Rahul Gandhi’s alignment with Donald Trump’s critique of India’s economy has intensified the political storm ahead of 2024. Labeling the economy as “dead” and accusing Prime Minister Modi of bending national interests to benefit Adani, Gandhi’s remarks have triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, which defended its economic record and foreign policy stance.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 31, 2025 – Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a blistering attack on the Modi government today, endorsing U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial remark that India’s economy is “dead.” Addressing reporters in the Parliament House complex, Gandhi said, “Everyone knows it except Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,” accusing the BJP-led regime of dismantling India’s economic, defense, and foreign policy frameworks to benefit industrialist Gautam Adani.
Trump recently imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, calling India a “dead economy.” Rather than reject the claim, Gandhi said, “Yes, he is right. I’m glad that President Trump has stated a fact… The entire world knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy.” He blamed the downturn on the “Adani-Modi partnership,” demonetization, a flawed Goods and Services Tax (GST), the collapse of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and farm distress.
“The Modi government has wrecked our economic, defense, and foreign policies. They are running this country into the ground,” Gandhi said, alleging Modi “works only for one person—Adani.” He said this favoritism has led to job losses and dashed hopes for Indian youth. “The Adani-Modi nexus has crippled growth. MSMEs are collapsing, farmers are suffering, and youth are jobless,” he added, pointing to similar views being expressed on X (formerly Twitter).
Gandhi also attacked Modi’s silence on Trump’s repeated claims about brokering a ceasefire and the alleged loss of five Indian jets. “Trump has said 30-32 times that he did the ceasefire. He says five Indian jets have fallen. He’s now imposing 25% tariffs. Why can’t the Prime Minister respond? Who holds the reins?” he asked, suggesting Modi was acting under external pressure.
Predicting a trade deal with the U.S. under American terms, Gandhi said, “This deal will happen, and PM Modi will do exactly what Trump says,” implying that India’s foreign policy has become subservient to foreign interests. He accused the government of eroding India’s global image by prioritizing the ambitions of a single corporate group.
The BJP quickly dismissed Gandhi’s remarks. Party spokesperson Sambit Patra called them “baseless” and accused Congress of undermining India’s economy. “The Adani Group is driving national growth—managing nearly 30% of India’s cargo and leading in renewable energy with a 10.9 GW capacity. Rahul Gandhi’s statements are reckless and devoid of facts,” Patra said, noting Adani’s significant investments in Congress-ruled states like Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
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The Adani Group, for its part, has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. It has described the accusations as part of a coordinated global campaign led by foreign entities like George Soros to target India’s strategic economic assets.
VIDEO | On US President Donald Trump calling Indian economy a ‘dead economy’, Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) says,
“Yes, he is right. I mean, everybody knows this except PM Modi and the Finance Minister. It is a dead economy. I am glad that the US… pic.twitter.com/8r0kLdFEsV
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 31, 2025
Gandhi’s latest salvo has reignited the political firestorm surrounding the Modi-Adani relationship, a key theme in his attacks since 2014. He has repeatedly demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into alleged financial violations by the Adani Group, citing findings from the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and Hindenburg Research.
Meanwhile, Gandhi’s endorsement of Trump’s remarks triggered a storm on social media. Some praised his honesty, while others, including right-wing accounts like @hindupost, branded him an “agent of lies, chaos, doom & hatred” for targeting Adani while allegedly ignoring wider economic complexities.
The debate once again highlights India’s deepening political divide—with economic direction and corporate power at the center of contention.
