Modi govt hurt national interests by letting China capture India's critical industries: Congress

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Modi government has hurt national interests by letting China "capture" India's most critical industries and opening more opportunities for the Chinese to "flourish".

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge cited a media report, which claimed that China still powers India's strategic industries, to attack the government.

There was no immediate reaction from the government or the BJP on the Congress' allegations.


He claimed that six years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed a clean chit to China after 20 brave soldiers made the supreme sacrifice in Galwan.

"Our breavehearts chose martyrdom, but Modi Govt has surrendered India's interests to China," Kharge alleged in a post on X.

He claimed that dependence on China runs through the most critical sectors of India's economy, which are supposed to define the country's future.

Kharge said since the Galwan clash, imports from China have "exploded" by 101.81 per cent by 2025-26, pushing India's trade deficit with the neighbouring country to USD 112.1 billion.

"China supplied a jaw-dropping 86 per cent of India's antibiotic imports. Why? China cornered nearly 74 per cent of India's API, bulk drug, and drug intermediate imports in 2024-25," he said.

Kharge further claimed that 66 per cent of India's EV component imports still flow from China.

Nearly 75 per cent of lithium-ion batteries powering Indian EVs are imported, and the overwhelming bulk of them are Chinese, he said, adding that India imported nearly 93 per cent of permanent magnets from China in 2025-26.

"For all the hollow talks by the Modi government on solar energy, it is appalling that China supplied more than 99 per cent of India's undiffused silicon wafer imports in 2025-26, a near total capture of a sector Modi ji's claims to champion under Atmanirbhar Bharat. These undiffused silicon wafers are the foundation of our solar cells," the Congress chief said.

"Now, the Modi government has even rolled out the red carpet for his 'Jhoola Friend', relaxing restrictions to let four Chinese companies bid for India's own government power projects. Civil society assertions and reports tell that China continues to encroach on Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh," Kharge said.

Its role in Pakistan's actions during Operation Sindoor was acknowledged by none less than the Deputy Chief of Army Staff and stands officially documented, he said.

"The Modi government has hurt India's national interests by letting Beijing capture India's most critical industries since Galwan. Now they are opening more opportunities for the Chinese to flourish under the lens of his tinted 'Laal Aankh'!" Kharge said, taking a swipe at Modi.