Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said that India is not a major power in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and lacks sufficient production capacity in the tech sector. Speaking at a college in Kerala on Thursday, he claimed that India cannot manufacture much and that the recent India–US trade deal has handed over crucial national data to the United States.

Gandhi criticized India’s higher education system, alleging that many vice-chancellors are appointed based on political affiliations and that the influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is growing in education. He argued that a specific ideology is being imposed, which he described as harmful to the country. He also said that the global AI race is dominated by the United States and China, while India remains a minor player.

He warned that without control over its own data and stronger industrial production, India could face serious challenges. Gandhi also criticized major business groups like Reliance Industries and Adani Group for focusing mainly on selling foreign products and expressed concern over job losses linked to global AI expansion.