Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 15: The Congress on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar, accusing them of ‘kowtowing’ to China despite ongoing border tensions and growing economic dependency.
The criticism followed Jaishankar’s recent remarks during a meeting with China’s Vice President Han Zheng, where he stated that India-China ties ‘have been steadily improving’ since the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan last October and that ‘continued normalisation of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes.’
Terming these remarks as submissive, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh recalled Jaishankar’s controversial 2022 statement where he said: “Look, they are the bigger economy. What am I going to do?” Ramesh alleged that such thinking mirrors the Prime Minister’s own stance, citing Modi’s 2020 statement—"Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai"—which the Congress leader claimed weakened India’s negotiating position and was exploited by China diplomatically.
Referring to the recent military operation 'Sindoor', Ramesh accused China of siding openly with Pakistan. “China gave total support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor… offering real-time intelligence on Indian positions. This was confirmed by Deputy Army Chief Lt. Gen. Rahul R. Singh,” he said, adding that Pakistan is set to receive Chinese J-35 stealth fighter jets.
He also alleged that China continues to choke India’s strategic sectors by restricting exports of critical inputs like rare-earth magnets, specialty fertilizers, and tunnel-boring machines. The country’s trade deficit with China, Ramesh noted, now stands at a record $99.2 billion. “Telecom, pharma, and electronics sectors remain heavily reliant on Chinese imports,” he added.
Ramesh also raised concerns about Chinese obstruction in India’s ambition to become a global smartphone manufacturing hub, saying that Chinese workers have reportedly withdrawn from Foxconn’s Indian operations. On the military front, he said Indian patrols at Depsang, Demchok, and Chumar require Chinese concurrence, while buffer zones created post-2020 in Galwan, Pangong Tso, and Hot Springs lie deep inside Indian claim lines.
He reiterated Congress’s longstanding demand for a detailed discussion on China in Parliament. “If a debate could be held in November 1962 at the peak of Chinese aggression, why not now?” he questioned. The Congress hopes the government will allow such a discussion in the upcoming Monsoon Session.
Ramesh concluded by stressing the need for national consensus on dealing with the security and economic implications of China’s rise as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse and its growing geopolitical assertiveness.