‘Approach changed after Modi came to power’: S Jaishankar says India must focus on manufacturing to compete with China

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India’s approach towards manufacturing changed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. Jaishankar said that to compete with China, India needs to focus on manufacturing. 

"If we have to compete with China, which we should, then its solution is that we should focus on manufacturing here. Our approach towards manufacturing has changed after Modiji came to power. Before that, people did not give much emphasis on manufacturing," Jaishankar said as he interacted with industry leaders in Surat on Monday in an event organised by Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).

The EAM insisted that the only way to counter China on the economic front was by focusing on the manufacturing sector.

The minister said that a country cannot build strong technology on weak manufacturing. "At any cost, we should put special emphasis on manufacturing, because that is the only economic response," the Union minister maintained.

Jaishankar acknowledged that the India-China ties have been affected by the border tension. The minister also said that the border issue with China has caused ‘abnormality’ in the relations between New Delhi and Beijing. He said that unless there is peace and stability in the border areas, the ties between the Asian powers will not improve. 

He also stated that India’s role and policies framed to fight COVID-19 helped change the global perception about India. These policies also helped strengthen India’s economic position to such an extent that India became the “fastest growing large economy”. 

"This is a very auspicious occasion for us to engage with the world in different ways in different spheres. This is the India of Chandrayaan and UPI, 5G stack and Covaxin which is respected by the world, and where the Modi government will ensure the safety of its people in any corner of the world. We have done this during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Ukraine, Sudan, and Israel," he noted.