NEW DELHI: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has issued a sharp rebuttal to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, defending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative. The response comes after both Congress leaders questioned the effectiveness of India’s manufacturing policies and raised concerns regarding the expansion of global companies, such as Foxconn, in the country.
Addressing the criticism, Joshi urged Congress leaders to “stop acting” and acknowledge the reality of India’s industrial growth under the BJP-led government. “The center is actively encouraging global giants like Foxconn to expand operations in India. Congress conveniently forgets that the land for this factory in Karnataka was allotted even when the BJP was in power,” he said. Joshi stressed that these policy measures are key drivers behind India’s manufacturing surge, highlighting that effective governance and decisive leadership have been central to this progress.
Joshi elaborated on the achievements of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, stating, “Foxconn is a direct beneficiary of this initiative. Investments worth Rs 14,065 crore have been attracted under the PLI scheme, creating approximately 1.32 lakh jobs by October 2025.” He underscored that these figures represent tangible outcomes of the ‘Make in India’ program and demonstrate India’s growing industrial capabilities.
Pointing to India’s progress in domestic electronics manufacturing, Joshi said, “India now produces chips, electronic components, and sub-modules domestically. Mobile phone production, valued at Rs 0.18 lakh crore in 2014-15, has surged to Rs 5.5 lakh crore today—a 28-fold increase. Exports have grown from Rs 0.01 lakh crore to Rs 2 lakh crore, a 127-fold jump. Isn’t this the result of Make in India?” He emphasised that these numbers reflect a significant transformation in India’s manufacturing landscape and a substantial increase in global competitiveness.
Congress should stop pretending and start acknowledging reality.
India’s manufacturing surge is the outcome of Make in India, envisioned and driven by Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji.Foxconn is a direct beneficiary of the PLI Scheme which was introduced by PM @narendramodi ji.… https://t.co/P775c4fNq1
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) December 26, 2025
Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s previous statement that mobile phones in India are merely “assembled” and not manufactured, Joshi noted that domestic production has significantly ramped up under the encouragement of the NDA government. “Congress questioning the outcomes of these reforms only exposes their frustration. India’s productive economy today is the result of decisive leadership, not borrowed narratives,” he said.
Joshi also criticised Karnataka Congress leaders, alleging that Priyanka Kharge, who promoted the “name and shame” campaign under the Fake News Bill, has herself spread misinformation. “The Karnataka IT Minister shared an AI-generated image to mislead people, create chaos, and propagate a distorted narrative. This demonstrates a clear malicious intent to disrupt social harmony and public peace,” he added.
The Union Minister underlined that the dissemination of AI-generated content and false information not only misleads the public but also risks disturbing law and order. “Such acts expose Congress’s double standards. While claiming to support truth and transparency, they are actively creating confusion and spreading false narratives,” Joshi said.
He concluded by reiterating that India’s manufacturing and export growth under the ‘Make in India’ initiative is indisputable. From attracting global companies like Foxconn to the exponential increase in mobile phone production and exports, India’s progress is evident. Joshi urged Congress leaders to focus on constructive engagement rather than undermining policy achievements with misleading claims, highlighting that national economic development should take precedence over political point-scoring.
