PM Modi takes a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, says Congress makes more failed launches than Sriharikota

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched an unsparing attack on the Congress party, accusing its leadership of risking India’s international reputation merely to protect and relaunch what he termed a “failed product”.

Speaking at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi, the Prime Minister contrasted the current worldwide push for stability with domestic political disruption. At a time when foreign countries are grappling with major instability and looking for direction, he argued, India needs to present a confident, united face to the world. Instead, he said, key opponents are travelling abroad to run down the nation’s standing and invite external interference in domestic matters.

“While the world is searching for a new order, some people are dreaming of disorder in India,” Mr Modi said. “Today, when there is so much turmoil across the globe, an image of a strong India should be presented to the world; yet, these individuals are actively working to tarnish India's global reputation. They travel abroad to defame the nation and appeal for foreign intervention. One wonders how long Congress will continue to stake the nation just to launch their 'failed product'”.

Failed attempts to launch party leadership

Taking direct aim at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister drew an analogy with India’s space programme to illustrate the party's repeated political relaunches. He observed that the country does not witness as many rocket launches from the Sriharikota spaceport in an entire year as the number of unsuccessful attempts the Congress makes to establish its leader.

Mr Modi asserted that the opposition outfit has made a habit of questioning national milestones solely to shield its central family from continuous electoral defeats.

“To save its family from the blot of failure, the Congress is questioning India's achievements. The grapes are sour, and the Congress is now trying to axe the vine itself. The family is now a burden on the Congress,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that this unease is widely felt inside the organisation itself. According to Mr Modi, even veteran party elders acknowledge in private conversations that the family has become an unbearable weight, yet they remain silent and swallow their humiliation rather than speaking out openly.

Ideological capture and silenced critics

Escalating his critique, Mr Modi claimed that extremist mindsets have hollowed out the party’s capacity to think independently.

“'Dimagi Naxals' have completely hijacked the mind of the Congress party to the extent that it has lost its own capacity to think. Those who once caused destruction in the jungles have now infiltrated Congress and are working toward the ruin of the nation,” he remarked.

Because of this shift, the Prime Minister argued, the Congress has begun acting in a “parasitic” manner that swallows up genuine, well-meaning dissent. In any healthy democracy, ordinary citizens and civic groups raise concerns to fix administrative flaws or push for institutional improvements. However, Mr Modi noted that whenever honest critics attempt to hold the government accountable through legitimate democratic paths, their voices are drowned out by partisan commotion and derailed by Congress agitations.

Parliament disruptions and blocked youth voices

Turning to legislative debates, the Prime Minister accused the main opposition party of deliberately paralysing Parliament to ensure no other leader gains public attention.

He pointed out that several capable, younger opposition Members of Parliament come prepared to question government policies and participate constructively in debates. Yet, the Congress continuously triggers ruckus and stalls house proceedings simply to keep one chosen individual in the limelight, denying these newer lawmakers a fair platform.

“We have witnessed this in Parliament: there are so many young opposition MPs who wish to raise their voices and critique the government, but Congress disrupts Parliament so other voices don't get a platform—because they must keep only one specific person in the limelight. By doing this, Congress does grave injustice to other opposition leaders,” he said.

These political broadsides arrive amid a tense domestic backdrop. Over the past fortnight, opposition groups—including the INDIA bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)—have staged protests in the capital and across states demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

Global instability and the need for institutional reform

The Prime Minister contrasted domestic disruptions with the profound structural shifts reshaping global geopolitics.

For decades, international commerce, marine shipping corridors, and technological cooperation functioned as bridges connecting diverse economies. Today, however, those very bridges are becoming arenas of conflict. Trade is increasingly being turned into a weapon, technological tools have become fields of geopolitical competition, and maritime routes are turning into flashpoints.

Against this backdrop, Mr Modi stressed that post-war global bodies such as the United Nations are struggling to resolve modern crises because their decision-making apparatus has failed to evolve alongside changing realities.

“Reform in multilateral institutions is essential. Giving rightful place to the voice of the Global South is essential,” Mr Modi declared.

Emphasising India’s transformation from being seen as merely the “World's Back Office” to an innovative creator of new technologies and solutions, the Prime Minister asserted that the country would move forward with deep self-confidence.

“We will dream big, transform every challenge into an opportunity, and carry every resolve to its fruition. Our strength is our self-confidence, and our inspiration is the dreams of 140 crore countrymen. We will innovate, forge new paths, touch new heights, and connect India's success with the world's success,” he concluded.