On 14 November 2023, addressing an election rally in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Rahul Gandhi as ‘Lord of Fools,’ criticizing him for spreading misinformation about mobile phones in India.
PM Modi highlighted Gandhi’s claim that only ‘made in China’ phones are available in India, calling him out for his lack of awareness. Without explicitly naming Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi also mocked his mysterious foreign trips, questioning the effectiveness of the spectacles he wears.
“Yesterday, a ‘big expert’ of the Congress was saying that in India, everybody over here has only Made-in-China mobile phones. One ‘big expert’ was saying that all of you have only Made-in-China mobile phones. Oh lord of fools! In which world do these people live in?“, PM Modi slammed Rahul Gandhi without naming him.
PM Modi further added “Congress leaders have developed a mental illness of undermining the achievements of the country. I don’t know what foreign spectacles they wear, which makes them unable to see the development in the country. What is the truth? Today India is the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world.”
The Prime Minister emphasized the significant progress in mobile phone manufacturing in India, stating that the country is now the second-largest producer globally. He noted that during Congress’s tenure, mobiles worth less than ₹20,000 crore were manufactured annually, compared to today’s production of mobile phones worth ₹3.5 lakh crore. India also exports mobile phones worth approximately ₹1 lakh crore.
“When Congress was at the Centre, every year in India, mobiles worth less than ₹ 20,000 crore were manufactured. Today in India,
mobile phones worth ₹3.5 lakh crore are made in India. India exports mobile phones worth approximately ₹1 lakh crore to other countries.“, PM Modi said.
PM Modi stressed the importance of ‘Make in India,’ stating that those who remember it only during elections do not understand the value of Swadeshi (locally manufactured goods). He highlighted the ‘vocal for local’ movement, revealing that during Diwali, people purchased India-made products worth ₹4.4 lakh crores.
Under the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative, mobile phone shipments in India have seen a 23% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). According to Counterpoint, India is now the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer globally, with over 98% of shipments being ‘made in India’ in 2022.
Alphabet Inc announced plans to manufacture Pixel smartphones in India, starting with Pixel 8, expected to roll out in markets from 2024. Additionally, Tata Electronics Private Limited, a Tata group company, will soon begin manufacturing iPhones in India for both domestic and global markets, as announced by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in October.
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