Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed concern over the "decline in manufacturing" in India while stressing that manufacturing is the "backbone" of strong economies.
The Congress leader made the remarks after visiting BMW Welt and the BMW Plant in Munich, as part of his visit to Germany.
Sharing visuals of the guided tour at the manufacturing plant, Gandhi wrote in a post on Instagram, "Had the chance to experience BMW's world in Munich, Germany with a guided tour of BMW Welt and the BMW Plant - an incredible look at world-class manufacturing up close."
A highlight was seeing TVS's 450cc motorcycle, developed in partnership with BMW, he said, adding that it was a proud moment to see Indian engineering on display.
Calling for the creation of meaningful manufacturing ecosystem in India, he said, "Manufacturing is the backbone of strong economies. Sadly, in India, manufacturing is declining. For us to accelerate growth, we need to produce more - build meaningful manufacturing ecosystems, and create high-quality jobs at scale."
Gandhi is visiting Germany at the invitation of the Progressive Alliance, a key group of 117 progressive parties from across the world.
During his visit, Gandhi will engage with the Indian diaspora as well as meet German government ministers.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Wednesday termed as "anti-India" Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's claim that manufacturing is declining in the country, asserting that production is "continuously increasing" in the country.
The ruling party also accused the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha of insulting India with his remarks on foreign soil.
Flaying Gandhi over his remarks, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said the leader of opposition is an important position and the one holding it "must behave responsibly", especially when on foreign soil.
"But Rahul and responsibility can never go hand in hand," Patra charged.
"Rahul Gandhi's repeated trips abroad and his actions of insulting India and making anti-India statements from foreign soil clearly show the kind of feelings Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party harbour towards India," the BJP MP added.
Rejecting Gandhi's claim, Patra said production is "continuously increasing" in India through the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and other initiatives taken by the government.
"It is important to clarify that the IIP, or Index of Industrial Production, is currently on a positive growth trend. India's manufacturing sector recorded a growth rate of 5.4 per cent in July 2025 and 4.8 per cent in September 2025," he said.
India's current GDP growth rate is 8.2 per cent, which is one of the best growth rates in the world, Patra said, asserting, "Naturally, the manufacturing sector contributes approximately 17 per cent to this growth."
"But Rahul Gandhi doesn't see any positivity. He sees no good in India. Whenever he goes abroad, he inevitably returns having insulted Parliament and India in some way or the other," Patra alleged.