“Modi Govt ‘Surrendered’ India’s Interests To China After Galwan”
FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they visit the Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, China
The Congress on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of allowing India’s dependence on Chinese imports to grow across several strategic sectors, alleging that national interests had been compromised despite the military tensions between the two countries following the Galwan Valley clash in 2020.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, citing a media report on India’s reliance on Chinese supplies, said industries critical to the country’s future remained heavily dependent on imports from China. In a post on X, he alleged that the government had effectively “surrendered” India’s interests to Beijing even after the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers during the Galwan clash.
“The Modi government has hurt India’s national interests by letting Beijing capture India’s most critical industries since Galwan,” Kharge said.
He claimed that India’s imports from China had increased by 101.81 per cent by 2025-26, while the bilateral trade deficit had reached USD 112.1 billion.
Kharge also highlighted India’s dependence on Chinese imports in the pharmaceutical sector. According to him, China supplied 86 per cent of India’s antibiotic imports and nearly 74 per cent of the country’s imports of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), bulk drugs and drug intermediates during 2024-25.
The Congress chief further claimed that the country’s electric vehicle sector remained heavily dependent on China. He alleged that 66 per cent of India’s EV component imports came from China, while a large share of the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles was also sourced from the neighbouring country.
Congress questions government policies on strategic sectors
Kharge also raised concerns over India’s dependence on China for clean energy and advanced manufacturing inputs.
He claimed that nearly 93 per cent of India’s permanent magnet imports came from China during 2025-26. In addition, he alleged that China supplied more than 99 per cent of India’s imports of undiffused silicon wafers, an important raw material used in the manufacture of solar cells.
Targeting recent government decisions, Kharge alleged that the Centre had relaxed restrictions to allow four Chinese companies to participate in bidding for public power projects in India.
He also referred to the continuing military tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), alleging that China continued its attempts to encroach into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
The Congress president further linked the issue to India’s security concerns, claiming that China’s role in Pakistan’s actions during Operation Sindoor had been acknowledged by the Deputy Chief of Army Staff and formed part of the official record.
“The Modi government has effectively surrendered India’s interests to Beijing,” Kharge alleged, arguing that the government’s trade and strategic policies had increased India’s economic dependence on China despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The Congress leader’s remarks come amid continuing political debate over India’s trade relationship with China and the country’s dependence on Chinese imports in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, electronics and electric vehicles.
There was no immediate response from the central government or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to Kharge’s allegations at the time of publication.
