China's dominance in global manufacturing has shielded it from the unemployment crisis that plagues India, US, and other Western nations, according to Rahul Gandhi.
Speaking to students at the University of Texas in Dallas, the Congress leader stressed that India needs to reclaim its role in global production to combat rising unemployment.
Gandhi pointed out, "The West has an employment problem. India has an employment problem... But many countries in the world don't have an employment problem. China certainly doesn't have an employment problem."
He highlighted how China has managed to secure its place as a leader in global manufacturing, a position once held by the US and other Western countries. "If you look today, China is dominating global production," Gandhi remarked, attributing this shift to how the West, including India, "has given up on the idea of production" and handed it to countries like China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
To reverse this trend, Gandhi emphasized that India must prioritize manufacturing. "It's not acceptable that India simply says, okay, manufacturing is going to be the preserve of the Chinese, the Vietnamese, or the Bangladeshis," he argued, warning that without a strong manufacturing base, India will continue to suffer from high unemployment.
He further warned that "if we carry on down this path of forgetting about manufacturing, you're going to see massive social problems coming in India and in the United States and Europe."
Gandhi, however, remains optimistic about India's potential, noting that the country is not lacking in skills. "Many people say that India has a problem with skills. I don't think India has a problem with skills. I think... India does not have respect for people who possess skills," he observed.
According to him, India could compete with China if it realigns its focus on production and starts respecting skilled labor.
Gandhi also called for greater emphasis on vocational training to bridge the gap between the education system and the business world. He pointed out, "Bridging that gap or linking these two systems, skills and education, through vocational training is fundamental."
However, he cautioned that the current education system is hindered by "ideological capture," where ideology is being prioritized over practical skills development.
He concluded with confidence that India could rival China in manufacturing if it scales up efforts. "I'm absolutely convinced... States like Tamil Nadu have already shown it. Pune has shown it. Maharashtra has shown it. So, it is being done but it's not being done at the scale and with the coordination that it needs to be done."