promises of a " Make in India " factory boom, manufacturing in the country is at a record low and youth unemployment is very high.Gandhi questioned the effectiveness of the "Make in India" initiative, highlighting that manufacturing in the country has fallen to a record low of 14 per cent of the economy since 2014.He also pointed to rising youth unemployment and a doubling of imports from China, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of focusing on slogans rather than real solutions.In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi shared a video and wrote, "Make in India" promised a factory boom. So why is manufacturing at record lows, youth unemployment at record highs, and why have imports from China more than doubled? Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions. Since 2014, manufacturing has fallen to 14% of our economy."He highlighted the challenges faced by India's youth, sharing in a post that he met two talented young men, Shivam and Saif, in Nehru Place, New Delhi, who remain unable to fulfil their potential.He criticised the country's current economic model and said, "In Nehru Place, New Delhi, I met Shivam and Saif - bright, skilled, full of promise - yet denied the opportunity to fulfil it. The truth is stark: we assemble, we import, but we don't build. China profits."He said that Prime Minister Modi has no new ideas and has given up on growing India's industries.He added that even the important PLI scheme is being quietly stopped.Gandhi called for big changes to help Indian producers with honest reforms and financial support, warning that if India doesn't build its industries, it will keep buying from other countries."With no new ideas, Modi ji has surrendered. Even the much-hyped PLI scheme is now being quietly rolled back. India needs a fundamental shift - one that empowers lakhs of producers through honest reforms and financial support. We must stop being a market for others. If we don't build here, we'll keep buying from those who do. The clock is ticking," the post readsThe Make in India initiative was launched by the Prime Minister in September 2014 as part of a wider set of nation-building initiatives.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Strait of Hormuz Closure? India sitting pretty on oil front, no worries on gas at all
Strait of Hormuz Closure? India sitting pretty on oil front, no worries on gas at all

Time of India

time16 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Strait of Hormuz Closure? India sitting pretty on oil front, no worries on gas at all

Live Events You Might Also Like: Strait of Hormuz: Iran threatens 33-km wide key oil lifeline for the world You Might Also Like: India ramps up oil imports from Russia, US in June amid Israel-Iran tensions You Might Also Like: Strait of Hormuz: The world's most important oil artery (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel US strikes on Iran 's three main nuclear facilities have once again raised concerns that Tehran might shut down the Strait of Hormuz - one of the world's most critical chokepoints, through which a fifth of global oil and gas supply India, the Strait of Hormuz is important as about 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil out of its total import of 5.5 million bpd transits through the narrow waterway. Having diversified its sources of imports, New Delhi, however, is unlikely to lose sleep even if the Strait is shut down, as alternative sources - from Russia to the US and Brazil - are readily available to fill any void, industry officials and analysts oil is logistically detached from the Strait of Hormuz, flowing via the Suez Canal, Cape of Good Hope, or the Pacific Ocean. Even US, West African, and Latin American flows - though costlier - are increasingly viable backup gas, India's principal supplier Qatar does not use the Strait of Hormuz for supplies to India. India's other sources of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Australia, Russia and the US would be untouched by any heightened tensions in the world's largest energy supply basket would however have a near-term impact on prices, with oil prices likely to jump to USD 80 per barrel, analysts is 90 per cent dependent on imports to meet its crude oil needs and buys roughly half of its natural gas from overseas. While crude oil is turned into fuels like petrol and diesel in refineries, natural gas is used for generating electricity, making fertilisers, and turned into CNG for running automobiles or piped to household kitchens for is a Factbox on the Strait of Hormuz and the emerging energy scenario:: The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The narrow channel, approximately 21 miles (33 kilometres) wide at the narrowest point, separates Iran (north) from the Arabian Peninsula (south). But shipping lanes in the waterway are even narrower - two miles wide in each direction, making them vulnerable to attacks and threats of being shut Strait of Hormuz is of great strategic and economic importance, especially as oil tankers collecting from various ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through the strait. It serves as the maritime artery through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas flows. In 2024, daily shipments averaged 20.3 million barrels of oil and 290 million cubic meters of LNG, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).The bulk of oil exports from regional powerhouses - Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Iran, and Kuwait - must transit this narrow the past, it was the West - chiefly the US and Europe - that stood most exposed to disruption in Persian Gulf energy flows but today it is China and Asia that would bear the brunt of any to the EIA, 82 per cent of the crude oil and condensate exports passing through the Strait of Hormuz in 2022 were destined for Asia, with India, China, Japan, and South Korea accounting for 67 per cent of total flows in 2022 and the first half of imports about 90 per cent of its crude oil, with over 40 per cent of those imports originating from Middle Eastern countries whose exports transit the Strait of International Energy Agency (IEA) has stated that any disruption to flows through the Strait would have significant consequences for world oil has only made noise so far about closing the Strait, but has never shut it time around too, some Iranian leaders have reportedly called for disrupting oil transit in retaliation for US involvement in Iran's conflict with the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988, both nations targeted commercial vessels in the Gulf in what came to be known as the Tanker War - yet the Strait of Hormuz was never fully 2011 and 2012, Iranian officials, including then-Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi warned of a potential closure of the waterway if the West slapped further sanctions on its oil exports over its nuclear in 2018 threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz when tensions spiked following the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and the reimposition of 2019, four ships were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE, amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States during Donald Trump's first term. Washington blamed Tehran for the attacks, but Iran denied the April 2024, Iranian armed forces seized a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, amid escalating regional tensions following a deadly Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus, experts consider a prolonged Strait of Hormuz disruption less likely due to the US naval presence. Besides hurting exports of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, any Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz would affect its exports as Iranian hardliners have threatened closure, and state media have warned of oil spiking to USD 400 per barrel, analysis by global trade analytics firm Kpler assigns "a very low probability" to a full blockade, citing strong disincentives for Iran's largest oil customer (which imports 47 per cent of its seaborne crude from the Middle East Gulf), would be directly impacted. The world's second-largest economy is the number one importer of Iranian oil, reportedly accounting for over three-quarters of its oil reliance on Hormuz for oil exports via Kharg Island (handles 96 per cent of its exports) makes self-blockade Tehran has made deliberate efforts over the past two years to rebuild ties with key regional actors, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which rely heavily on the Strait for exports and have publicly condemned Israel's actions. Sabotaging their flows would risk unravelling those diplomatic gains.A closure would also provoke international military retaliation. Any Iranian naval build-up would be detectable in advance, likely triggering a preemptive US and allied response, according to Kpler. "At most, isolated sabotage efforts could disrupt flows for 24-48 hours, the estimated time required for US forces to neutralise Iran's conventional naval assets."Any such move would provoke military retaliation and diplomatic fallout with Oman, undermining Iran's own backchannels with the USAt most, Iran might attempt short-term sabotage operations that disrupt flows for 24-48 hours, not a prolonged shutdown, Kpler said."Despite repeated threats, Iran has never closed the Strait of Hormuz due to the strategic and economic costs," said Hitesh Jain, Strategist, Institutional Equities Research at Yes Tehran uses the threat as a diplomatic oil prices surged following Israel's wave of attacks on Iranian military leaders, residential buildings, army bases and nuclear sites on June 13. Tehran responded with hundreds of ballistic missiles. The escalation led to a spike in oil prices, reflecting increased geopolitical risk and supply disruption Brent crude oil prices have shot up to USD 77 per barrel, up 10 per cent since the conflict analysts at Goldman Sachs warn that oil prices could exceed USD 90 if the conflict crude prices could surge to nearly USD 90 a barrel if the Strait of Hormuz were closed, analysts at Citigroup agency Icra said any escalation in the conflict in the area could significantly impact sources about 40 per cent of its supplies from Middle East nations such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. These countries export crude oil to India through the Strait of Hormuz recent years, Russia has emerged as a key supplier and imports from Moscow are now more than the combined flow from the Middle refiners imported 2-2.2 million bpd of Russian crude oil in June - the highest in the last two years and more than the about 2 million bpd bought from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, preliminary trade data from Kpler imports from the United States have risen 439,000 bpd in June, a big jump from 280,000 bpd purchased in the previous supplies remain unaffected so far, vessel activity suggests a decline in crude loadings from the Middle East in the coming are hesitant to send empty tankers (ballasters) into the Gulf, with the number of such vessels dropping from 69 to just 40, and (Middle-East and Gulf) MEG-bound signals from the Gulf of Oman suggests that current MEG supplies are likely to tighten in the near term, potentially triggering future adjustments in India's sourcing strategy, Kpler said adding India's import strategy has evolved significantly over the past two oil (Urals, ESPO, Sokol) is logistically detached from Hormuz, flowing via the Suez Canal, Cape of Good Hope, or the Pacific refiners have built refining and payment flexibility, while optimizing runs for a wider crude US, West African, and Latin American flows - though costlier - are increasingly viable backup options. India's June volumes from Russia and the US confirm this resilience-oriented SOURCES: If conflict deepens or there is any short-term disruption in Hormuz - Russian barrels will rise in share, offering both physical availability and pricing may pivot harder toward the US, Nigeria, Angola, and Brazil, albeit at higher freight Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on June 13 stated that India has adequate energy supplies for the coming months and can easily tap into alternate sources in case of any can also release oil from its strategic reserves (covering 9-10 days of imports) to bridge any government can also consider price subsidies to curb inflation if domestic prices spike, especially for diesel and oil prices in the near term would erode the margins state fuel retailers Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) have accumulated by keeping retail prices steady even when international rates had of Yes Securities said oil markets appear well-supplied, with OPEC 's 4 million barrels per day spare capacity and a pre-conflict global surplus of 0.9 million bpd providing a buffer. The rise of US shale adds further resilience.

BJP's Nishikant Dubey slams Rahul Gandhi over language debate:
BJP's Nishikant Dubey slams Rahul Gandhi over language debate:

India Gazette

time19 minutes ago

  • India Gazette

BJP's Nishikant Dubey slams Rahul Gandhi over language debate:

New Delhi [India], June 22 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nishikant Dubey slammed Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, questioning the motives of the Congress leader to encourage learning English rather than local languages while also alluding to the 'hypocrisy' of opposing the National Education Police (NEP) 2020 for language choice stating that the 1986 NEP had similar goals. 'Rahul Gandhi ji your investigative advisor is hell bent on destroying you, this is the education policy of 1986 given by your father to the country, in this, your father is promising the country to promote Hindi, teach Sanskrit language and translate English into regional languages. This same education policy is almost in place now. Students should also grow with regional languages, changes in this have been made by Prime Minister Modi ji in 2020,' Dubey said in a post on X in Hindi. He said that while countries such as Russia, China, France, Germany, Japan and, Arab countries were 'proud of their language,' the former Congress president is proud of English 'like slaves.' 'Russia, China, France, Germany, Arab countries, Japan, Korea all are proud of their language and it is developed, why are you proud of English like slaves, we are proud of Santhali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit,' Dubey's post read. Dubey shared screenshots purportedly of the 1986 NEP, which stated 'the policy emphasises the adoption of regional languages as the media of instruction at the university stage; vigorous effort at implementation of the three language- formula; improvement in the linguistic competencies of students at different stages of education; provision of facilities for the study of English and other foreign languages; development of Hindi as the link of Sanskrit at the university stage...' Dubey's post was made in response to another post by Rahul Gandhi where he supported people, especially people from marginalised backgrounds, learning English. He said that learning the language could be a stepping stone to equality, more job opportunities, which is what the BJP-RSS does not want. 'It is not an English dam, it is a bridge. English is not shame, it is power. English is not a chain - it is a tool to break the chains. BJP-RSS don't want poor kids of India to learn English - because they don't want you to ask questions, move ahead, and become equal,' the Congress leader said in a post on X. While also highlighting that every language is useful and beautiful for its culture, knowledge, and soul, the party leader added, 'In today's world, English is as important as your mother tongue - because it will provide employment and boost your confidence. Every language of India has soul, culture, knowledge. We have to cherish them - and at the same time teach English to every child. This is the path to an India that competes with the world, that gives every child an equal opportunity.' The Congress leader's remarks were in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks, where he said that the languages of India are 'ornaments of our culture,' and to understand the land's history, dharma cannot be done in foreign languages. The remarks by Shah was heavily objected to by multiple people, including by Tamil Nadu Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. (ANI)

Proposed dilution of local content rules may hurt Indian telecom firms, benefit MNCs: GTRI
Proposed dilution of local content rules may hurt Indian telecom firms, benefit MNCs: GTRI

India Gazette

time19 minutes ago

  • India Gazette

Proposed dilution of local content rules may hurt Indian telecom firms, benefit MNCs: GTRI

New Delhi [India], June 22 (ANI): Major dilutions to local content rules for the telecom sector under the Public Procurement Order could negatively impact Indian firms by giving greater access to multinational corporations (MNCs) in government contracts without manufacturing in India, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) . The GTRI in a note further said that the move will benefit major foreign MNCs active in the Indian telecom component industry. Earlier this month, on June 3, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) initiated a public consultation to revise its Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) (PPP-MII) Order for the telecom sector. The consultation, open to industry comments until July 3, proposes a series of technical adjustments to the existing local content (LC) framework -- changes that could have far-reaching consequences for the sector's future. 'Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is moving to relax local content norms for government telecom procurement -- a shift that could favour multinational corporations (MNCs) like Cisco and Ericsson while undermining Indian manufacturers who have invested in domestic production and innovation,' GTRI's note added prepared by former Indian Trade Service Officer, Ajay Srivastava said. It added that MNCs are 'lobbying India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to ease local content (LC) requirements, as they struggle to qualify as Class-I local suppliers for government telecom tenders.' India's current PPP-MII policy, which was first updated in October 2024, mandates that any firm seeking preference in government telecom tenders must meet a minimum 50 per cent local content threshold. Srivastava added in the note that in order to qualify as a 'Class-I' supplier and enjoy pricing and selection advantages, firms must demonstrate that at least 50 per cent of a product's value is sourced or manufactured in India which has become a difficult task for MNCs. The PPP-MII policy applies to 36 key telecom product categories -- including routers, ethernet switches, GPON devices, media gateways, customer premises equipment (CPE), satellite terminals, telecom batteries, and optical fibre and cables. Under the current PPP-MII framework, several exclusions apply to the calculation of local content. Imported parts routed through Indian resellers, royalties, overseas technical fees, and refurbished products do not count toward Indian value addition. Design and software work performed in India is permitted, but the value generated is capped, with restrictions in place to prevent companies from inflating LC percentages purely on the basis of R&D activities while continuing to import most hardware components. Srivastava added in the note that global majors are finding it 'difficult to meet these thresholds.' He further added that the underlying issue is that most of the work performed in India is done on an outsourcing basis for their foreign parent companies. The parent companies retain ownership of intellectual property (IP) and earn the bulk of profits. Highlighting the impact of policy change, GTRI note said that the move will put Indian telecom firms -- who have made long-term investments in Indian-based manufacturing, R&D, and IP development -- at a severe disadvantage. 'Such Indian firms would face the prospect of losing market share to foreign MNCs whose products remain largely imported and foreign-owned,' the GTRI note added. It further points out that dilution of standards would discourage Indian firms from investing in genuine IP creation, as Class-I status could now be achieved simply through superficial assembly or software wrapping of imported goods. 'India's telecom sector would remain reliant on foreign technologies, with little strategic control,' the GTRI note added. (ANI)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store